UTV & Side-by-Side Shipping. Quoted off your exact model, not a guess.
A trail-rated UTV can be as narrow as 50 inches; a sport UTV can be 64 to 72 inches wide. Two vehicles in the same category can need two completely different approaches.
A standard open car hauler — steel rails, wheel straps, sometimes called a "stinger" setup — is built around three numbers: a sedan's wheelbase, its tire width, and its tire diameter. UTVs don't share those numbers either, and model-to-model they don't even share them with each other. Load a vehicle onto equipment sized for the wrong numbers, and you end up improvising: straps in the wrong place, or a vehicle that isn't actually secured the way it looks like it is.
UTVs are the category where "narrow" isn't automatically true, and that's exactly what trips people up. A trail-rated UTV is often built deliberately narrow — around 50 inches wide — specifically so it fits on ATV trails. A sport UTV can be 64 to 72 inches wide, closer to a small car. Two vehicles in the same category can need two completely different approaches, which means guessing based on "it's a UTV" isn't good enough. The model-specific wheelbase and width have to be confirmed before equipment gets chosen, not assumed from the vehicle type. That's exactly why a real UTV shipping quote should come after you've told us the exact model, not before.
Both open and enclosed transport work for this category. Enclosed trailers typically have a solid, flat floor rather than fixed rails, which makes them a safer default — the vehicle can be tied down at whatever points actually make sense for its frame instead of rail spacing built for a sedan. Open transport is still viable, but only if the carrier has the vehicle's real wheelbase, tire width, and tire diameter before pickup day.
What we check before we'll quote one
- We confirm the actual model instead of quoting off the category — trail and sport widths can differ by more than a foot
- Wheelbase, tire width, and tire diameter confirmed before we quote equipment
- Honest guidance on open vs. enclosed for your specific UTV
- Straps and ramps matched to your model, not generic equipment
Submit a quote request with your UTV's details and we'll call to confirm the right equipment before anything is booked.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to ship a UTV, and does the model matter?
Cost depends heavily on the specific model, more than most people expect. A trail-width UTV (around 50 inches) and a sport UTV (64–72 inches) need different equipment entirely, so get a quote based on your exact model, not the general category.
Is enclosed transport necessary for a golf cart, UTV, or ATV?
Not strictly necessary, but it's usually the safer default for two reasons: enclosed trailers have a solid floor instead of fixed rails, which makes securing a narrow-wheelbase vehicle easier, and for golf carts specifically, most aren't built for highway speeds in the first place. Open transport works too, as long as the carrier has exact wheelbase and tire measurements before pickup.
Also shipping a golf cart, ATV, or mini truck? Read the full wheelbase guide.