Ship car to Oahu: one booking from your driveway to Honolulu

We ship cars to Oahu from every mainland state, starting at your driveway or at a West Coast port. Port to port from California runs $1,600 to $1,950 for a standard car, and the ocean leg takes 9 to 24 days from sailing. If your car is outside California, we add a truck leg to Long Beach, Oakland or San Diego. Oahu is the fastest and least expensive island to ship to because the ships dock in Honolulu, so there’s no neighbor-island barge connection to wait on. We book the sailing and time the truck to the terminal’s drop window, then let you know the day your car is released.

$1,600+ California port to Honolulu
9–24 days Ocean leg, from sailing
4 days Free storage at the Honolulu lot
0 Barge legs to Oahu

Ship car to Oahu cost by mainland origin

Car shipping to Honolulu has two parts: the ocean leg, which stays within a narrow price range, and the truck leg to the port, which depends on where your car starts.

Where your car startsTypical total to Honolulu portTypical time
You drop it off at Long Beach, Oakland or San Diego $1,600 to $1,950 9 to 24 days from sailing
Seattle area $2,300 to $2,850 11 to 28 days
Houston area $2,200 to $2,900 13 to 30 days
Chicago area $2,300 to $3,050 14 to 31 days
New York area $2,550 to $3,400 15 to 32 days

Trucked times run from pickup day and include the ocean leg. We schedule pickup so the truck reaches the terminal inside its drop window, which keeps the gap between truck and ship short.

Most sedans, SUVs, minivans and pickups pay the same ocean rate. The spread in each row comes from the truck market, which moves with demand on each lane, and from which ocean line has space on the sailing that fits your dates. A few situations change the quote:

Situation Effect on your quote
Longer than 21 feet 8 inches, or over 76 inches tall or wide for the Oakland terminal Oversize pricing or a different departure port
Electric car or plug-in hybrid $375 surcharge
Car that doesn’t run About $500 for special handling
Car left at the Honolulu lot past the 4 free days Up to $25 a day in storage
Active-duty service member on the title or registration $100 off the ocean rate on eligible bookings

If you’re within a day’s drive of Long Beach, Oakland or San Diego, dropping the car off yourself takes the truck leg off your quote. We still book the sailing and give you the exact drop window.

If you’re starting in Texas or the Pacific Northwest, our Texas to Hawaii and Seattle to Hawaii pages cover those lanes in more detail. For every island, see our breakdown of what it costs to ship a car to Hawaii.

How long it takes to ship a car to Honolulu

On the ocean side, plan on 9 to 24 days. The ship spends only 5 to 8 of those days at sea. Loading and unloading take another 3 to 5, and the rest depends on which sailing your car makes and how busy the terminals are that week.

If we’re trucking your car from outside California, add the road time to the port: about 2 to 4 days from Seattle, 4 to 6 from Houston, 5 to 7 from Chicago and 6 to 8 from New York.

The day the ship docks isn’t the day you can pick up your car. Unloading alone takes 1 to 2 days, and cars then move to the auto lot and go through release, so plan on two days or more after arrival. We track the release and tell you when your car is ready. Book your pickup trip around that date, not the ship’s arrival.

Oahu is also the fastest island to reach. Many cars headed to Maui, Kauai or the Big Island come through Honolulu first and wait for a barge connection, which can stretch the trip to 33 to 45 days. A car going to Oahu comes off the ship in Honolulu and skips that wait. Our Hawaii transit times page covers timing for every island.

Ship car to Oahu

How we move your car to Honolulu Harbor

We book vehicle space with Matson and Pasha Hawaii, the ocean lines that run regular sailings from the West Coast to Honolulu. Between your driveway and Honolulu, your car passes through as many as five sets of hands: the truck driver, the mainland terminal, the dock crew that loads the ship, the ocean line and the Honolulu terminal. We’re your one contact for all of them.

Your car boards at Long Beach, Oakland or San Diego. Pacific Northwest cars go to an off-dock yard south of Seattle or ride a truck down to Oakland, depending on the sailing we book. Tacoma currently isn’t a boarding point for Hawaii-bound cars.

