Recent Alaska Shipping News

Jump to:
The basics about shipping your vehicle to Alaska
Why ship instead of drive?
What will it cost me to ship my car to Alaska?
How long will it take to ship my car to Alaska?
Where can I ship my car in Alaska?
The types of cars you can ship to Alaska
The best ways to ship your car to Alaska
What’s next after my vehicle is delivered?
Conclusion
 

In general, renting a car during an extended trip can prove extremely costly. Many times, it makes much more sense just to ship your own vehicle to your destination. You probably have several questions like “What will it cost?” and “How long will it take?”

This guide is designed to answer your questions and give you all the detail you need in order to be able to ship your car to Alaska and be confident while you are doing so.
 

The basics about shipping your vehicle to Alaska

First and foremost, you’ll want to make sure that you plan ahead. Realistically, you can expect it to be without your car for a little over a week to two weeks while it ships to the last frontier (Alaska). Your shipping duration will vary based on several factors most importantly including distance.

So, you will need to decide, do you want to split that time between when you are home and in Alaska? Do you want to spend a week or so at home without your vehicle? Or do you want to wait a week or so while you are in Alaska? It’s entirely up to you.

You should also give your auto transport company as much notice about your shipment as possible. Expedited shipping will cost you an additional fee so try and avoid last minute planning if you can. We recommend that you give your auto transporter a month’s notice, so you will have the best results and lowest cost.

As with any other vehicle shipment, you will want to be sure that you have your car ready for shipping by the time your driver arrives to pick up your car:

• Make sure that you have a quarter tank of gas but no more than that. This allows the driver to get the car on and off the carrier as they need to but won’t add extra weight to the vehicle and will adhere to Coast Guard regulations as well.
• Be sure to wash the exterior of the car before shipping so that the driver can easily conduct their inspection for pre-existing damage before loading your car.
• Take any detachable non-essential parts off of the vehicle such as roof racks.
• Be sure you have all of your documents ready by the time your driver arrives to pick up your vehicle. This includes: your driver’s license, registration, and a copy of your booking.
• Make sure you have an extra copy of your key just in case anything happens to the one you gave your driver.
• Take all personal items out of the vehicle. Any personal items left in the vehicle will not be covered by insurance if they are damaged, lost or stolen.
• Be sure to tell your driver about any existing issues with the car such as your alignment being off or a headlight being out.

You should also be sure to weather proof your car for the Alaskan climate prior to shipping it. That way, you won’t have to worry about doing so after transport.
 

Why ship instead of drive?

The obvious answer here is that it will take a lot of time and energy and it will just make life less stressful in general by shipping your car and flying to Alaska.

However, many people don’t know how much driving will end up costing them. Consider that with the average cost of fuel right now, a trip in an average car from New York to Anchorage will cost over $400 one-way. Also consider that you will need to spend several nights in hotels. This will run between $500 and $1000. So, driving yourself will still cost about a thousand dollars (if you were doing so from New York).

The above calculation also doesn’t factor in opportunity cost either. Opportunity cost is “a benefit missed when an investor, individual or business chooses one alternative over another.”

So, when you drive your car instead of shipping it, the opportunity cost includes things like missed days of work. You’re either spending paid time off performing the awful task of driving thousands of miles or, worse, you’re taking un-paid time off and surrendering about a week’s worth of salary.

That’s $1,000 in actual cost and a few hundred dollars more in opportunity cost. For a couple hundred extra dollars you can save the stress of driving thousands of miles and the opportunity cost of missing work.
 

What will it cost me to ship my car to Alaska?

Like any other car shipment, this will depend entirely on where you are shipping it from, the season and the type of vehicle that you are shipping.

For our purposes, lets assume we’re shipping a car of average size on an open-air carrier during the fall (a less busy time, so, demand is down). It will cost a little under two thousand dollars to ship from Seattle to Anchorage. If you were shipping from Miami, Florida to Anchorage with everything else equal, it would cost about four thousand dollars.

In the end, both trips are a few thousand miles long. The trip from Seattle being slightly over two thousand miles and the trip from Miami being over four thousand miles. So, those prices are quite reasonable. Both coming in at a little less than a dollar a mile.

