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State guide · October 2026
What it costs to ship a car into or out of North Dakota, why trucks are easy to find in Fargo and scarce in Williston, and how winter and spring thaw move the pickup date.
Written by Adam Scott, Coordinator at Broadway Auto Transport · October 20, 2026 · Prices updated October 20, 2026
Live carrier rates · ~30 seconds
Prefer a human? Call (917) 594-5566. A coordinator answers.
The short answer
In October 2026 a running sedan on an open carrier costs about $925 from Chicago to Fargo, $795 from Denver to Bismarck, and $1,495 from Phoenix to Fargo. Bismarck to Phoenix runs about $1,575 as snowbird season starts, and Fargo to Los Angeles about $1,175. Blizzards can close I-94 and I-29 for a day or more.
Calendar
When the same lanes get busy, and what that does to your pickup week.
How busy the North Dakota lanes get each month, from our coordinators’ calendar. Busier months fill trucks sooner and cost more.
What it costs
Car haulers reach North Dakota on two roads. I-94 crosses the state from Fargo through Jamestown, Bismarck, and Dickinson toward Montana, and I-29 runs north from the South Dakota line through Fargo and Grand Forks to the Canadian border. Fargo, where they cross, is the easiest pickup in the state. Bismarck and Grand Forks are close behind. Almost everything else, including Minot, Williston, Watford City, Devils Lake, and both Air Force bases, is an hour or several from the nearest interstate, and a carrier has to make a special trip to reach it.
We priced North Dakota lanes in October 2026 from Fargo and Bismarck, for a running sedan on an open carrier, and two patterns stand out. Trucks into the state from the West Coast are scarce. Los Angeles to Bismarck came in near $2,210, while Fargo to Los Angeles was about $1,175. And October is the start of the Arizona season, so Bismarck to Phoenix was about $1,575, above the $1,495 for Phoenix to Fargo. Weather sets the rest of the schedule, from blizzards in winter to frost laws in spring.
These are October 2026 figures for the state. Your exact lane, vehicle, and week take about 30 seconds.
See my exact priceLocked 14 days · $0 until dispatch
Approximate prices, October 2026 · open carrier · running sedan · 12 North Dakota lanes
Approximate prices for a running sedan on an open carrier, from the North Dakota lanes we priced in October 2026. Fargo, Bismarck, and Grand Forks sit on the interstates and price at the low end; Minot and the Bakken towns wait longer for a truck. Some lanes here had a wide band this month, so the calculator, which prices your exact ZIP pair in about 30 seconds, is the better guide.
What moves the number
Approximate October 2026 prices for a running sedan on an open carrier. Larger vehicles, enclosed trailers, and peak weeks cost more; the calculator prices your exact shipment.
Lanes · October 2026
Approximate prices for a running sedan on an open carrier, with the range most trucks on the lane land in. “Truck assigned in” is how long it usually takes to find a carrier. Transit is what one driver covers at 400 to 500 miles a day after that.
$1,575most trucks $1,420–$1,725
1,640 mi4–5 days on the trucktruck assigned in 1–17 hours
Southbound demand builds in October as retirees leave for the Valley of the Sun, and this 1,640-mile lane priced at about $1,575, most trucks between $1,420 and $1,725. Book two to three weeks out and give the driver a pickup window of several days.
Price this route$1,495most trucks $1,190–$1,795
1,775 mi4–5 days on the trucktruck assigned in 1–15 days
The northbound run covers about 1,775 miles and finishes on I-29 through Sioux Falls. It priced at about $1,495 in October 2026, most trucks between $1,190 and $1,795, and it fills in April and May when Arizona winter residents head back north.
Price this route$925most trucks $690–$1,155
646 mi2 days on the trucktruck assigned in 1–46 hours
Carriers run north through Wisconsin and the Twin Cities on I-94, about 646 miles and two days. The lane priced at about $925 in October 2026, more per mile than the eastbound Bismarck to Chicago lane at about $840.
