How to Ship a Car: The Complete Guide (2026)

• March 3, 2026

Last updated on March 7, 2026

You need to get a car from Point A to Point B, and driving it yourself isn’t an option. Maybe it’s 2,000 miles away. Maybe you just bought it online. Maybe the military is moving you to a new duty station and you’ve got more vehicles than you can drive.

Here’s the good news: shipping a car is straightforward. People do it every day — about 1.2 million vehicles move on auto transport carriers across the U.S. each year. This guide covers exactly how it works, what it costs, and how to avoid the mistakes that trip people up.

When Do People Ship Cars?

Most people never think about car shipping until they need it. Then suddenly it’s urgent. Here are the most common reasons:

• Job relocation — Your company is moving you from Dallas to Seattle. You’re flying out next week. The car needs to get there too.
• Online vehicle purchase — You found the exact spec you wanted on Cars & Bids or Bring a Trailer, but it’s sitting in a garage in Miami and you live in Portland.
• Military PCS moves — Service members get one vehicle shipped under their government contract. If your household has two or three vehicles, the extras need a carrier. This is what we do most — about 65% of our volume is military families.
• Seasonal moves — Snowbirds heading to Arizona or Florida for the winter. The car goes down in October, comes back in April.
• Dealer and auction deliveries — Dealers buying inventory from out-of-state auctions, or selling to customers across the country.

The process is the same regardless of why you’re shipping. What changes is the timeline and how flexible you can be on dates.

How Car Shipping Works — 5 Steps

The entire process breaks down into five steps. No mystery to it.

Step 1: Get a Quote

You provide the pickup location, delivery location, vehicle year/make/model, and your preferred dates. A broker or carrier gives you a price. With Transcar, this takes about 30 seconds using our rate calculator — no phone call required, no waiting for a callback.

Step 2: Book Your Order

Once you accept a quote, you lock in your order with a deposit (typically $100-200, applied toward the total). You’ll provide vehicle details and confirm pickup/delivery contacts.

Step 3: Carrier Assignment

Your broker dispatches the load to a qualified carrier. This is where the 3-5 day pickup window comes in (more on that below). The carrier is matched based on route, availability, equipment type, and your timeline.

Step 4: Pickup

The carrier driver arrives, inspects your vehicle with you, documents its condition on the Bill of Lading (BOL), and loads it onto the trailer. The whole process takes about 15-20 minutes.

Step 5: Delivery

Your car arrives at the destination. You inspect it again with the driver, compare it against the BOL from pickup, and sign off. If everything matches — and it almost always does — you’re done.

Realistic timelines: A 500-mile move typically takes 2-4 days from pickup. Cross-country (2,000+ miles) runs 7-10 days. Add the pickup window on the front end, and you’re looking at roughly 5-14 days total from booking to delivery, depending on distance.

Open vs. Enclosed Transport

Two options here, and the choice is simpler than most people make it.

Open Transport

Your car rides on an open multi-car carrier — the same type you see on the highway hauling new cars from the factory. It’s exposed to weather and road debris, but these carriers move millions of vehicles a year with a damage rate under 1%. About 90% of all vehicles ship open. It’s the standard, and it’s fine for the vast majority of cars.

Learn more about open transport →

Enclosed Transport

Your car rides inside a fully enclosed trailer, protected from weather, road debris, and prying eyes. Enclosed carriers typically haul 2-6 vehicles instead of 8-10, which means fewer stops and sometimes faster delivery.

Enclosed runs $200-500 more than open, depending on route and vehicle size. Choose enclosed if you’re shipping:

• A car worth over $75,000
• A classic, exotic, or collector vehicle
• A brand-new luxury car you want delivered in showroom condition
• Anything you’d be upset about getting a rock chip on

For a 2019 Honda Accord? Open transport. Save your money.

Learn more about enclosed transport →

How Much Does Car Shipping Cost?

No one can give you an exact price without knowing the specifics, but here are the factors that move the needle:

• Distance — The single biggest factor. More miles = higher cost, but the per-mile rate drops on longer hauls.
• Vehicle size and weight — A Ford F-350 takes up more space (and weight) on a carrier than a Honda Civic. Expect to pay 15-30% more for trucks, SUVs, and vans.
• Transport type — Enclosed costs $200-500 more than open.
• Season — Summer (June-August) is peak season. Prices climb 15-25% because demand spikes — military PCS season, college moves, snowbirds. Winter is the cheapest time to ship.
• Route popularity — Florida to New York is a high-volume lane with carriers running daily. Rural Montana to rural Maine? Fewer carriers, higher price, longer wait.