Any half-decent carrier or broker will give you a free quote. So, be sure to take advantage of that and shop around a little bit before you commit to ship your car.

Just be aware, whenever you are shipping your car anywhere that the quotes you get will be reasonably close to the same price. If you get a quote that’s way lower than all the other competitors, it’s likely a bait and switch scam. For example, if four carriers quote: $2000, $2100, $950 and $2050 respectively for the same shipment the outlier ($950) is a scam of some sort.

Most of the time these “bait and switch” scams offer you that low price initially, pick up your car, then tell you there is some issue and demand an additional exorbitant payment. If you refuse to pay it, they will say your car is “already in-transit” and will hold your vehicle hostage. So, avoid these “too good to be true” prices for auto shipping.
 

How long will it take to ship my car to Alaska?

As we mentioned earlier it will generally take around ten to fourteen days to ship your car to Alaska. However, it really does depend on the time of year that you’re shipping, how far you’re shipping and the weather along the shipping route at the time of your particular shipment.

A cross country shipment like Miami, Florida to Alaska or New York to Alaska will likely take closer to two and a half weeks while Seattle to Alaska could end up taking less than one week for example.
Transit times increase noticeably during carriers “busy season” too. If you ship to Alaska in the fall versus in the summer your transit time for your shipment will likely be a day or two less. This is because as Carriers get busier, there are less of them available. Thus, your shipment will take more time to get to Alaska.

When shipping your vehicle anywhere, you should always plan for the later date of the estimate you get. Most carriers and brokers will give you an estimate on when your car will be delivered. These estimates usually have a three or four day window. It’s best to be prepared for the later part of the estimate in case that’s when the vehicle ends up being dropped off. This way, if it gets delivered earlier than that it won’t be an issue either.
 

Where can I ship my car in Alaska?

When you ship your car to Alaska you’ll need to pick it up at one of the major ports/central hubs. Don’t worry though, there’s a bunch of ports or central hubs in Alaska where you can choose to ship to. Just choose the port closest to you. The lack of major highways make it almost impossible for auto carriers to get across the state, so residential drop-off generally isn’t available in Alaska.

The ports and hubs in Alaska we ship vehicles to are:

• Anchorage
• Fairbanks
• Dutch Harbor
• Kodiak
• Juneau
• Ketchikan
• Sitka
• Petersburg
• Wrangell
• Craig
• Kake
• Hoonah
• Haines
• Skagway
• Yakutat
• Cordova
• Thorne Bay
• Valdez
 

The types of cars you can ship to Alaska

You can ship any kind of car you want to Alaska. You may even be able to ship your vehicle if it’s inoperable but check with your shipping provider before you book your shipment.

However, you can also ship many other types of cargo to Alaska. This includes: cars, trucks, SUVs, vans, motorcycles, trailers, RVs, and heavy equipment such as tractors. We recommend calling your shipping provider to discuss any of these sorts of shipments prior to trying to book one.
 

The best ways to ship your car to Alaska

There’s a bunch of different things to take into consideration when shipping a car to Alaska. The type of transport that you choose is one of them. The vast majority of auto transports are open air transports. These are the normal type of auto carriers you typically see out on the road with a couple of decks of cars.

Sometimes, people will pay a couple of extra dollars to get their car shipped in what’s called the “top load.” The top load are the vehicles on the upper deck of the auto carrier. This is normally advantageous because vehicles in the “bottom load” can get hit with small road debris like pebbles which can cause small scratches or dents during transport. However, the vehicles on the bottom load are partially shielded from the elements because of the cars above them. The cars in the top load are completely exposed to the elements such as snow and rain.

Considering that part of your auto transport will take place in and around Alaska, there’s a good chance snow and ice will occur on the route. So, you will need to carefully consider if you want to risk much higher snow and ice exposure in lieu of avoiding small road debris.

You can avoid both of these things by using a completely enclosed auto carrier during your auto transport. The only downside to this is that it will cost several hundred extra bucks whereas “top load” on an open carrier only costs about a hundred extra bucks and “bottom load” on an open carrier costs nothing extra.