Price this route$795most trucks $655–$940
716 mi2 days on the trucktruck assigned in 1–28 hours
At about $795 for 716 miles, Denver to Bismarck was the cheapest lane into North Dakota we priced in October 2026, with most trucks between $655 and $940. Count about two days on the road, longer if a blizzard closes roads on the High Plains.
Price this route$1,175most trucks $815–$1,530
1,847 mi4–5 days on the trucktruck assigned in 1–3 days
Fargo to Los Angeles priced at about $1,175 in October 2026, a little more than half the $2,210 we saw for Los Angeles to Bismarck. The run covers about 1,850 miles, four to five days after loading, and winter storms on the northern Plains can add a day.
Price this route$840most trucks $705–$970
833 mi2–3 days on the trucktruck assigned in 1–6 days
I-94 runs from Bismarck to Chicago, about 833 miles through Fargo, the Twin Cities, and Milwaukee. This lane priced at about $840 in October 2026, most trucks between $705 and $970, and takes about two days once the car is loaded.
Price this route| Lane | Miles | Approx. price | Most trucks | Truck assigned in | Transit | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago, IL → Fargo, ND | 646 | $925 | $690–$1,155 | 1–46 hours | 2 days | 646 mi · 2 days · truck in 1–46 hours |
| Denver, CO → Bismarck, ND | 716 | $795 | $655–$940 | 1–28 hours | 2 days | 716 mi · 2 days · truck in 1–28 hours |
| Dallas, TX → Fargo, ND | 1,078 | $1,100 | $785–$1,410 | 1–19 hours | 3 days | 1,078 mi · 3 days · truck in 1–19 hours |
| Seattle, WA → Bismarck, ND | 1,236 | $1,185 | $895–$1,480 | 1–4 hours | 3–4 days | 1,236 mi · 3–4 days · truck in 1–4 hours |
| Los Angeles, CA → Bismarck, ND | 1,655 | $2,210 | $1,865–$2,555 | 1–3 days | 4–5 days | 1,655 mi · 4–5 days · truck in 1–3 days |
| Phoenix, AZ → Fargo, ND | 1,775 | $1,495 | $1,190–$1,795 | 1–15 days | 4–5 days | 1,775 mi · 4–5 days · truck in 1–15 days |
| Lane | Miles | Approx. price | Most trucks | Truck assigned in | Transit | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bismarck, ND → Chicago, IL | 833 | $840 | $705–$970 | 1–6 days | 2–3 days | 833 mi · 2–3 days · truck in 1–6 days |
| Fargo, ND → Denver, CO | 862 | $885 | $645–$1,120 | 1–8 hours | 2–3 days | 862 mi · 2–3 days · truck in 1–8 hours |
| Bismarck, ND → Dallas, TX | 1,181 | $955 | $480–$1,435 | 1–3 hours | 3 days | 1,181 mi · 3 days · truck in 1–3 hours |
| Fargo, ND → Seattle, WA | 1,425 | $1,045 | $795–$1,295 | 1–8 days | 3–4 days | 1,425 mi · 3–4 days · truck in 1–8 days |
| Bismarck, ND → Phoenix, AZ | 1,640 | $1,575 | $1,420–$1,725 | 1–17 hours | 4–5 days | 1,640 mi · 4–5 days · truck in 1–17 hours |
| Fargo, ND → Los Angeles, CA | 1,847 | $1,175 | $815–$1,530 | 1–3 days | 4–5 days | 1,847 mi · 4–5 days · truck in 1–3 days |
Your lane is not in the table? Every ZIP pair in North Dakota prices the same way, in about 30 seconds.
Price my exact laneLocked 14 days · $0 until dispatch
Where in North Dakota the car is decides how fast a truck comes and whether it reaches the door. Tap a city to price a pickup there.
Fargo sits where I-94 meets I-29, so a car here can ride whichever truck passes first, and most residential streets let a 75-foot carrier reach the door. North Dakota State brings a wave of student cars each August. In October 2026, Chicago to Fargo priced at about $925, Fargo to Denver about $885, and Phoenix to Fargo about $1,495.
