Driving from California to Florida by Car
California to Florida is about 2,400 to 2,900 miles and 35 to 44 hours of driving, almost all of it on I-10. Driving it yourself takes about 4 days. A professional driver from Cross Country Driver does it in about 3 days or less, door to door, for $1,725 to $2,525 base plus fuel and tolls at actual cost.
How long is the drive from California to Florida?
About 35 to 44 hours behind the wheel, which is about 4 days if you drive it yourself and about 3 days or less with our drivers.
| Who drives | Distance | Driving time | Days on the road |
|---|---|---|---|
| You, in your own car | About 2,400 to 2,900 miles | 35 to 44 hours | About 4 days |
| Cross Country Driver | About 2,400 to 2,900 miles | 35 to 44 hours | About 3 days or less |
How many hours is it from California to Florida by car?
About 35 to 44 hours of driving, not counting stops for fuel, food, rest and sleep. Los Angeles to Orlando is about 37 to 40 hours behind the wheel; San Francisco to Miami is closer to 44.
How far is it from California to Florida?
About 2,400 miles from Los Angeles to Jacksonville, 2,500 to Orlando or Tampa, about 2,750 to Miami, and close to 2,900 from the Bay Area. Plan on four days, with three nights on the road, if you drive it yourself.
California to Florida: city-to-city miles and prices
Typical base prices for a professional driver between the largest cities in California and Florida. These are ranges, not quotes; fuel and tolls are added at actual cost, and the same prices apply in the other direction.
| Route | Distance | Our delivery | Base price (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles ↔ Jacksonville | ~2,410 mi | ~2.5 days | $1,725–$2,400 |
| Los Angeles ↔ Orlando | ~2,520 mi | ~2.5 days | $1,775–$2,425 |
| Los Angeles ↔ Tampa | ~2,510 mi | ~2.5 days | $1,775–$2,425 |
| Los Angeles ↔ Miami | ~2,740 mi | ~3 days | $1,875–$2,475 |
| San Diego ↔ Orlando | ~2,380 mi | ~2.5 days | $1,725–$2,375 |
| Sacramento ↔ Tampa | ~2,800 mi | ~3 days | $1,900–$2,500 |
| San Francisco ↔ Orlando | ~2,900 mi | 3 days or less | $1,950–$2,525 |
Your exact price depends on the pickup and delivery addresses and the date. A pickup or delivery far from a major airport costs a little more, because the driver’s trip there and home takes longer.
Can you drive from California to Florida?
Yes. The right route depends on where you start and finish and on the month.
I-10: the direct southern route
I-10 runs from Santa Monica to Jacksonville, so most trips use it end to end: Phoenix and Tucson, Las Cruces, El Paso, about 880 miles across Texas through San Antonio and Houston, then Lake Charles, Baton Rouge, Mobile, Pensacola and Tallahassee. For Tampa, Sarasota, Fort Myers or Naples the driver turns south on I-75 at Lake City; for Orlando it is I-75 to Florida’s Turnpike or I-4; for Miami it is I-95 or the Turnpike down the east coast.
From Northern California
From San Francisco, Sacramento or San Jose, the driver runs I-5 south through the Central Valley and joins I-10 in Southern California, or takes CA-58 to I-40 and drops to I-10 in Arizona. Either way, the Bay Area adds about 400 miles to the trip.
Weather and seasons
I-10 is the most winter-proof coast-to-coast route in the country, which is why it is the default. Summer is the hard season: desert heat in Arizona, New Mexico and West Texas regularly passes 105°F, and hurricane season, June through November, can bring heavy rain and closures along the Gulf Coast from Houston to Florida.
What the road is like
The western half is long, straight and fast, with 75 to 80 mph limits across West Texas. Houston, Baton Rouge and the I-10 bridge over the Atchafalaya Basin, about 18 miles of elevated highway, are the slow spots. The Florida Panhandle is quiet; traffic picks up again on I-75 and I-4.
Tolls
Almost none until Florida. I-10 itself is toll-free across all eight states. In Florida, Florida’s Turnpike, the Orlando expressways and Alligator Alley are tolled, and most are cashless. Heading west into California, expect an agricultural inspection stop at the border, where cars are asked about fruit and plants.
California to Florida car shipping vs. hiring a driver
Driving yourself: roughly $400 to $550 in fuel and tolls (rough estimate, November 2026), hotels and meals for 4 days on the road, and the days off work.