Realistically, most carriers and brokers can offer you these various shipping options and additional upgrades if you so choose. We recommend you use Alaska Car Transport as we are experts at moving any type of vehicle to any part of Alaska. If you need any more information about us or our services, feel free to give us a call today at (907) 331-3100.
 

What’s next after my vehicle is delivered?

Once you get there and your car is delivered, you are permitted to use a valid out-of-state registration for up to sixty days. So, if you’re staying longer than that, you’ll obviously need to get a new registration.

If you are permanently moving to Alaska, you’ll need to get it registered with the Alaskan DMV and get your documentation and license plates changed. Unfortunately, this can be as arduous of a process as it is in any other state.

There are certain cases where you can have all this done online or over the phone. You will need to call the Alaskan DMV and ask them or contact them online by visiting http://doa.alaska.gov/dmv/.

If you are a new Alaska resident, you will need to register in-person at the DMV unless you live more than fifty miles away from the closest DMV in which case you can register by mail. Unfortunately, you will need to do this within ten days of starting your residency in Alaska.

You will also need to get new license plates shortly after having your car delivered if you are permanently moving to Alaska. You can find more information by visiting http://doa.alaska.gov/dmv/plates/index.htm.
 

Conclusion

The vehicle registration process once your car is delivered is probably the most complex part of getting a car to Alaska. That’s why you should ship your car there and have one less thing to worry about. If you’re only visiting, then you have even less to worry about by shipping your vehicle.

Driving all the way to Alaska from anywhere in the Continental United States will be a trip of a couple thousand miles. That’s several days on the road. Spending money on fuel and lodging and probably pulling ten or even twelve-hour days driving.

The money that you end up spending on gas and lodging adds up and can easily reach more than half the cost of shipping your car. So, for an extra couple hundred bucks you can skip the long haul and ship your car to Alaska.

You should always take the best care of your car possible

If you’re online reading an article about car care, you obviously care enough about your car to take that extra step. However, you should already know that the best way to take care of your car is to do so constantly.

You shouldn’t only be periodically concerned with major things such as seasonal changes. Pay attention to the everything including tire pressure, fluid levels and overall engine health. Constantly monitor your car’s condition and if you think something’s wrong, take it to the shop and get it checked out if you can’t figure it out for yourself.

Make sure you always have the instruments you need in order to evaluate your car’s condition as well as the tools to fix any issues if possible. Things like tire gauges, tire irons, a jack, a spare or at least a donut, a wrench, extra wiper fluid, extra anti-freeze, and whatever else you can think of. You should also have a membership with a roadside assistance program like AAA, just in case something happens while your out on the road where you can’t fix your car yourself and need a hand or the car towed.

Prepare your car for cold, snow and sleet

With all that in mind, you should also be prepared for specific things such as winter conditions. When you ship your car to Alaska, these are the conditions your car will be facing the majority of the time. You’ll want to make sure that your car is completely “winterized.” Now, not every part of Alaska is a constant winter storm with feet of snow. However, heavier winter weather generally tends to be the norm in the slight majority of the state.

One of the first things you should do is to make sure that you get some new snow tires with good treads on them, so you can be sure that you’re ready for any snowy and icy roads. You will also want to make sure that they are new and not used. Used tires can be really worn and the treads won’t be as effective. In a perfect world, used tire dealers would be honest and only sell used tires that were in good enough condition for some considerably mileage. Sadly, this often isn’t the case. Some people will even sell bald tires to unsuspecting customers. New tires are, by far, your best bet.

You’ll also want to make sure that you have spare windshield wipers in your car. During cold snowy weather, windshield wipers can end up sticking to your windshield if you don’t angle them off your windshield earlier in the day (always try to do this in cold weather climates as a precaution).

Unfortunately, many people don’t pay enough attention to the forecast or will forget to take this precaution. Then when they try and move their wipers to clear snow off of their vehicle or when they turn their wipers on, they will snap. This can render your car undriveable if you’re still experiencing snow at the time it occurs. This is why having an extra pair of wipers and knowing how to put them on can be invaluable in a place like Alaska.

