Shipping a Car from Seattle to Hawaii (and Vice-Versa)

Shipping a car from Seattle to Hawaii and shipping a car from Hawaii to Seattle is quite similar.

Seattle is the home of many cool things. But, you might be trying to leave the cold or maybe you just don’t like Starbucks all that much. Or, maybe you’re heading from the warm weather to a place with a little more action. We’ll break down both scenarios in this article.

All in all, car shipping is less complicated than most people imagine.  When shipping a car from Hawaii to Seattle,  you’ll have to pick your car up from the port, which isn’t the case when you’re shipping a car to Hawaii from Seattle. The key is to find a vehicle transport company with years of experience shipping to and from the Hawaiian islands.

Keep scrolling to learn how shipping a car from Seattle to Hawaii and shipping a car from Hawaii to Seattle works.

Shipping a car from Seattle to Hawaii (and Vice-Versa)

The Hawaiian Islands are one of the most geographically isolated places on earth. There’s plenty to do, with beaches pretty much built for surfing, snorkeling, and all types of tropical adventures.

Montway Auto Transport is an industry leader in getting cars to and from Hawaii. Find more info on how to book a car shipping quote at the bottom of this article.

How to: shipping a car to Hawaii from Seattle

Here is a basic breakdown of the process you can expect when booking shipping a car from Seattle to Hawaii:

1. Get a quote and book

The first step in shipping a car to Hawaii from Seattle is getting a quote and booking your order. You can get an instant price quote and book your order directly through our online calculator, phone or Live Chat.

2. Prepare vehicle

Next, you’ll need to prepare your vehicle for shipping. To help get you started, here are a few things you might need to do beforehand:

• No personal items (can ship spare tire, jack, floor mats, child car seats, drivers owner manual).
• Vehicle must be clean (inside and out, no dirt if possible).
• The vehicle should be in operating condition.
• Vehicle must have a working emergency brake.
• No cracks or chips in windows or windshield.
• The car must have less than a ¼ tank of gas.

3. Pick up your vehicle

We pick up your vehicle, but when we deliver your vehicle to Hawaii, you’ll be required to pick it up from the respective port, once the vehicle has cleared inspection and customs. All you’ll need to pick up your car or truck is the Matson booking number, which will be provided by a Montway representative post-booking, once scheduled with the port.

We can ship a car from Seattle to Hawaii to the following ports: Kauai, O’ahu, Maui and Big Island of Hawaii.

How to: shipping a car from Hawaii to Seattle

You might notice that the first two steps for how to ship a car from Seattle to Hawaii are pretty much the same as the steps for how to ship a car from Hawaii to Seattle. However, the final two steps are quite different, so make sure to read carefully.

1. Book and prepare your vehicle

The first step in shipping your car from Hawaii to Seattle is getting a quote and booking your order. Next, you’ll need to prepare your vehicle for shipping, no different than if you were shipping to Hawaii.

2. Drop vehicle at the port

The next step is for you to drop off your vehicle at the port. Here are a few things you might need to bring:

• Your Montway Order Confirmation and Vessel Booking Number.
• A set of keys and if your vehicle has an alarm, the remote to unlock it and turn it on and off.
• The vehicle title or lien holder authorization letter if your vehicle is financed or leased.
• The current registration.
• A government-issued picture ID.
• When shipping a car from Hawaii to the mainland and the owner of the vehicle is not present at drop off, the drop-off party must show proof of power of attorney from the owner allowing the vehicle to be shipped.
• When shipping a car from Hawaii to Seattle, the drop-off party must have proof of power of attorney from the lien holder allowing the vehicle to be shipped.

3. Delivery

The final step? Delivering your vehicle. And when you are shipping your vehicle from Hawaii to Seattle, you have the following two options:

A. Port-To-Door

We offer Port-to-Door service for shipping a car from Hawaii to Seattle. You simply drop your vehicle off at the port, and we will bring your vehicle to your location on the mainland. We deal with the hassle, and all you have to do is make sure somebody is at the delivery location on the mainland to receive your vehicle.

B. Port-To-Port

If you prefer Port-to-Port service, here’s how it would work. You drop off your vehicle at one of the ports in Hawaii. Then, depending on where you live, you may have the option to pick up the vehicle from one of our mainland ports. We recommend this option only if you live close to the ports on the mainland.

No extra paperwork is required if you want to know how to ship a car from Seattle to Hawaii. However, if you want to know how to ship a car from Hawaii to Seattle, this is something that you’ll need to be aware of, as mentioned above.

Cost of shipping a car from Seattle to Hawaii vs. cost of shipping a car from Hawaii to Seattle

Determining the cost of shipping a car from Seattle to Hawaii is the same as calculating the cost of shipping a car from Hawaii to Seattle. It’s easy using Montway’s online calculator!

First, you’ll need to determine what type of transport service you’d like.

1. Open carrier auto transport

This is the option most people choose because it’s priced lower and in many cases faster, too. Because there are more spots on more trucks moving across the country, most cross-country car auto shipping happens on open carriers.

2. Enclosed auto transport

If your vehicle requires extra protection, is particularly valuable, is an antique, or is a specialty car or truck — you might want to go with enclosed auto transport.

The delivery date when shipping a car to Hawaii from Seattle depends on your estimated transit time. Once your order is dispatched, you receive an estimated arrival date. Know that it is difficult to pinpoint an exact day and time for delivery. Factors such as weather, traffic and other carloads can affect it.

Cost of shipping a car to Hawaii vs. cost of shipping a car from Hawaii

The calculations below have been put together using the rate provided (by Montway’s quote calculator) for the following booking details:

• 2018 Hyundai Elantra
• Open auto transport
• First available pickup date (FAD) of 30 days or later
• Vehicle is running
• Is insurance included? Yes

In general, however, shipping a car from Hawaii to Seattle takes about 7-14 days. And, on the same page, shipping a car from Seattle to Hawaii takes about the same time. Again, keep in mind that traveling over the Pacific could lead to some additional delays to make sure your car is kept safe during transit.

Montway Auto Transport ships over 85,000 cars per year and takes special care of each one of them. If you’re looking to ship your car from Hawaii to Seattle or from Seattle to Hawaii, give us a shout.