The capital sits on I-94 at the Missouri River, across the bridge from Mandan, and it is the usual meet-up point for owners in Minot and the ranch country to the north. Retirees here start the Arizona run in October. Bismarck to Phoenix came to about $1,575 this month, Bismarck to Chicago about $840, and Denver to Bismarck about $795.
Grand Forks is on I-29 about 75 miles north of Fargo and is home to the University of North Dakota. Grand Forks Air Force Base lies roughly 15 miles west on US-2, so summer brings PCS moves on top of the August return to campus. Carriers working I-29 toward the Canadian border pass the exits, and a door pickup in town is routine.
Price a pickup in Grand ForksMinot sits on US-2 and US-83 with no interstate, a long run north from Bismarck. Minot Air Force Base, about 13 miles north of town, rotates airmen on PCS orders, and Minot State adds students each fall. The North Dakota State Fair fills the city in late July. Expect a longer wait for a truck, or meet the driver in Bismarck.
Price a pickup in MinotWilliston is the hub of the Bakken oil field, more than 100 miles up US-85 from I-94, and oil workers move in and out year-round as drilling picks up or slows. Few carriers run that far northwest on a regular schedule, so a pickup here waits longer than one in Dickinson or Bismarck, where many owners choose to meet the driver.
Price a pickup in WillistonDickinson is the last sizable town on I-94 before Montana and the southern gateway to the oil country around Killdeer and Watford City. Dickinson State students and oil-field crews account for many of its moves. Carriers running I-94 between Billings and Bismarck pass straight through, which makes it a practical meet-up for owners farther north on US-85.
Price a pickup in DickinsonJamestown sits on I-94 halfway between Fargo and Bismarck, where US-281 and US-52 meet the interstate, so carriers between the two cities pass its exits. Farm families, University of Jamestown students, and retirees heading south ship from here. Door pickup in town is normal, while an address off a county road needs a meet-up during the spring frost-law weeks.
Price a pickup in JamestownArizona is where a lot of North Dakota cars spend the winter. Retirees from Fargo, Bismarck, and the small towns in between head for Mesa, Phoenix, and the rest of the Valley of the Sun in October and November and want their own car there. This month Bismarck to Phoenix was about $1,575, most trucks between $1,420 and $1,725. If you can leave in September or wait until December, the trucks are less crowded. Otherwise, book two to three weeks out with a pickup window several days wide.
The other outbound moves are relocations, students, and people leaving the oil field. Fargo to Denver came in near $885, Bismarck to Chicago about $840, Fargo to Seattle about $1,045, and Fargo to Los Angeles about $1,175. Bismarck to Dallas averaged about $955, but the band was unusually wide this month, roughly $480 to $1,435, which means the exact pickup ZIP and week matter more than usual. Check the calculator before you plan around that figure.
Coming in, the cheapest lanes are from the Midwest and the Rockies. Chicago to Fargo was about $925 this month and Denver to Bismarck about $795. From farther away the price climbs fast. Dallas to Fargo was about $1,100, Seattle to Bismarck about $1,185, and Los Angeles to Bismarck about $2,210, more than many coast-to-coast lanes, since few carriers head from Southern California to western North Dakota. In spring the Arizona cars come home, and Phoenix to Fargo, about $1,495 this month, gets busier in April and May.
Both Air Force bases bring in airmen on PCS orders, mostly in summer. Minot Air Force Base is about 13 miles north of Minot, and Grand Forks Air Force Base is about 15 miles west of Grand Forks. Grand Forks is on I-29 and the base is a short detour. Minot is roughly 110 miles north of I-94 on US-83, so a car going there waits longer for a truck or meets the driver in Bismarck. Students arrive in August at North Dakota State in Fargo, the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, and Minot State. Oil field workers come and go year-round in Williston and Watford City, and those towns are a long way from either interstate.