As mentioned earlier, you’ll want to make sure that you have your car’s fluid filled as well as extra in your trunk just in case you end up needing it. The two most important fluids in terms of weather in a wintery climate to keep an eye on are windshield wiper fluid and anti-freeze. Both of these are crucial to keeping your car drivable in an Alaskan climate.

You’ll also want to be sure that you have a good snow and ice scraper in your car. When you aren’t in your car for an extended period of time and the snow is coming down, it will obviously accumulate all over your car. When this happens, you’ll need to clear it off before you start driving. Driving with snow all over your car is not only dangerous, it’s illegal! You also don’t want to get stuck clearing off your car with your hands, it’s much more difficult and much colder.

Finally, before you even ship your vehicle to Alaska, get your car checked out at the shop. You’ll need to be sure that your car is obviously in good general shape, but you’ll also want to be sure that your heat and defrosters are working fine. These are critically important while you’re actually driving to keeping visibility at a maximum.

Don’t forget about the road salt!

The biggest winter road condition people don’t account for when driving their car in Alaska is the salt of the road from the plows as well as the increased amounts of small rocks and pebbles from the road that occur because of the winter weather. These things can cause small scratches and dings on your car. For the most part, you can’t prevent this but, if you get your car waxed before you ship it to Alaska, this could possibly help lessen the potential for these small scratches and dings occurring.

Conclusion

All of this might seem like a little much to some of you, but this high level of preparation is worth it for the piece of mind alone. It’s obviously also worth it because odds are that you will run into some sort of weather-related issue with your car while you’re in Alaska. Once you’ve made all these preparations, all you’ll need to worry about is getting your car to Alaska. With the auto shipping experts at Alaska Car Transport, you won’t have to “worry” about that either. Get a free quote today or call us at (907) 331-3100!

If you are an active duty military member and living or relocating to Alaska, you should establish military residency. In order to file military residency there is an application that needs to be completed and accompanied by acceptable proof. Applicants must provide proof of residency showing an intent to remain indefinitely in Alaska. In addition, below is a list of acceptable and unacceptable proof.

Acceptable Proof for When Filing for Military Residency:

A copy of proof that you’ve moved household belongings to Alaska such as a moving truck rental receipt, receipt for moving boxes mailed to Alaska (USPS), receipt showing items shipped via the Alaska Ferry System, Excess baggage receipt (beyond allowed limit) from Airline, or shipping receipt.

A lease or rental agreement in the applicant’s name. The lease must be signed. You may also show a cancelled rent check or rental receipts. If you choose to not rent, but instead purchase, you must show proof of purchasing a home such as a mortgage statement or escrow papers.

Documents pertaining to your car are also accepted. You could show your Alaska Driver’s License, ID or instructional permit, and vehicle registration.

Unacceptable Proof for When Filing for Military Residency:

Letter from a friend stating you live in Alaska, documents relating to a motorhome, recreational vehicle, motorcycle or watercraft, unemployment records, marriage license, court records, employer provided housing, employer paid moving expenses, military provided housing, and utilities bills, bank statements, and/or mail with a home address.

For more information on establishing military residency, visit: https://pfd.alaska.gov/Eligibility/Establishing-Residency

So interested in finding out information on establishing military residency because you are relocating? Contact us today to get started on your car shipment  process. Some of your car shipment fees may even be covered by the military.

Eco- friendly driving is beginning to have its benefits, especially in Alaska. Eco- friendly driving is becoming increasingly popular as more car companies are adding eco- friendly models to their inventory. Eco- friendly driving is considered any car that emits less pollutants than a regular driving car. Cars included under this category are electric cars, hybrids, alternative fuel vehicles, or other fuel- efficient vehicles. As an incentive to get the majority of the population to go green, Alaska is offering some perks.