  1. 01

    You send us the vehicle details, your pickup address and your move date. We reserve a sailing about a month out, since cars can’t be booked at the terminal gate and drop-off windows are set close to the sailing date.

  2. 02

    We schedule the truck to reach the terminal inside the drop window. You have the car prepped and ready on pickup day (checklist below).

  3. 03

    The terminal checks your paperwork against the booking, inspects the car and records its condition on a vehicle condition report. The keys stay with the car.

  4. 04

    Dock crews drive the car onto the ship. This is roll-on/roll-off (RORO) shipping, and most cars ride on an enclosed vehicle deck, strapped down at the front and rear so they can’t shift at sea.

  5. 05

    The crossing takes 5 to 8 days.

  6. 06

    In Honolulu, the terminal unloads and releases the car. You pick it up, or we deliver it to your address on Oahu.

Most delays on this route happen at step 2, where the truck meets the ship. A car that reaches the terminal too early can be turned away, moved to an earlier sailing or charged storage. One that arrives without an appointment can be refused at the gate. We work backward from the confirmed drop window to set your pickup date.

Getting your car and paperwork ready

The terminal inspects every car at drop-off, and a car that fails the check can miss its sailing.

What the terminal checks

  • The car runs, steers and stops, with a working parking brake and no fluid leaks
  • Fuel between 1/8 and 1/4 of a tank
  • No check-engine, airbag or tire warning lights on the dash
  • No cracks in the windshield or windows
  • At least 6 inches of ground clearance
  • Washed outside and clean and dry inside, with no personal items in the cabin or trunk
  • Roof racks, cargo boxes, bike racks and attached tents removed
  • Aftermarket alarm disconnected and battery charged
  • Keys for the ignition, trunk, fuel door and every other lock
  • No ignition interlock device

A check-engine light by itself is enough for the terminal to refuse a car. Get any dash warning light fixed before pickup day.

Documents for a mainland to Honolulu shipment

The paperwork to ship a car to Oahu is lighter than for the trip back. Have these ready:

  • The booking number and photo ID for whoever drops the car off
  • Current registration or the title
  • A notarized letter authorizing our driver to deliver the car, when the sailing requires one (we tell you at booking and send the wording)
  • A company authorization letter if a business owns the car
  • Proof of active-duty status if you’re claiming the military discount

A financed car doesn’t need a lien holder authorization letter to ship to Honolulu on a standard booking. That letter is required for the trip back to the mainland, covered further down this page. Leased cars are another matter. The lease may limit where the car can go, so we check the lease terms and registration before we book.

Shipping an EV, lifted truck or non-running car to Oahu

Electric cars and plug-in hybrids can ship to Oahu, but only on one of the two lines. The other has stopped accepting them over lithium-ion battery concerns, so every EV we ship goes on the line that takes them. That line carries EVs only to ports its ships call at directly, and Honolulu is one of them. The car needs a charge between 20% and 50%, shipping mode turned on if it has one, and no remote app checks while it’s in transit, since they drain the battery. The EV surcharge is $375, and the line can add $250 if the charge falls below 20% while the car is in its hands. The ocean booking for an EV has to be in the registered owner’s name. We walk you through it and handle the truck and timing around it.

Size matters most at Oakland. That terminal takes vehicles up to 76 inches tall, roof racks included, and 76 inches wide measured from the outside edge of one tire to the other. Lifted trucks, full-size SUVs and vans with racks can easily go over, and brochure dimensions don’t always match what the terminal measures. We get real measurements from you before we send a truck to Oakland. If the vehicle is over, we route it through Long Beach or San Diego, where standard vehicles can run up to 21 feet 8 inches long, 8 feet wide and 7 feet tall. Tell us about lift kits, oversized tires, spoilers and racks when you book, because an undisclosed modification can bring extra fees or a refusal at the gate. One line also won’t take Corvettes or Camaros out of Oakland, so we book those from Long Beach or San Diego. For full-size pickups, see our guide to shipping a truck to Hawaii.

Cars that don’t run can only go on one line, which charges about $500 for special handling. The Honolulu terminal releases them from a separate facility. Non-running EVs and plug-in hybrids can’t ship on either line.

