Inter-island car shipping is a different service from a mainland move, and it is usually cheaper than people assume. Moving from Oahu to Maui, or the Big Island to Kauai, means a short barge leg rather than an ocean crossing, and the whole job is measured in days rather than weeks.
Inter-Island Car Shipping: Quick Answer
Inter-island car shipping in Hawaii moves your vehicle between Honolulu, Kahului, Nawiliwili, Hilo and Kawaihae, typically in under a week. For most people relocating within the state it costs less than selling a car on one island and buying a replacement on another, given how tight the local used car markets are.
Which Harbors Connect
Honolulu on Oahu is the hub, and most inter-island routes pass through it. Kahului serves Maui, Nawiliwili serves Kauai, and the Big Island is served by Hilo on the east side and Kawaihae on the west.
Routes that do not touch Honolulu, Maui to the Big Island for example, are handled as trans-shipped cargo and are priced differently from a direct sailing. If you are quoting a route like that, ask specifically whether the number includes the transfer.
Why It Usually Beats Selling and Rebuying
This is the calculation most people get wrong. Hawaii’s used car market is small and island-specific, so you sell into a thin market and buy back into another thin market, paying the spread twice. Add the general excise tax, registration and a safety check on the replacement vehicle, and shipping the car you already own and trust is frequently the cheaper answer.
It is not always. A high-mileage car you were planning to replace anyway is a reasonable one to sell. Ask before you assume either way.
What Affects the Cost
Vehicle size is the main driver, the same as on a mainland move. Whether the route is direct or trans-shipped through Honolulu is the second. Whether you deliver and collect at the harbors yourself, rather than having the vehicle picked up and dropped at your address, is the third.
Access matters more on the neighbor islands than on Oahu. Narrow roads, single lane bridges on Kauai’s north shore, and tight residential turns all decide what size truck can reach your door. We check that before dispatch rather than on the day.
How to Prepare
Fuel at a quarter tank or less. Personal belongings out, apart from the spare tire, jack and floor mats. Registration and photo ID with you at drop-off, and a lienholder authorization letter if the vehicle is financed.
Wash the car, including the undercarriage. Inter-island moves are still subject to agricultural rules, and soil or plant material moving between islands is exactly what those rules exist to prevent.
Moving More Than the Car
If you are relocating between islands rather than sending a vehicle alone, household goods can move on the same booking. The car can travel inside the container with your belongings, which is one appointment instead of two. That works the same way as container shipping to Hawaii from the mainland, on a shorter leg.
Leaving the state entirely rather than moving within it? See car shipping from Hawaii for the mainland-bound route.
Who You Work With
Nicole Cohen Danino handles the booking end to end, including the honest conversation about whether shipping the car is actually worth it for your situation. On a short inter-island move that advice is worth more than the booking itself, and it is the reason customers name her personally in most of our Google and Yelp reviews.
Licensing and credentials: USDOT 4024631, MC 1518931, SCAC code HWMI, UIIA approved, and TWIC-certified drivers for secure terminal access.
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Our company prides itself on offering top-notch logistics solutions, tailored to meet the unique demands of each client. Our services extend beyond just shipping; we provide comprehensive solutions that ensure your cargo reaches its destination safely and on time.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does inter-island car shipping cost in Hawaii?
Inter-island car shipping in Hawaii costs considerably less than a mainland crossing, because the vehicle travels a short barge leg rather than the Pacific. Vehicle size, whether the route runs direct or trans-ships through Honolulu, and whether you use harbor drop-off instead of door service are what set the price. Call with your two islands for a firm number.
How long does inter-island car shipping take?
Inter-island car shipping usually takes under a week from drop-off to collection. Direct routes through Honolulu are quickest. A route that has to trans-ship, such as Maui to the Big Island, adds time because the vehicle waits for a connecting sailing rather than moving straight through.
Is it cheaper to ship my car between islands or sell it and buy another?
Shipping your car between islands is often cheaper than selling and rebuying, because Hawaii’s used car markets are small and island-specific, so you pay the spread twice. Add general excise tax, registration and a safety check on the replacement, and keeping the car you already own usually wins unless you were planning to replace it anyway.
Which islands can you ship a car between?
We ship cars between Oahu, Maui, Kauai and the Big Island, using Honolulu, Kahului, Nawiliwili, Hilo and Kawaihae harbors. Molokai and Lanai are reachable through Honolulu with an extra transfer. Most routes route through Honolulu, and the ones that do not are handled as trans-shipped cargo.
Ready to book? Call 800-671-0924 with your two islands and the vehicle.