Alaska’s eco- friendly drivers are able to apply for auto insurance discounts. Depending on who your insurance carrier is, is dependant on the discount you may or may not receive. Potential eco- friendly discounts include hybrid auto discounts, alternative fuel vehicle discounts, economy car discounts, low- mileage discounts, and pay as you drive discounts. Each insurance company is different in what they may offer. Also, some insurance companies automatically offer a 10 percent discount on car insurance for owning or leasing a hybrid car. Some insurance companies offer a 30 percent insurance discount for keeping your miles low and to a minimum. In the event that your current insurance company doesn’t offer any perks for driving an eco- friendly car, you could always switch your insurance carrier. If you are relocating to Alaska, then you are in the driver’s seat. Since you are now knowledgeable that some insurance companies offer perks, when you decide to relocate, shop around for a new insurance company that will offer you incentives to driving an eco- friendly car.

Eco- friendly driving is becoming increasingly popular so as a result, insurance companies are thanking drivers by offering discounts and incentives. Interested in these perks? Interested in becoming an eco- friendly driver? You can buy an eco- friendly car online and we can ship it right to your doorstep. Or relocating and already have an eco- friendly car? We can ship your car to Alaska so you can take advantage of their eco- friendly incentives.

Alaska’s summer temperatures are extremely pleasant. As a result, moving to Alaska in August is one of the best times. The temperatures are not too cold nor too hott; they’re just right. In August, you can expect daytime temperatures to range from 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Also, the further north you go, the longer the day you have. North of Fairbanks, the day is 24 hours long. In Fairbanks, you can expect to see daylight for 22 hours. Anchorage has 19.5 hours of daylight, and in Juneau you can expect 18.2 hours of daylight. As a result, extended daylight hours with cool to warm temperatures makes moving to Alaska in August the perfect time. You can unpack, organize, and set up your new home without the need for a heavy winter jacket, boots, gloves, scarfs, and hats. This will make it easy to lift, carry, and transport all of your boxes and belongings. Also, with a laundry list of things to do that accompany moving, you will have extra hours in the day to complete it.

Car transport times are often dependent on popular routes and seasons. If a route is popular, such as New York to California, your car will be assigned to a carrier quicker because it is a popular route. August happens to be a busy month for car transport companies with students going back to college, summertime visitors heading back to their primary residents, and busy schedules that don’t allow drivers the time to physically drive a car to its new destination. As a result, there are more carriers on the road. This is beneficial to you because that means your car can be picked up by a carrier quicker.

Considering relocating to Alaska, but not on a time constraint? Why not move now? Moving to Alaska in August has its perks and we are here to help  you get started on your car shipment process.

Buying real estate in Alaska can be an exciting experience, but also nerve wracking, especially if you aren’t familiar with the state and towns. Choosing the perfect place to settle down in can be overwhelming, so where do you start when buying real estate in Alaska? Do you want a real estate agent from your location that can do research on areas in Alaska? Or do you want to deal with a real estate agent in your new area? Do you think seeing homes virtually is enough to make a decision? Or should you plan to spend a week or two in Alaska in order to attend open houses?

Before buying real estate in Alaska, you should know:

1. Property disclosures are required and you are entitled to know the following disclosures: environmental concerns, thermal standards, crimes occurring in the location, lead paint, radon gas, and homeowners association disputes/ insurance claims.

2. Depending where you are moving from, Alaska’s property taxes can be considerably more expensive than other areas. It is a good idea to check out the average cost of property taxes and to figure out your budget prior to seeing homes. You can have your taxes included in the monthly mortgage or you can pay them in a lump sum annual.

3. Inspections should be done after an offer is made and accepted. You are entitled to choose your own independent inspector and it is suggested that you do so rather than going with the real estate’s inspector. This is to keep the home inspector honest rather than going with a real estate’s inspector who could possibly push through some property issues just to close a sale quicker. After your house is inspected, you will get a detailed report on termites, bug or rodent problems, environmental risks due to location, the presences of lead, foundation or structure problems, and/or issues with heating, cooling, electrical, or plumbing.

Interested in buying real estate in Alaska? Contact us today and let us worry about shipping your car to your new home.

