Tennessee to Delaware Car Shipping (2026 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 Delaware.

If you’re not driving the vehicle from Tennessee to Delaware, you aren't required to have typical car insurance. Your car hauler should have adequate insurance if an accident happened on the drive to Delaware, 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.

Delaware mandates that vehicle owners carry a minimum of liability car insurance of $25,000 per person for bodily injury, $50,000 total for bodily injury liability in case of an accident involving multiple people and $10,000 for property damage per accident.

Car shipping companies can travel about 500 miles per day. The trip from Tennessee to Delaware is about 794 miles, and that’s as fast as about 2 days. However, most car transport companies will take two to seven days to travel from Tennessee to Delaware.

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.

In Delaware, vehicles are required to undergo an emissions inspection every two years, unless the vehicle is less than seven years old. Additionally, a vehicle inspection is required every time you register or re-register your vehicle, but it must be completed within 90 days of the registration date to be valid.

Drivers moving to Delaware from another state must update their driver's license within 60 days of becoming a resident.

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

Delaware residents who purchased a vehicle from an out-of-state dealer will not receive a credit for taxes paid. While most states exempt out-of-state buyers from taxes, some states collect taxes on all vehicle sales. This means that residents may be subject to double taxation on vehicles purchased from certain states.

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

The cheapest way to ship a car from Tennessee to Delaware 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 Delaware costs $810 to $1,113.