Shipping Car from Los Angeles to Hawaii

Given the close proximity, it’s very common to ship a car from Los Angeles to Hawaii. Transporting a vehicle in the opposite direction (from Hawaii to Los Angeles) is also relatively popular; though some additional steps are required due to oceanic cargo guidelines and regulations.

When you ship a car from Los Angeles to Hawaii, Ship Vehicles is the most reliable, respected and affordable route. With many sailings a week and our extensive worldwide network of transporters, we can effectively streamline your relocation while simultaneously giving you the best possible rate when shipping from Los Angeles to Hawaii.

If you’re considering having a car shipped from Los Angeles to Hawaii, continue reading to find out why this might be the best way to go, as opposed to buying or renting one when you arrive in the Aloha State.

Why Ship a Car to Hawaii?

If you’re moving to one of The Hawaiian Islands you might assume that buying a car when you get there is the more logical than having one shipped. While this may be true, depending on the vehicle that you want, there are some other things to consider.

Overall, there are some tradeoffs to living in the paradise that is Hawaii. For example, there is a much higher cost of living, when compared to other areas of the country. Also, gas prices in Hawaii are the second highest among all the other states in the US, with California taking the top spot. In order to battle the high cost of gas in Hawaii, you’ll likely want to have an economic vehicle. If you don’t already own one, you may want to consider buying one in Los Angeles, as you will have many more options than on the islands.

When you’re trying to determine the most cost-effective way to ship a car to Hawaii, you must consider all the factors. In Hawaii, the average price for a new car is around $31,000, a number that most people will need to acquire financing for, reported by the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. In this case, it makes the most sense to ship your current car or acquire an affordable one in Los Angeles before your relocation to Hawaii.

How to Ship a Car from Los Angeles to Hawaii

If you’ve determined that you do, in fact, what to have your car shipped from Los Angeles to Hawaii, examine the following steps for a general rundown of the process.

Step 1. Acquire a quote and complete the booking.

The first step in any auto shipping process, Los Angeles to Hawaii included, is to collect quotes from professional vehicle transport companies. It’s always recommended to shop around, gather multiple quotes and do plenty of research in order to ensure that you’re getting the best deal.

After you’ve determined the shipping company that you want to hire, you’ll need to provide all the necessary information to them for booking the order. You can get the booking process started and secure a no-cost, no-obligation quote by filling out our online request form or phoning our office directly. Here’s some of the information you’ll need to provide:

• Vehicle make, model and year.
• Vehicle color
• Vehicle identification number (VIN)
• Insurance information
• License plate number (if pertinent)
• Preferred method of transport

 Step 2. Choosing a method of transport.

When shipping a vehicle from Los Angeles to Hawaii, you will need to decide on a couple different things in regards to method of transport. Your decisions will directly impact your quote and the final price you pay for shipping a car from Los Angeles to Hawaii.

First, do you want to drop off the vehicle at the port yourself, or have it picked up from your residence? The latter will cost you more money but is always the most convenient option. For your vehicle’s journey across the ocean, you can either have it housed in a shared container, a private container or driven on and secured to the shipping deck via the roll on/roll off method. It’s important to note that in Hawaii there is no port-to-door option, you will be required to retrieve your vehicle from the port when it arrives in Hawaii.

Step 3. Completing the necessary steps to prepare your vehicle. 

Once you’ve completed the booking for shipping your car from Los Angeles to Hawaii, the next step is to make sure that your vehicle is properly prepared for transport. To help put you on the right track, here are some of the things that you might need to do prior to shipping:

• Remove any personal items from the vehicle’s interior (floor mats, spare tires, owner’s manuals and child car seats are permitted).
• Clean the car inside and out. Your vehicle will go through an inspection in Hawaii to ensure that you haven’t brought over any invasive species; so, make sure it’s thoroughly cleaned to avoid any fees.
• Ensure that the vehicle is fully operational and that you have no leaking fluids. As an extra step, make sure that all the fluids are topped off before transport.
• The vehicle is required to have a working emergency brake. If it does not, have it fixed or replaced before the car is dropped off for shipment.
• Verify that there is no damage to the windshield or windows, such as chipping or cracking.
• Empty the gas so that it is only ¼ of a tank full. Your vehicle will be denied at the port if it has any more than ¼ tank of fuel.
• If you’re shipping an electric vehicle, make sure that the battery is fully charged.

Step 4: Vehicle is picked up, or dropped off at the port.

When the date comes around for your vehicle’s shipment to Hawaii, you can either elect to have it picked up from an established location, or you can drop it off at the port in Los Angeles yourself.

If you handle the transport of your vehicle to the port, you’ll need to bring along the following:

• The order confirmation number from your auto transport company along with the vessel booking number.
• A spare set of keys and the remote for any alarms the vehicle may have.
• The vehicle’s title or an authorization letter from the lien holder if the vehicle is not owned.
• Power of attorney. This is only required if the person that is dropping off the car at the port is not the owner listed on the title.
• The vehicle’s current registration.
• A government-issued picture identification.

Keep these items on hand at all times, as these same documents will be necessary when retrieving the vehicle once it’s delivered in Hawaii.

Step 5: Delivery

Once the vehicle has been appropriately prepared and is dropped off at the port, it will be loaded onto the shipping vessel and then begin its trip to Hawaii. You can expect it to take anywhere from 7 to 14 days for your vehicle to complete its entire journey from Los Angeles to Hawaii. Once your car arrives in Hawaii and customs and any required inspections, you will be permitted to pick it up from the respective port.

When shipping from Los Angeles to Hawaii, you can choose any of the following destination ports: O’ahu, Kauai, Maui or the Big Island of Hawaii. Bring the necessary documentation with you and you’ll be able to successfully retrieve your vehicle.

Please note: If you need to have your vehicle shipped from Los Angeles to any of the smaller Hawaiian Islands, this can be done with some additional steps. Give our team a call today to enquire about this process. We are always happy to help!