Car shipping in Tacoma, Pierce County, and JBLM
Tacoma moves more vehicles per resident than almost any city in the Pacific Northwest, and the reason is simple: Joint Base Lewis-McChord. Tens of thousands of soldiers, airmen, and families PCS in and out of JBLM every year, and most of them need a car shipped. Add the Port of Tacoma — the departure point for vehicles going to Alaska and Hawaii — plus University of Puget Sound and PLU students, families relocating along the I-5 corridor, and retirees heading south for the winter, and Tacoma is a city that needs a reliable local auto transport partner. Evergreen Car Shipping's Tacoma office, on South 9th Street downtown, is that partner.
We are a licensed and bonded auto transport broker working with a vetted network of FMCSA-registered carriers that run I-5, SR-16, SR-167, and every major lane out of the South Sound every week. When you book with our Tacoma team, we match your vehicle with a carrier already headed your way, verify their insurance and safety record, lock in an all-in price, and manage the shipment from your driveway to your destination.
Why Tacoma and JBLM families choose Evergreen Car Shipping
Military moves run on orders and report dates, not on a carrier's convenience. Our Tacoma office is built around that reality. We know how to time a pickup around a final-out date, how to ship a car to a gaining installation before the family arrives, and what to do when orders change. And every shipment, military or civilian, comes with one local number — (253) 364-0882 — that reaches someone who knows your car.
- Military discounts and PCS expertise. Active-duty pricing on every shipment, flexible scheduling around orders, and experience with every major installation from Fort Liberty to Fort Cavazos to Naval Base San Diego.
- Port of Tacoma shipping. Door-to-port and door-to-door moves to Alaska and Hawaii, coordinated with the ocean carriers.
- All-in pricing. The quote is the price. No dispatch fees, no fuel surcharges, no surprise balance at delivery.
- Door-to-door across Pierce County. Tacoma, Lakewood, University Place, Puyallup, Gig Harbor, DuPont, and beyond.
- Open and enclosed carriers, fully insured. Affordable open transport for daily drivers, enclosed for classics and high-value vehicles, cargo insurance on every truck.
Tacoma neighborhoods and South Sound communities we serve
Our Tacoma auto transport service covers the city, all of Pierce County, and the South Sound down to Olympia. Carriers regularly pick up and deliver in Downtown Tacoma, North End, Stadium District, Proctor, Old Town, Hilltop, South Tacoma, East Tacoma, Lakewood, University Place, Fircrest, Puyallup, Gig Harbor, Federal Way, DuPont, Steilacoom, Parkland, Spanaway, Sumner, and Olympia, and the surrounding communities along I-5, SR-16, and SR-167. Gig Harbor and the Key Peninsula across the Narrows Bridge are routine for us, as are the Puyallup Valley and the South Hill area.
Tacoma's older neighborhoods — the North End, Stadium District, and Proctor — have narrow streets and mature trees that a 75-foot car hauler can't always navigate. When that's the case, your driver will call ahead and meet you nearby with room to load: a wide arterial like 6th Avenue or Pearl Street, a large retail lot, or a park-and-ride. It's routine and usually within a mile of your door.
Popular car shipping routes from Tacoma
Military lanes dominate: Tacoma to San Diego, El Paso, Killeen, Colorado Springs, Fayetteville, Columbus, Norfolk, and Honolulu run constantly as families PCS between installations. Civilian lanes to California, Arizona, and the East Coast follow the same corridors. Typical transit times once your vehicle is loaded:
| Route | Distance | Transit time |
|---|---|---|
| Tacoma → San Diego, CA (Naval Base) | 1,250 mi | 4–6 days |
| Tacoma → Los Angeles, CA | 1,120 mi | 3–5 days |
| Tacoma → Phoenix, AZ | 1,400 mi | 4–6 days |
| Tacoma → Colorado Springs, CO | 1,350 mi | 4–6 days |
| Tacoma → El Paso, TX (Fort Bliss) | 1,700 mi | 5–7 days |
| Tacoma → Killeen, TX (Fort Cavazos) | 2,150 mi | 6–8 days |
| Tacoma → Fayetteville, NC (Fort Liberty) | 2,900 mi | 8–10 days |
| Tacoma → Columbus, GA (Fort Moore) | 2,700 mi | 8–10 days |
| Tacoma → Norfolk, VA | 2,900 mi | 8–10 days |
| Tacoma → Honolulu, HI (via port) | ocean | call for schedule |
Shipping a car to Tacoma? Inbound PCS moves to JBLM are as common as outbound ones, and we ship vehicles into the area from every major installation. Every lane runs both directions.