Fargo, West Fargo, Grand Forks, Jamestown, Bismarck, Mandan, Dickinson, and Valley City are all on I-94 or I-29, and they get door pickups or a nearby meet-up without much wait. That covers most of the state's population. Wahpeton sits near I-29 at the Minnesota line and is close enough to count.
Off the corridors, distances are large and loads are few. Minot sits on US-2 and US-83, Devils Lake on US-2, and Williston and Watford City in the Bakken on US-2 and US-85, all hours from an interstate. Trucks do go there, but a carrier has to fill a trip that long, so a pickup in Williston can wait longer for a match. The faster option is usually to meet the driver in Bismarck, Dickinson, or Fargo. Your coordinator lays out both options and the timing before you book.
North Dakota closes interstates for blizzards. When wind and snow cut visibility, the state issues no-travel advisories and swings gates across I-94 and I-29, and loaded car carriers stop with everyone else until the road reopens. Most closures last a day or two, but a long storm can strand a truck in Bismarck or Jamestown longer than that. Your coordinator texts the new pickup window, and the price you were quoted stays the same.
Spring has its own rules. As the ground thaws from March into May, the state and the counties put load restrictions on secondary roads, and a loaded car carrier is too heavy for most of them. A farm or ranch pickup off a restricted road becomes a meet-up on a state highway or the interstate. The Red River can also flood in spring around Fargo and Grand Forks, closing low roads and some bridges for a few days. The quoted price stays the same; the date, and sometimes the meeting spot, can move.
Your coordinator confirms the pickup window by text the day before.
Leaving North Dakota costs less on 4 of the 6 pairs priced this month. Carriers price the empty miles home, so the busier direction costs more. Each pair below is the same out-of-state city in both directions, running sedan, open carrier.
Chicago
Denver
Dallas
Seattle
Los Angeles
Phoenix
North Dakota rules
The rules that catch people who bring a car in from another state.
Rules as of the review date below. The North Dakota Department of Transportation's Motor Vehicle Division is the source, and the one to check before you title and register; ask them how the excise tax credit applies to your car.
Questions
In October 2026, Bismarck to Phoenix runs about $1,575 for a running sedan on an open carrier, most trucks between $1,420 and $1,725. October and November are the busy weeks for that lane, and seasonal peaks can add up to about 20 percent. The calculator prices your exact ZIP pair and the figure holds for 14 days in writing.
Phoenix to Fargo was about $1,495 in October 2026, most trucks between $1,190 and $1,795. The lane gets busier in April and May, when snowbirds come home. Count about four to five days in transit once the car is loaded.
Few carriers run from Southern California to western North Dakota, so a truck taking that load often has to come back light. In October 2026, Los Angeles to Bismarck was about $2,210 for a running sedan on an open carrier, against about $1,175 for Fargo to Los Angeles. If your timing is flexible, the calculator shows how much your ZIP pair moves week to week.
Yes, but with a longer wait. Minot is about 110 miles north of I-94, and Williston and Watford City are farther out in the Bakken, so a carrier needs a full load to make the trip. Meeting the driver in Bismarck, Dickinson, or Fargo is usually faster. Your coordinator gives you both options and the timing before you book.
Register when you become a resident or take a job here, whichever comes first. Bring the out-of-state title and proof of insurance with at least 25/50/25 liability and $30,000 of no-fault coverage. North Dakota has no safety or emissions inspection, but it charges a 5% excise tax when you title, with credit for tax paid in a state that offers the same credit.
The carrier waits until the gates open again, then picks up in the next window, usually a day or two later. Your coordinator texts you the new dates, and the quoted price does not change. In March through May, frost laws on rural roads can also turn a farm pickup into a meet-up on a highway.
Once loaded, a driver covers about 400 to 500 miles a day. Chicago to Fargo takes about two days, Denver to Bismarck about two, Fargo to Denver two to three, and Phoenix or Los Angeles four to five. Pickups off the interstates take longer to assign, and winter storms add days.
The data
The numbers are rebuilt from our own pricing each month and published with the page, so the dates above are the real ones.
Neighboring state guides
or call (917) 594-5566. A person answers.
