Corridor → California ↔ Hawaii
Door-to-door, mainland to all four major islands. Port logistics, ocean booking, and inland trucking — coordinated under one locked price.
What makes Hawaii different
Most mainland auto-transport corridors are one truck, one driver, one straight shot. Hawaii is different. Your vehicle has to clear two truck legs, an ocean voyage, port paperwork at both ends, and (for outer islands) an inter-island barge. Six handoffs. Six chances for something to go sideways if nobody's coordinating.
Many brokers aren't set up to coordinate ocean shipping. They quote a price based on what they hope it costs, take a deposit, then hand you a phone number for a port agent who has never heard of you. We don't.
Your coordinator owns the entire chain — from California pickup to your driveway in Honolulu, Hilo, Kahului, or Lihue. One phone number, one accountable point of contact.
The route
Mainland pickup
Carrier dispatched to your California address. Driver completes 360° walkaround photos and signed BOL. You're CC'd on the dispatch confirmation.
Port transit
Vehicle delivered to either Long Beach or Oakland port (whichever optimizes total cost + timeline). We choose; you don't manage.
Port booking + ocean carrier
Booking confirmed with the ocean carrier (Matson or Pasha typically). Sail date set. You get the vessel name, sail date, and ETA in your portal.
Ocean voyage
5–10 days port-to-port to Honolulu. Vehicle is secured below deck (RoRo) or in containerized service depending on booking type.
Honolulu port retrieval
Our island agent receives the vehicle. Inter-island barge booked here if your destination is Maui, Big Island, or Kauai (adds 2–4 days).
Final delivery
Vehicle delivered to your Hawaii address. Walkaround photos at delivery. BOL signed. You and your coordinator both have the documentation.
Pick your island
Honolulu is the primary mainland-Hawaii port — every shipment passes through it. Outer-island deliveries add an inter-island barge leg with its own timeline.
10–14 days door-to-door
12–18 days door-to-door
12–18 days door-to-door
12–18 days door-to-door
Specialty vehicles
Ocean transit + Hawaii Department of Agriculture inspections add constraints that don't exist on mainland routes. Here's what we navigate for the most common situations.
Electric vehicles (EVs)
Yes — with regulated battery state-of-charge.
IMDG Class 9 hazmat regulations apply for lithium-ion batteries during ocean transit. Carriers cap charge state at 30–50% at port. We confirm specifics at booking. No extra fee from us for compliance handling.
Classic / collector cars
Enclosed-trailer + higher insurance valuation strongly recommended.
For vehicles over $75K or with custom paint, wraps, or unrestored bodywork. Inspection at pickup is more thorough — we document condition with extra photo coverage. Pickup ports are the same; carrier mix differs.
Motorcycles
Crated container or strapped trailer — typically lower cost than cars.
Ocean carriers require fuel drained below 1/4 tank. Battery state checked at pickup. Both single bikes and multi-bike shipments handled. Helmet and gear up to ~30 lbs can ride along inside.
Oversized / RVs
Specialized trailer required, surcharge applies.
Vehicles exceeding standard carrier height (~7') or length ship on flatbed or specialized trailer. Surcharge scales with dimensions. Quoted separately — your coordinator will need exact measurements.
Personal items in vehicle
Up to ~100 lbs in trunk. Strict exclusions.
NO firearms, ammunition, alcohol, hazmat, or live plants (Hawaii ag restrictions are strict). Items must be secured against shifting. Damage to personal items isn't covered — load anything you do bring at your own risk.
Agricultural quarantine prep
Required by Hawaii Department of Ag. We coordinate.
Hawaii inspects incoming vehicles for soil and plant material. Undercarriage must be cleaned thoroughly before pickup. Failure to pass = vehicle held at port (your cost). We send prep instructions at booking.
Don't see your situation? Mention it in the quote-request notes field. Your coordinator will confirm handling and any additional cost before booking.
Service tiers
Pick the urgency level that fits your timeline. Live pricing comes through the quote tool — pulled from our verified carrier network at the moment you book.
Standby
Flexible sail date
Best value. Vehicle catches the next available sailing within ~2 weeks of pickup.
Most popular
Priority
Booked sail within 7 days
Most common for PCS and planned relocations. Specific sail booked at quote time.
Expedited
Next available sail
When the timeline is tight. We push to the soonest viable sail and accept the premium.
Pricing varies by season (peak May–Sept), vehicle type, and destination island. Get a quote for your specific shipment.
The Triple Promise applies the same way
Pickup ZIP, destination island, vehicle type. We'll show three tiered prices. Pick one, lock it, and your coordinator takes it from there.