Driving from New Jersey to California by Car
New Jersey to California is about 2,700 to 2,900 miles and 40 to 46 hours of driving. Driving it yourself takes about 4 days. A professional driver from Cross Country Driver does it in 3 days or less, door to door, for $1,875 to $2,525 base plus fuel and tolls at actual cost. Our home office is in Point Pleasant, New Jersey.
How long is the drive from New Jersey to California?
About 40 to 46 hours behind the wheel, which is about 4 days if you drive it yourself and 3 days or less with our drivers.
| Who drives | Distance | Driving time | Days on the road |
|---|---|---|---|
| You, in your own car | About 2,700 to 2,900 miles | 40 to 46 hours | About 4 days |
| Cross Country Driver | About 2,700 to 2,900 miles | 40 to 46 hours | 3 days or less |
How many hours is it from New Jersey to California by car?
About 40 to 46 hours of driving, not counting stops. Newark to Los Angeles is about 41 to 44 hours behind the wheel.
How far is it from New Jersey to California?
About 2,790 miles from Newark to Los Angeles, about 2,720 from Cherry Hill, and about 2,900 from North Jersey to San Francisco. San Diego is about 2,770 from Central Jersey.
New Jersey to California: city-to-city miles and prices
Typical base prices for a professional driver between the largest cities in New Jersey and California. 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cherry Hill ↔ Los Angeles | ~2,720 mi | ~3 days | $1,875–$2,475 |
| Princeton ↔ San Diego | ~2,770 mi | ~3 days | $1,875–$2,500 |
| Newark ↔ Los Angeles | ~2,790 mi | 3 days or less | $1,900–$2,500 |
| Paterson ↔ Sacramento | ~2,820 mi | 3 days or less | $1,900–$2,500 |
| Jersey City ↔ San Francisco | ~2,910 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 New Jersey to California?
Yes. The right route depends on where you start and finish and on the month.
I-78, I-76 and I-70: to Southern California
From Central and North Jersey, I-78 runs west through the Lehigh Valley to Harrisburg; from South Jersey, the New Jersey Turnpike connects to the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Both lead to I-70 through Columbus, Indianapolis and St. Louis, then I-44 and I-40 through Oklahoma City, Amarillo, Albuquerque and Flagstaff into Los Angeles or San Diego.
I-80: to the Bay Area and Sacramento
I-80 starts at the George Washington Bridge approach in North Jersey and runs all the way to San Francisco: across Pennsylvania without tolls, then Ohio, Indiana, Chicago, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming, Utah and Nevada, over Donner Pass into Sacramento and the Bay.
Weather and seasons
From November to March, I-80 over Wyoming and the Sierra is the risk, and the southern I-40 route is usually safer. Summer heat in the Mojave and Arizona is the risk on the southern route. Leaving New Jersey in winter, the first day can bring snow in Pennsylvania.
What the road is like
The first few hours are the slowest: New Jersey and Pennsylvania traffic and mountains. The Midwest is flat and fast, the plains are windy, and the western states climb above 7,000 feet before dropping into California.
Tolls
The New Jersey Turnpike, the Pennsylvania Turnpike, and on the northern route the Ohio and Indiana toll roads. On the southern route, the Oklahoma turnpikes on I-44. I-80 across Pennsylvania is toll-free. The western states are mostly toll-free. California inspects cars for fruit and plants at the border.
New Jersey to California car shipping vs. hiring a driver
Driving yourself: roughly $425 to $575 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 $1,380 to $1,940 between New Jersey and California 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: $1,875 to $2,525 base plus fuel and tolls at actual cost, delivered in 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 New Jersey to California
New Jersey to California is close to home for us: our office is at the Jersey Shore, and North and Central Jersey to California is one of our most requested coast-to-coast trips. Relocations, students, military moves and car purchases make up most of it, and California to New Jersey runs all year too.
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 New Jersey to California service works
We pick up anywhere in New Jersey, from Bergen, Essex and Hudson counties to Princeton, New Brunswick, Monmouth and Ocean counties, Cherry Hill and Atlantic City, and deliver anywhere in California: Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, the Bay Area, Sacramento 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: New Jersey toward St. Louis, about 950 miles, across Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois.
- Day 2: St. Louis toward Albuquerque, about 1,000 miles, through Oklahoma City and Amarillo.
- Day 3: Albuquerque to Los Angeles, about 800 miles, across Arizona and the Mojave Desert.
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
- Leave early to clear North Jersey and the Pennsylvania Turnpike before rush hour.
- Use I-80 across Pennsylvania to save the turnpike tolls if your route allows it.
- Watch the forecast for Wyoming and the Sierra from November to March; the southern route is safer.
- Fuel at half a tank west of Oklahoma; stations thin out.
- Carry water and watch the engine temperature in the Mojave in summer.
- Check tires, fluids, lights and brakes before you leave; 2,800 miles finds every weak spot.
New Jersey to California questions
How many days does it take to drive from New Jersey to California?
About 4 days if you drive it yourself, with three nights on the road. A professional driver does it in 3 days or less, covering about 1,000 miles a day with proper rest.
What is the best route from New Jersey to California?
I-78 or the turnpikes to I-70, then I-44 and I-40 for Southern California, the safer winter route. I-80 from North Jersey is the most direct line to the Bay Area and Sacramento.
How much does it cost to have someone drive my car from New Jersey to California?
$1,875 to $2,525 base with Cross Country Driver, plus fuel and tolls at actual cost. Newark to Los Angeles, about 2,790 miles, is typically $1,900 to $2,500.
Is it cheaper to ship a car from New Jersey to California?
Usually, yes. Carrier shipping is quoted at about $1,380 to $1,940 between New Jersey and California cities (third-party estimates, not our prices), with a window that can run one to three weeks. A driver costs more and delivers in 3 days or less.
Where is Cross Country Driver based?
Our home office is in Point Pleasant, New Jersey. We pick up anywhere in the state and drive to anywhere in the lower 48 and Alaska.
Does one driver take the car the whole way?
Yes. One driver, never handed off, with photos at pickup and delivery and GPS monitoring in between.
Can I pack the car?
Yes. A reasonable amount of personal items can travel with the car.
Do you also go California to New Jersey?
Yes, all year, at the same pricing.
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.