How to Ship a Car: Step by Step
The whole process in 7 steps — what to do, what it costs, and the two moments where shippers actually get burned. From the team behind 55,697 shipments.
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Total Steps
7
Your Active Time
~1 Hour Total
Typical Cost (Sedan)
$450–$1,500
Typical Door-to-Door
3–13 Days
Upfront Payment
$0 (with Navi)
Shipping a car is a 7-step process — two steps actually matter
Most of this is easy. We'll flag the two moments where people get burned.
Shipping a car sounds complicated the first time, but the process itself is short: get a quote, pick a transport type, book, prep the car, hand it off, track it, inspect at delivery. Your total hands-on time is about an hour. The two steps where real money is won or lost are Step 1 (whether your quote is real or bait) and Step 5 (the pickup inspection that determines whether a damage claim is winnable). Slow down on those two; skim the rest.
How to ship a car in 7 steps
From first quote to final inspection
Get a real quote — and learn to spot a fake one
Enter your pickup ZIP, delivery ZIP, and vehicle into a quote tool or call a broker. What you're really testing is pricing honesty: legitimate quotes come from live carrier rates on your lane and hold at booking. Full pricing breakdown by distance and vehicle: how much it costs to ship a car. Comparing providers? Use our vetting checklist: how to choose a car shipping company.
Choose open or enclosed transport
Open transport (the two-level carrier you see on highways) is the right call for roughly 90% of vehicles and is the cheapest option. Enclosed adds 40–60% and makes sense above ~$70,000 of vehicle value, or for classics, exotics, and custom builds. Full comparison: open vs. enclosed car shipping.
Book with flexible dates if you can
A 3–5 day pickup window prices meaningfully lower than a guaranteed single day, because carriers can slot you into an efficient route. Book 5–7 days ahead of your ideal pickup; under 48 hours triggers rush premiums. Timing strategy in full: the cheapest time to ship a car. A legitimate broker requires no payment until a carrier is assigned.
Prep the car (30 minutes, tops)
Wash it (damage inspection needs a clean surface), photograph it from all angles with timestamps, leave a quarter tank of fuel, remove toll tags, and pull your personal items — carriers aren't licensed or insured for household goods, though small allowances exist: shipping a car with personal items. Have your paperwork ready — it's less than people think: documents needed to ship a car.
Pickup: the Bill of Lading is everything
The driver inspects the car with you and records its condition on the Bill of Lading (BOL). This document is the legal record of the car's condition at handoff — walk the car slowly, make sure every existing scratch is noted, and keep your copy with your own photos.
Track the shipment in transit
Transit is the boring part when it's done right. Typical windows: 1–3 days for pickup, then transit that scales with distance — a few hundred miles runs 1–2 days, coast-to-coast runs 7–10. Full breakdown by distance: how long it takes to ship a car. With Navi you follow every mile on live tracking; with any company, you should at minimum get the driver's direct phone number at dispatch.
Delivery: inspect before you sign
Same drill as pickup, in reverse: walk the car against your photos and the pickup BOL before signing the delivery BOL. Found something? Note it on the BOL in writing, photograph it, and start the claim while the driver is present. If anything went wrong: what to do if a vehicle is damaged during shipping. Nothing wrong — which is the overwhelmingly common case — sign, take your keys, done.
Your situation, specifically
The generic process above, adjusted for where your car is actually going
Moving to a different state
The process is identical; the paperwork question comes up most. Our complete guide: how to ship a car to another state — or go straight to the state to state car shipping service.
Coast to coast
Cross-country runs are where per-mile rates drop the most and where carrier quality matters most. See shipping a car across the country.
Hawaii
Trucking to a port + ocean freight. Different cost structure, longer timeline: Hawaii auto transport.
Overseas
Container or RoRo ocean shipping with customs paperwork: international car shipping.
Shipping by train?
Frequently searched, rarely available: in the U.S., only Amtrak's Auto Train carries private cars, on one route (DC area ↔ Central Florida). Everywhere else, "shipping by train" isn't offered to consumers — truck transport is the practical option, and on most lanes it's price-competitive with what rail would cost anyway.
Car won't start
Doable with winch-equipped carriers, typically +$150–$350: inoperable vehicle shipping.
First-time shipper questions
Quick answers, with the deep dives linked
What's the cheapest way to ship a car?
Open transport, flexible 3–5 day pickup window, booked 5–7 days ahead, metro-to-metro. Those four choices together typically save 15–30% versus enclosed/rushed/rural shipping. Seasonal timing adds more: cheapest time to ship a car.
Do I need to be there at pickup and delivery?
You or someone you authorize (18+) must be present at both ends to do the inspection and sign the BOL. A family member, friend, or building manager works — give the carrier their name and number in advance.
Can I leave stuff in the car?
Up to ~100 lbs in the trunk is commonly tolerated, but it's not insured and some carriers refuse it. Details: shipping a car with personal items.
Is my car insured during transport?
Yes — federal law requires carriers to hold cargo insurance, and a legitimate broker verifies the certificate before dispatch. Your protection in practice comes from the BOL inspections at both ends (Steps 5 and 7). Coverage details: car shipping insurance.
How far in advance should I book?
5–7 days on most lanes. Summer and snowbird-season corridors reward 1–2 weeks. Under 48 hours is possible but carries a 10–20% rush premium.
Can someone drive my car instead?
Driveaway services exist, but you're adding thousands of miles, fuel, lodging, and a stranger's driving record to your odometer and insurance. For most vehicles the depreciation and risk cost more than transport.
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