Shipping by carrier: quoted at about $1,390 to $1,760 between California and Florida cities (MoveBuddha city-pair estimates, checked November 2026). These are third-party figures, not our prices. Expect pickup and delivery windows of several days each, and carriers usually limit or ban personal items in the car. Shipping is usually cheaper and slower.
Hiring our driver: $1,725 to $2,525 base plus fuel and tolls at actual cost, delivered in about 3 days or less, with a reasonable amount of personal items inside. Your car is never loaded onto a carrier, and it arrives on the delivery date planned with you.
Who hires a driver for California to Florida
California to Florida is one of our busier long routes, and most trips run west to east: families relocating, retirees moving to Florida, students and military moves. The return direction, Florida to California, is common too. Many customers fly, and the car follows.
We drive U-Haul, Penske and Budget trucks on this route too. See driving a U-Haul cross country, or get a U-Haul/Truck Quote.
How our California to Florida service works
We pick up anywhere in California, from San Diego and Los Angeles to the Bay Area, Sacramento and the Central Valley, and deliver anywhere in Florida: Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa, Sarasota, Fort Myers, Naples, West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Miami and everywhere between. Your driver inspects and photographs the car at pickup, drives about 1,000 miles a day with the trip GPS-monitored by our office, and walks the car with you at delivery.
One professional driver drives your car the whole way, never handed off. Our drivers are ex-long-haul truckers and former police officers, vetted with criminal, driving-record, drug and reference checks.
What the price includes
Your base price includes your driver’s travel home, usually a flight, and towing if you need a trailer or a second vehicle behind the one we drive. We give you a fuel and toll estimate up front; fuel and tolls are then charged at actual cost, with receipts. A deposit is due before pickup, and the rest after delivery. Cash or check is fine.
A typical schedule
- Day 1: Los Angeles to West Texas, about 900 miles, through Phoenix, Tucson and El Paso.
- Day 2: West Texas to Baton Rouge, about 900 miles, through San Antonio and Houston.
- Day 3: Baton Rouge to Orlando, about 650 miles, across Mississippi, Alabama and the Florida Panhandle.
The exact stops move with weather and traffic, and the driver rests properly each night: we do not run drivers through the night. Your driver will call you about eight hours before delivery.
If you drive it yourself
- From June to September, cross the Arizona and West Texas desert early in the day, carry water and watch the engine temperature.
- Check the National Hurricane Center before you leave between June and November; the Gulf Coast stretch is the exposure.
- Fuel stops thin out between Tucson and San Antonio; refill at half a tank.
- Plan to pass Houston outside rush hour; it can add an hour or more.
- If you are entering California, have produce and plants out of the car before the border inspection.
- Check tires, fluids, lights and brakes before you leave; 2,500 miles finds every weak spot.
California to Florida questions
How many days does it take to drive from California to Florida?
About 4 days if you drive it yourself, with three nights on the road. A professional driver does it in about 3 days or less, covering about 1,000 miles a day with proper rest. The drive is about 2,400 to 2,900 miles depending on the cities.
What is the best route from California to Florida?
I-10 for almost everyone. It runs from Los Angeles to Jacksonville without tolls and is the safest coast-to-coast route in winter. Drivers turn onto I-75 for Tampa and Southwest Florida, and onto Florida’s Turnpike or I-95 for Orlando and South Florida.
How much does it cost to have someone drive my car from California to Florida?
$1,725 to $2,525 base with Cross Country Driver, plus fuel and tolls at actual cost. Los Angeles to Orlando, about 2,500 miles, is typically $1,775 to $2,425. The owner prices every trip personally.
Is it cheaper to ship a car from California to Florida?
Usually, yes. Carrier shipping is quoted at about $1,390 to $1,760 between California and Florida cities (third-party estimates, not our prices), with pickup and delivery windows that can stretch to two weeks or more. A driver costs more and delivers in about 3 days.
Does one driver take the car the whole way?
Yes. One driver takes your car from California to Florida and it is never handed off. The car is photographed at pickup and again at delivery, and it is GPS-tracked in between.
Is summer a bad time to move a car from California to Florida?
It is the hottest time on the road, and it overlaps hurricane season. Our drivers plan around the heat and watch the Gulf forecast, and we tell you right away about any weather delay.
Can I pack the car?
Yes. A reasonable amount of personal items can travel with the car, which is one of the main reasons customers choose a driver over a carrier.
Do you also go Florida to California?
Yes, every week of the year, at the same pricing. Snowbirds and seasonal residents use us in both directions.
How do I get a price?
Request a Vehicle Quote online; it takes about a minute. The owner prices your trip personally and replies within one business day. Tell us the pickup address, the delivery address and roughly when you want the car moved.