What it costs to ship a car from Tacoma
Tacoma car shipping cost depends on distance, vehicle size and weight, open versus enclosed transport, whether the vehicle runs, and your flexibility on pickup dates. For a sedan on an open carrier, expect roughly $650–$900 to California, $900–$1,300 to Arizona, Colorado, or Texas, and $1,300–$1,800 to North Carolina, Georgia, Virginia, or the Northeast. Trucks and SUVs — and there are a lot of lifted trucks in Pierce County — add $100–$300 depending on size and modifications. Enclosed transport runs 40–60% more than open. A non-running vehicle adds about $150 for a winch.
Summer PCS season (May through August) is the busiest time of year on military lanes; booking two to three weeks ahead gets the best price and the most pickup options. Giving the carrier a two- or three-day pickup window instead of a single date also lowers your rate. The instant quote tool at the top of this page gives an exact, all-in price in about 30 seconds — and the military discount is applied when you book.
Military PCS car shipping from JBLM
Here's how a typical PCS shipment works with us. Call or get a quote as soon as you have orders, even if dates are tentative — we'll hold a price and adjust the schedule as things firm up. Since carriers can't enter the installation, we arrange pickup at your off-base housing or a meeting point near the gate in DuPont, Lakewood, or near Madigan. If you're flying ahead of the car, we can deliver to a family member, a friend, or your new unit's area and coordinate payment with you remotely. If orders change, call us; we re-route rather than charge you to start over.
The government reimburses privately owned vehicle shipping only in specific cases (OCONUS moves, for example). For most CONUS PCS moves the cost is yours, which is why we keep the military discount simple and apply it to every active-duty booking. Keep your bill of lading and receipt for your records.
Shipping to Alaska and Hawaii from the Port of Tacoma
The Port of Tacoma is the main gateway for vehicles headed to Anchorage and Honolulu. We handle the land leg — picking up your car anywhere in Washington and delivering it to the ocean carrier's terminal — and coordinate the booking with the shipping line. Sailings run weekly, and the car needs to arrive at the port a few days before departure with a quarter tank or less of fuel and no personal items (ocean carriers are strict about this). Call the Tacoma office and we'll walk you through the schedule, the documents the port needs, and the full door-to-door cost.
How Tacoma car shipping works
- Quote. Use the instant quote tool or call the Tacoma office with your ZIP codes, vehicle, and timing.
- Book. Approve the price and we assign a vetted carrier, confirm the driver and pickup window, and apply any military discount. A small deposit holds your spot; the balance is paid at delivery.
- Pickup. The driver inspects the car with you, documents its condition on the bill of lading, and loads it.
- Transit. Updates as the car moves; reach the driver or our office any time.
- Delivery. Inspect, sign, pay the balance, done — or have a family member receive it if you've already reported.
Preparing your vehicle for transport
Wash the car and photograph all sides so the inspection is accurate. Leave about a quarter tank of fuel. Remove toll passes, base decals you no longer need, parking permits, and loose items. Fold in mirrors, remove roof racks and bike carriers, and retract antennas. Personal items up to about 100 pounds can ride in the trunk on domestic shipments (none for ocean shipments) but aren't insured. If your truck is lifted or has oversized tires, tell us at booking so we assign a carrier with the right clearance.
Visit or call our Tacoma office
Evergreen Car Shipping's Tacoma location is at 705 S 9th St, Suite 805, Tacoma, WA 98405 — downtown, a few blocks from the Tacoma Dome and I-705, about 15 minutes from the JBLM main gate. Call (253) 364-0882 Monday through Saturday, or get an instant quote online any time. We also have Washington offices in Seattle, Bellevue, and Spokane.