Tennessee to Colorado Car Shipping (2025 Cost Guide)

Most companies will require that an adult of at least 18 years of age be present when picking up your car in Tennessee and when dropping it off in Colorado.

If you’re not driving the vehicle from Tennessee to Colorado, you aren't required to have typical car insurance. Your car hauler should have adequate insurance if an accident happened on the drive to Colorado, which you should verify before loading your car in Tennessee.

If you’re driving your car at all in either state, you should understand the requirements. Tennessee drivers need to fulfill liability insurance criteria of 25/50/15 ($25,000 for individual bodily injury, $50,000 for total bodily injury per accident, and $15,000 for property damage per accident). Valid proof of insurance is crucial for registration and may be requested by law enforcement during traffic stops. Motorists have the flexibility to choose additional coverage for an added layer of vehicle protection.

To drive in Colorado, you must have insurance with minimum 25/50/10 liability limits, covering $25,000 per person for bodily injury, $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, and $15,000 for property damage. While meeting the state's minimum requirement, it's advisable to consider factors for determining optimal coverage levels.

Car shipping companies can travel about 500 miles per day. The trip from Tennessee to Colorado is about 1,281 miles, and that’s as fast as about 3 days. However, most car transport companies will take three to eight days to travel from Tennessee to Colorado.

In Tennessee, vehicles must pass annual safety and emissions inspection. Cost is around $15 and more information can be found at Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security's website.

To register and title your vehicle in Colorado within 90 days of moving, you'll need to provide the DMV with an out-of-state vehicle title, proof of a valid Colorado auto insurance policy, verifiable identification, and documentation of the vehicle's weight.

To obtain a Colorado driver's license, new residents must visit a Colorado DMV office in person. The process cannot be done online or by phone. A valid out-of-state license is required, with no suspensions, revocations, or cancellations, and must not have been deemed unfit to drive by CO DMV or a court.

It’s important to understand any tax implications if you’re having a car shipped from Tennessee to Colorado after purchasing it.

Vehicles purchased outside Colorado are not taxed, but if they are registered in Colorado, the buyer must pay use and local taxes. If the buyer has already paid taxes in the state of purchase, they may claim credit towards the use tax. No use tax applies to vehicles brought into Colorado by a nonresident becoming a resident, but rules may differ for those who lease vehicles.

We recommend that you always check for updated tax information in both Tennessee and Colorado to avoid any hidden costs.

The cheapest way to ship a car from Tennessee to Colorado is to ship it on a train or choose an open trailer transport method, avoid expedited shipping, and be flexible with your pickup dates.

Shipping a car from Tennessee to Colorado costs $985 to $1,406.