Port to port shipment, door to door shipment, door to port shipment, port to door shipment, we offer it all. So what exactly is port to port shipment? Port to port shipment is defined as your car being shipped from one port (location a) to another port (location b). It is usually the basic form of sea freight transportation. When transporting your car across the sea; for example, from New York to Alaska, ports are involved. The reason for this is because there is a body of water between the two lands.

If you are considering shipping your car with a body of water in between, then you are looking at port to port shipment. So, how does it work? Once you select a company for your car shipment needs, you want to secure your placement. Once your car is ready for shipment and assigned to a carrier, your car will be picked up at an agreed upon port. The driver and its carrier will meet you, where your car will be secured to the carrier. If you cannot be present for pick up or drop off, we suggest you leave your keys with a friend or neighbor who is available. The person you do leave your car keys with has to be over the age of 18. In the event that you are unable to leave your keys with someone, you can leave your keys somewhere on the property. However, if you decide to do this, be sure to call us so we can have our dispatch team contact the driver and inform him/her where your keys are located. Once your car is loaded to a carrier, the route to its new port will begin. Upon arrival to its new port, you will be contacted by the driver. When your car arrives, it will be ready to be picked up at the new agreed upon port and you will be on your way. It is really that simple and our team is here to assist you along the way.

Now that you have an understanding about port to port shipment, contact us today to get started on your booking to Alaska.

Are you looking to relocate to Alaska? Are you shipping your car from your current location to Alaska? What do you need to know about registering a car in Alaska? By law, registering a car in Alaska needs to be done within 10 days of entering Alaska or taking employment in the state. In order to register your car, you need to submit the following: current out- of- state registration, proof of title, form 812 which is an application for title and registration form, and associated fees. In addition, when registering a car in Alaska, you need proof of car insurance. Alaska law requires that owners of cars have liability insurance. The liability insurance must cover all of the following: $50,000 for bodily injury or death of any one person, $100,000 for bodily injury or death for any accident, and $25,000 for property damage. Failure to have this insurance in effect can lead to a suspension of a driver’s license. Once you follow the easy steps mentioned above, you will have your registration for two years. When the two year period is up, you will need to renew your registration. Every vehicle is assigned an expiration date when the vehicle is first registered and it forever keeps that month, even when the ownership may change.  If you happen to let your car registration expire for less than a full year, then you will be charged the full biennial fee beginning with the month that the registration expired. There is also a Motor Vehicle Registration Tax or MVRT that is applied to all registrations. The tax rate varies for each location of municipalities and boroughs.

For more information, visit http://doa.alaska.gov/dmv/reg/require.htm.

So interested in registering a car in Alaska because you are relocating? Contact us  today to get started on your car shipment process.

Looking into moving to Alaska? Have you been talking to family and friends about the relocation and unsure of what decision you should make? Moving to Alaska, the largest state in the United States, is a huge decision, and there are many myths about the relocation. Below are some common myths about moving to Alaska. If moving to Alaska is your dream, don’t let these top two myths stop you, after all, they are myths!

It’s Cold All Year Round

If you mention Alaska to someone a topic that is sure to come up in conversation is its climate. Alaska’s climate is associated with cold temperatures. For most of the year, Alaska’s temperatures can reach below freezing, and you can expect to see snowfall anywhere from October to April. However, it is not cold all year round. Summer months in Alaska can reach temperatures well above freezing. In fact, in July and August, you can expect to see temperatures in the 70 degrees Fahrenheit range, specifically in the southern towns. There has also been some state records of high temperatures. Prospect Park has the statewide record of high temperatures with 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Fort Yukon holds the record of highest temperatures for 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

Wild Wildlife

Alaska is known for its wildlife, but don’t let your fear of seeing wildlife out in the everyday world stop you from moving to Alaska. Yes, Alaska is home to polar bears, grizzly bears, and black bears, but they do not run rampant in Alaska. First, polar bears live along Alaska’s arctic coastlines, which is far from human habitats and housings. However, you can expect to see grizzly bears and black bears as they are a bit more common. Due to this, Alaska has set up “bear- proof” metal garbage containers throughout the towns in order to mask any garbage smells that may peak the interest of these bears.