Question 1

How do I prepare my car for shipping?

Accepted Answer

Preparing your car for shipping takes about 30 minutes and helps ensure a smooth pickup and delivery. Start by washing your vehicle thoroughly — a clean car makes it much easier to document existing scratches, dents, and dings during the pre-pickup inspection. Then remove all personal belongings from the interior, including items in the glove box, center console, trunk, and door pockets. Carriers are not licensed to transport personal property, and items left inside are not covered by the carrier's insurance.  Next, check your vehicle's mechanical condition. Make sure the battery is charged, tires are properly inflated, and the vehicle starts and moves under its own power. If your car has any fluid leaks, get them addressed before shipping — leaking fluids can damage other vehicles on the carrier. Disable or deactivate any aftermarket alarm systems to prevent them from going off during transport. Retract or remove any antennas, fold in side mirrors, and secure or remove any loose exterior accessories like spoilers, bike racks, or custom trim pieces.  Finally, leave your gas tank at about a quarter full — enough to drive the vehicle on and off the carrier but not so much that it adds unnecessary weight. Take photos of every panel, the roof, wheels, bumpers, and interior before the carrier arrives. Email these photos to yourself so they have a verifiable timestamp. This documentation is your insurance if any damage occurs during transport.

Question 2

What should I remove from my vehicle before shipping?

Accepted Answer

Remove all personal belongings from your vehicle before shipping. This includes items in the glove box, center console, under seats, in door pockets, the trunk, and any cargo areas. Auto transport carriers are federally licensed to transport vehicles only — not household goods — and any personal items left in the vehicle are not covered by the carrier's insurance. If items are lost, stolen, or damaged during transit, you have no recourse.  Beyond personal items, remove or secure any loose exterior accessories. This includes removable bike racks, cargo carriers, ski racks, removable spoilers, and custom accessories that could come loose during transport. Retract power antennas or remove them entirely — they can snap off at highway speeds. Fold in your side mirrors if they are adjustable. Remove toll transponders like E-ZPass to avoid phantom charges while the carrier passes through toll booths. If your vehicle has a removable hardtop (like a Jeep Wrangler), it should remain installed and secured.  Some carriers allow what the industry calls "junk in the trunk" — roughly 50-100 pounds of soft items like linens, clothes, or lightweight non-perishable items packed in the trunk only. The front and back seat areas must be completely clear. However, this is at the carrier's discretion, and any items you leave in the vehicle are at your own risk. When in doubt, take it out.

Question 3

How does the pickup window work?

Accepted Answer

When you book a shipment, you will receive a pickup window — a range of dates (typically 1-5 business days from your requested date) during which the carrier will arrive to collect your vehicle. This window exists because the auto transport industry is route-based, meaning carriers pick up and deliver multiple vehicles along a single route. The driver needs flexibility to coordinate multiple stops efficiently, just like a commercial delivery service.  Once you book and the company schedules your pickup, the driver will contact you 12-24 hours before arrival to confirm the specific date and approximate time. At that point, you will know exactly when to expect them. If the driver is running ahead of schedule or behind, they will typically call to let you know. The more flexible you are with your pickup window, the faster and cheaper your shipment tends to be — carriers prioritize loads that give them scheduling flexibility because it helps them build efficient routes.  If you need a guaranteed pickup date, ask for expedited service when you request your estimate — many companies offer pickup within 24-48 hours for an additional fee. This is useful for time-sensitive moves, job relocations with hard deadlines, or dealership transactions where the buyer is waiting. Keep in mind that someone must be present at both pickup and delivery — either you or an authorized representative who can sign the Bill of Lading and hand over the keys.

Question 4

What documents do I need to ship my vehicle?

Accepted Answer

The documentation requirements for auto transport are simpler than most people expect. You do not need the vehicle title to ship a car. Many customers ship vehicles they have recently purchased, inherited, or are transporting for someone else, and may not have the title in hand. The only essential requirement is that you have the keys to the vehicle so the driver can start it and drive it onto the carrier.  The primary document involved in auto shipping is the Bill of Lading (BOL), which the carrier driver creates at pickup. The BOL is a combined contract and condition report — it documents the vehicle's existing condition (every scratch, dent, and ding), the terms of transport, the pickup and delivery locations, and the agreed-upon price. Both you and the driver sign the BOL at pickup, and you will sign it again at delivery after the final inspection. Keep your copy of the BOL — it is your legal proof of the vehicle's condition before transport.  You will also need a valid photo ID and a way to pay the delivery balance. If someone other than you is handling pickup or delivery, they should have a copy of your booking confirmation, the keys, and authorization (a simple written note or email works). For military PCS moves, you may need a copy of your orders. International shipments have additional customs documentation requirements — ask the company you book with for specifics on cross-border transport.

Question 5

Can I ship personal items inside my car?

Accepted Answer

Technically, auto transport carriers are licensed to transport vehicles only — not household goods. This means the carrier's insurance does not cover any personal belongings left in your vehicle. If items are lost, damaged, or stolen during transit, you have no coverage and no way to file a claim. For this reason, we recommend removing all personal items from your vehicle before shipping.  That said, the industry-standard practice allows what carriers call "junk in the trunk" — approximately 50-100 pounds of soft, lightweight items stored in the trunk only. Think linens, clothes, soft bags, and non-fragile personal items. The front seats, back seats, and dashboard area must be completely clear. Items piled on seats create visibility issues for the driver and can shift during transport, potentially damaging your interior. Overloading the vehicle also adds weight, which matters because carriers must pass through weigh stations and can be fined for exceeding weight limits.  If you need to move a significant amount of personal belongings along with your vehicle, your best option is to use a separate household goods shipping service or a portable storage container. Mixing vehicle transport with household moving creates liability gaps that leave you unprotected. Keep your vehicle as empty as possible and you will have a smoother, faster experience.

Question 6

Can I ship a vehicle that does not run?

Accepted Answer

Yes, the companies we work with ship non-running vehicles regularly. Vehicles that do not start, do not drive, or have mechanical issues can still be transported — but they require special handling that comes with an additional fee, typically $100-$250 on top of the standard shipping cost. This surcharge is called an "inop fee" (short for inoperable) and covers the extra time, equipment, and effort required to load and unload a vehicle that cannot move under its own power.  When a vehicle runs and drives, the carrier driver simply drives it onto the truck. With a non-running vehicle, the driver uses a winch to pull the vehicle into position on the carrier. Not all carriers have winch equipment, which narrows the pool of available drivers and can slightly extend your pickup window. When you request a quote, be upfront about your vehicle's condition — tell us if it does not start, does not shift into gear, has flat tires, or has any other issue that would prevent it from rolling. This ensures the offers you get come from carriers with the right equipment.  Also let us know the specific nature of the problem. A vehicle with a dead battery is much easier to handle than one with a locked-up transmission or four flat tires. The more information you give, the more accurate the offers and the faster the right carrier turns up. Non-running vehicle shipments are common — rebuilds, project cars, auction purchases, and insurance salvage vehicles all ship this way.

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Before You Ship

6 Articles

How do I prepare my car for shipping?

What should I remove from my vehicle before shipping?

How does the pickup window work?

What documents do I need to ship my vehicle?

Can I ship personal items inside my car?

Can I ship a vehicle that does not run?

Other Topics

Costs & Pricing

During Transport

Insurance & Protection

Delivery & After

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