Picking up your car at Honolulu Harbor

Your car comes out of one of two lots near Honolulu Harbor, depending on which line it sailed with. Wait for our release notice before you head over.

Sand Island lot (Matson) Kohou Street lot (Pasha Hawaii)
Address1411 Sand Island Parkway938 Kohou Street
Hours Mon to Fri, 8:00 to 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 to 3:30 p.m., closed holidays Mon to Fri, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., by appointment
Before you go Confirm release and arrive at least 30 minutes before closing Appointment booked 48 business hours ahead
Free storage 4 business days 4 days, then $25 a day
Non-running carsNot carriedReleased from Piers 1-2 instead

Bring photo ID and the booking number we send you. If someone else is collecting the car, each line authorizes that differently, and we tell you which steps your sailing needs before release.

Showing up at the Kohou Street lot without an appointment can get you turned away and cost a $150 fee. We book the appointment once release is confirmed.

Walk around the car before you drive out. Photograph every panel and write any damage on the delivery paperwork before you sign. Damage that isn’t noted at the lot may not be accepted later, and the window for reporting hidden damage can be as short as three days. Basic carrier liability is also limited, as low as $3,000 per car on one line, so ask us about added coverage when you book a high-value car.

Rather skip the harbor trip? We deliver anywhere on Oahu, usually within 1 to 3 days of release, for about $200 to $400. Delivery inside Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Schofield Barracks or Kaneohe Bay needs base access for our driver, which takes advance paperwork. If access isn’t approved in time, we meet you at the gate.

Registering your car on Oahu after it arrives

You have 30 days from the car’s arrival on Oahu to either register it with the City and County of Honolulu or get an out-of-state permit, which lets you keep your mainland plates while they’re valid. The order of steps trips people up, because the first safety inspection is supposed to fail:

  1. Get Hawaii car insurance. You’ll need proof of it at the inspection station.

  2. Take the car to a Hawaii safety inspection station. It fails on registration because it isn’t registered here yet, and that failed certificate is what the registration office needs. The inspector also flags any real defects, which you fix before registering.

  3. Take the failed certificate and your documents to a Honolulu motor vehicle registration office to get Hawaii plates or the out-of-state permit.

  4. If you went with Hawaii plates, mount both the front and rear plates. Hawaii requires both.

  5. Return to the inspection station within 30 days of the failed inspection. The station rechecks only the failed items, at no extra inspection charge, and issues your sticker.

At the registration office, bring:

  • your current out-of-state registration
  • the title, or your lien holder’s name and address
  • the failed inspection certificate
  • the shipping documents showing your VIN
  • the county application: form CS-L(MVR)1 for Hawaii plates, or CS-L(MVR)27 for the out-of-state permit

If someone goes in your place, they need a power of attorney. Keep the bill of lading and delivery receipt we send you, because the county requires shipping documents that show the VIN.

The safety inspection costs $25.75. Registration depends mostly on weight. A 3,320 lb car runs about $367 a year, plus $5 for new plates, and heavier vehicles pay more weight tax.

Nonresident active-duty service members can file the CS-L(MVR)50 military nonresident certificate, which waives the weight taxes and most fees. That brings a first registration down to about $25.50 plus the inspection. The county only takes the original certified form, it’s good for 30 days, and leased cars don’t qualify.

Car shipping from Honolulu to the mainland

Heading the other way, port to port from Honolulu to Long Beach or Oakland runs about $1,000 to $1,250, with the same 9 to 24 days on the ocean side. Trucking to your mainland address is priced separately, because truck rates heading east don’t mirror the westbound lanes.

The paperwork is stricter in this direction, and state law backs it. The ocean line can’t accept a registered car unless the shipper is the legal owner or has the legal owner’s written consent, and it inspects the VIN on every used car before loading. Plan on:

  • Current title and registration, front and back, with the registration valid through the shipping date
  • A lien holder authorization letter if a lender appears on the title or registration, listing the year, make, model, VIN, destination port and the person authorized to ship
  • Every registered owner at drop-off, or a notarized authorization from any owner who can’t be there

A missing lien holder letter or an absent co-owner stops the car at the terminal, and a driver can’t sign in their place.

