How to Prepare Your Car for Shipping: Complete Checklist

The week before pickup

Wash your car. Not for cosmetics — for documentation. A clean car makes it much easier to spot and photograph existing scratches, dents, and chips. You'll want this record in case of a damage claim.

Take photos. Photograph every angle: front, back, both sides, roof, wheels, and close-ups of any existing damage. Include a timestamp (your phone does this automatically). These photos are your evidence if you need to file a claim.

Check for recalls. If your vehicle has an open recall, some carriers (especially for military/government moves) may decline to transport it. Check at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Service if needed. Make sure your car starts and drives — it needs to roll on and off the trailer under its own power. Check that the battery holds a charge. If your car doesn't run, let the broker know upfront so they can assign a carrier with a winch.

Check tire pressure. Under-inflated tires make loading harder and can shift the vehicle's position on the trailer during transit. Inflate all four tires to the manufacturer's recommended PSI (listed on the driver's door jamb sticker). You don't need new tires — just adequate pressure.

Handle toll transponders. If you have an E-ZPass, SunPass, or other toll transponder, remove it or place it in the shielded bag/pouch it came with. Your car will be on a carrier that passes through toll plazas, and you don't want to be charged for the truck's toll passages. This is a common overlooked cost.

Review your insurance. Confirm with your auto insurance provider that your vehicle is covered during transit. Most policies cover vehicles being transported, but verify — especially if you have liability-only coverage. The carrier's cargo insurance covers physical damage during shipping, but your own comprehensive coverage provides an additional layer.

The day before pickup

Remove personal belongings. The carrier's cargo insurance covers the vehicle — not your stuff. Remove:

• Electronics (laptops, GPS, chargers)
• Valuables (sunglasses, garage door openers)
• Loose items that could rattle or fly around
• Child car seats (unless bolted in)
• Aftermarket accessories that detach (dashcams, phone mounts)

Most carriers allow up to 100 lbs in the trunk — think a suitcase or box of clothes. Don't exceed this; extra weight can shift during transport and cause damage to your interior.

Remove or retract external accessories:

• Retract the antenna
• Remove bike racks, cargo boxes, or roof racks
• Fold in side mirrors (if electric)
• Remove any loose spoilers or aftermarket parts

Leave about a quarter tank of gas. Enough to drive on and off the trailer, but not so much that it adds unnecessary weight. A full tank adds 100+ lbs. An eighth of a tank is cutting it close — the car needs to start at pickup and again at delivery, so give yourself a margin.

Disable aftermarket alarms. A triggered alarm during transport is a nuisance for the driver and can drain your battery. If your alarm activates from vibration or tilt, disable it. Factory alarms are usually fine — they typically require a door opening to trigger. But tilt-sensor and motion-sensor aftermarket systems will go off on a moving trailer.

Handle electronic key fobs. If your car has a push-button start, the driver needs a key fob to start the car at delivery. Don't keep the only fob with you at your destination — hand one to the driver and keep a spare. Some vehicles with proximity keys will unlock if the fob is too close to the car on the trailer, which can drain the battery. If you have this concern, wrap the fob in aluminum foil (seriously — it blocks the signal).

Remove or secure custom modifications. Aftermarket spoilers, lip kits, side skirts, and aftermarket bumpers can come loose or get damaged during loading. If they detach easily, remove them and pack them inside the car. If they're bolted on, ensure they're secure and note them on the BOL.

At pickup

Walk around with the driver. The carrier will fill out a Bill of Lading (BOL) — an inspection report noting every existing scratch, dent, and ding. Walk around the car together and make sure everything is documented. If you see something the driver missed, speak up.

Sign the BOL. This is your legal record of the vehicle's pre-transport condition. Keep your copy. If you need to file a damage claim later, the BOL is the primary evidence.

Hand over one set of keys. The driver needs keys to load and unload your vehicle. Keep a spare set.

Confirm contact information. Make sure the carrier has your phone number and delivery address. Confirm who will be present at delivery.

Take your own photos at pickup. Even with the BOL, having timestamped photos on your phone gives you independent documentation. Photograph all four corners, the roof, every wheel, and any existing damage close-up. Do a quick video walk-around if you want — 60 seconds of video is excellent evidence if you ever need it.

Expect the process to take 20–30 minutes. Between the walk-around inspection, BOL signing, vehicle loading, and logistics confirmation, plan for at least 20 minutes. Don't schedule pickup when you need to rush out the door. If you can't be present, designate a trusted person — they'll need to sign the BOL on your behalf.