The car also goes through an agricultural check. Wash it underneath as well as on top and vacuum the inside, because soil, mud and seeds can hold it at the terminal. One line won’t carry Corvettes or Camaros east from Hawaii, so we book those on the other.

Our Hawaii to mainland car shipping page covers the return trip in full, including the Hawaii to California route.

Comparing Honolulu car shipping companies

Quotes for the same car can sit hundreds of dollars apart, often because one of them leaves out the truck leg. Ask any shipper these six questions before you book:

Question to askHow we handle it
Does the quote include the truck to the port? Our door to port quotes include the truck leg and the ocean leg in one number.
Who lines the truck up with the drop window? We set your pickup date from the confirmed drop window, so the car doesn’t arrive early or without an appointment.
Which port fits my vehicle’s size? We take real measurements before booking and route anything over Oakland’s 76-inch limit through Long Beach or San Diego.
Can my EV or plug-in hybrid ship, and on which line? Only one line takes them right now. We book EVs there and help you meet its charge and paperwork rules.
What does basic liability cover? Carrier liability can be as low as $3,000 per car. We raise it at booking so you can add coverage on a valuable car.
Who tells me when the car is released? We track release and send you the lot details, or deliver the car to your Oahu address.

For a wider comparison, see our guide to the best car shipping companies in Hawaii.

Oahu car shipping FAQ

Port to port from Long Beach, Oakland or San Diego to Honolulu runs $1,600 to $1,950 for a standard car. With pickup at your door, totals run about $2,200 to $2,900 from Houston, $2,300 to $3,050 from Chicago and $2,550 to $3,400 from New York. EVs add $375, and delivery to your Oahu address adds $200 to $400.

It comes down to four numbers: what your car would sell for on the mainland, what a comparable car costs on Oahu, your shipping quote, and what you’d spend on a rental while you wait. Rentals at the Honolulu airport average about $45 a day, closer to $67 in July and around $72 for an SUV, so a week runs $300 to $500. Check Oahu listings for your exact model before you sell, especially pickups and popular SUVs, where island prices tend to run higher.

You can’t drive to Oahu, so the ocean leg is a given. The choice is the mainland part. Trucking a car to the West Coast costs about $600 to $1,500 depending on distance. Driving it to Long Beach, Oakland or San Diego yourself saves that, but you’ll pay for fuel, hotels and meals, and you still have to reach the terminal inside your drop window. From nearby, driving usually wins. From across the country, add up the costs and the days off work first.

Yes. Any street-legal car that passes the terminal checks above can ship to Oahu. Once it arrives, you have 30 days to register it in Hawaii or get an out-of-state permit that lets you keep your mainland plates. EVs ship on one line only, and non-running cars need special handling.

Usually one car. On PCS orders to Hawaii, the government typically ships one vehicle through its own vehicle processing centers, and you drop it off and collect it there. In Honolulu, that’s the processing center at Pier 1. Those centers have their own paperwork rules, including lease or lien holder approval where it applies, and names that match exactly across your orders, title and ID. A second family car ships privately, and that’s where we come in. We can also truck your first car to the processing center, but ask your transportation office about reimbursement before you pay. More on military car shipping to Hawaii.

Yes, but each line handles it differently. On one, the owner sends a pre-authorization before pickup with a photo of their driver’s license, the booking number and the name of the person collecting the car. On the other, we update the consignee on the booking, or the person brings a notarized authorization letter. A generic letter can fail at the gate, so we tell you which version your sailing needs.

Price your car’s trip to Oahu

Send us your pickup ZIP, your vehicle and your move date. We’ll match you to a sailing, set the truck window around it and give you one total, to Honolulu Harbor or to your door on Oahu. Start with a free Hawaii car shipping quote.

Start my quote →

Or call (808) 865-5525. Same-day response on weekdays.

Book about four weeks before your move. That’s when sailings and drop windows firm up, and it leaves time to fix a warning light or get a notarized letter before pickup day.