Ask the driver for their direct phone number. You should have the driver's contact in case you need to reach them during transit. A good broker will provide this at carrier assignment, but confirm at pickup. Having the driver's number lets you coordinate delivery timing directly, which is usually more efficient than going through the broker.

Quick checklist

Before the carrier arrives:

• ☐Car washed and photographed (all angles + existing damage)
• ☐Personal belongings removed (trunk under 100 lbs OK)
• ☐External accessories removed (racks, antenna, loose parts)
• ☐Quarter tank of gas
• ☐Battery charged, car starts and drives
• ☐Aftermarket alarm disabled
• ☐Spare key kept separate
• ☐Delivery address and contact confirmed with carrier
• ☐Copy of BOL kept after signing

What to document before shipping

Good documentation protects you if anything goes wrong during transport. Spend 15 minutes on this — it could save you thousands in a damage dispute.

Photograph everything. This is the single most important prep step beyond the BOL itself. Here's a systematic approach:

1. Four corners: Stand at each corner of the car and take a photo looking along both visible sides
2. Straight-on shots: Front, rear, driver's side, passenger side — full panel shots
3. Roof: From an elevated position (step stool, upstairs window) if possible, or angle your phone overhead
4. Wheels: Each wheel individually, showing both the rim and tire condition
5. Close-ups of existing damage: Every scratch, dent, ding, and chip — with enough context to identify the location on the car
6. Interior: Dashboard, seats, carpet condition — especially if the car has high-value interior features
7. Odometer: A clear photo of the mileage reading at the time of shipping

Record a video walk-around. In addition to photos, a 60-second video walking around the car provides a continuous, timestamped record that's hard to dispute. Narrate as you go: "This is the driver's side front fender — existing scratch here" etc.

Note the odometer reading. Write it down and include a photo. Your car shouldn't accumulate significant mileage during shipping — the driver only moves it on and off the trailer (less than 1 mile total). A significant mileage discrepancy at delivery would indicate unauthorized use.

Save your pre-shipping maintenance records. If the car was running perfectly before shipping and has issues at delivery, maintenance records showing recent service support your case that the problem occurred during transit.

Screenshot your insurance coverage. Have proof of your auto insurance coverage during the shipping period. If you need to file a claim, having this readily available speeds up the process.

Keep copies of all shipping documents. Your booking confirmation, shipping contract, payment receipt, carrier assignment details, and the pickup BOL. Store digital copies in your email or cloud storage — paper gets lost.

What to do at delivery

Delivery is your last chance to document the vehicle's condition under the carrier's watch. Take it seriously — once you sign the delivery BOL as "received in good condition," disputing damage becomes dramatically harder.

Inspect before you sign. The driver will present a delivery BOL for your signature. Before signing anything, walk the vehicle using the same systematic approach as pickup:

1. Compare to the pickup BOL. Every item noted at pickup should still be there — and nothing new should have appeared. Walk around with both the pickup BOL and your phone photos side by side.
2. Check the same spots you photographed. Bumpers, fenders, hood, roof, mirrors, wheels, and all glass. New rock chips on the front bumper and hood are the most common open-transport damage.
3. Look at the underside. Crouch down and check for scrapes, especially if the vehicle has low clearance. Loading ramp contact is the most common source of underside damage.
4. Start the vehicle. Turn the key, check for warning lights, listen for unusual sounds. The car has been sitting for days — a slow crank is normal, but new noises or warnings are worth noting.
5. Check the interior. If you left anything in the trunk, verify it's there. Check that no interior panels or trim have been dislodged.

If everything looks good: Sign the delivery BOL and note "vehicle received in good condition." Pay the remaining balance (if applicable). Take a final set of photos as your "received" documentation.

If you find new damage: Do NOT sign as "good condition." Instead:

1. Note every issue on the delivery BOL — be specific about location, size, and type of damage
2. Photograph the damage extensively — multiple angles, with the BOL visible in frame if possible
3. Have the driver acknowledge the damage — their signature or initials on the BOL noting the issue
4. Contact your broker within 24 hours to initiate a damage claim
5. Do not begin repairs until the carrier or their insurance adjuster has inspected the damage

Most damage claims are resolved through the carrier's insurance within 30–60 days. The strength of your claim depends almost entirely on the documentation — pickup photos, the BOL, and delivery photos. This is why the prep work matters.

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