Average Cost Ranges (2026)

Distance	Typical Range
Under 500 miles	$400 – $700
500 – 1,000 miles	$600 – $1,000
1,000 – 2,000 miles	$800 – $1,200
Cross-country (2,000+ mi)	$1,000 – $1,500
Hawaii, Alaska, Guam	$1,500 – $3,000+

Territory moves (Hawaii, Alaska, Guam) cost more because they involve ocean freight in addition to ground transport on both ends. We handle those too — see our Hawaii, Alaska & Guam page.

Want an exact number? Get a quote — it takes 30 seconds, no obligation.

How to Choose a Car Shipping Company

This industry has good operators and bad ones. Here’s how to tell the difference.

Check Their FMCSA License

Every legitimate broker and carrier must be registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Ask for their MC number and DOT number, then verify them at safer.fmcsa.dot.gov. If a company won’t give you these numbers or they don’t check out, walk away. Ours: MC 402602, DOT 2227505.

Read Reviews — But Read Them Right

Look at Google reviews, Transport Reviews, and the BBB. Pay attention to how the company responds to negative reviews, not just the star count. Every transport company gets complaints — vehicles get delayed, communication breaks down. What matters is how they handle it.

Get Multiple Quotes

Get 2-3 quotes. If one is dramatically lower than the others, that’s a red flag, not a deal. Lowball quotes often mean the broker will struggle to find a carrier at that price, and your car sits in a queue while they renegotiate.

Red Flags to Watch For

• No MC or DOT number listed anywhere — unlicensed
• Demands full payment upfront before a carrier is even assigned
• No physical address — just a phone number and a website
• Price too good to be true — it is
• Pressure to book immediately — “This rate expires today!” (It doesn’t.)

Ask About Insurance

Every carrier is required to carry cargo insurance. Ask your broker to confirm the carrier’s insurance coverage and get proof if you want it. Standard coverage is typically $100,000-$250,000 per vehicle, which covers the vast majority of cars on the road.

How to Prepare Your Car for Shipping

A little prep goes a long way. Here’s the checklist:

• Clean the exterior — Not for vanity. A clean car makes it easier to spot pre-existing damage during the inspection. If your car is caked in mud, nobody can tell what’s a scratch and what’s dirt.
• Document everything — Walk around the car and take photos of every panel, the roof, wheels, and bumpers. Timestamp them. This is your “before” record. Do it even if the car is brand new.
• Remove personal items — Carriers aren’t insured for personal belongings inside the vehicle. Take out GPS units, dashcams, phone mounts, loose items, and anything in the trunk. Carriers can refuse vehicles that are packed full.
• Check fluids and battery — Make sure the car starts, runs, and rolls. The driver needs to load and unload it.
• Disable the alarm — Nothing annoys a carrier driver faster than a car alarm going off at 2 AM in a rest stop. If your alarm is aftermarket, leave instructions.
• Leave about 1/4 tank of gas — Enough to drive on and off the carrier. Don’t fill it up — gas adds weight.
• Note pre-existing damage — Dents, scratches, chipped paint. Write them down. The driver will note them on the BOL too, but having your own record protects you.

What to Do at Pickup and Delivery

At Pickup

The driver will do a walk-around inspection with you and mark every scratch, dent, and ding on the Bill of Lading. Do this inspection with them. Don’t let them rush it. If you see something they missed, point it out and make sure it gets noted.

Take your own photos — every angle, close-ups of any existing damage. Then sign the BOL. Keep your copy.

At Delivery

Same drill in reverse. Walk around the car with the driver. Compare it to the BOL from pickup. If there’s new damage that wasn’t on the original inspection, note it on the delivery BOL before you sign. Take photos immediately. This is your documentation if you need to file a claim.

If everything looks good — and in most cases it will — sign off and you’re done.

The Pickup Window: Why It’s Not Same-Day

This is the number one thing that surprises first-time shippers: you don’t get an exact pickup date. You get a window — typically 3-5 business days.

Here’s why. Auto transport isn’t Uber. Your car doesn’t get its own dedicated truck. It shares a carrier with 8-10 other vehicles all heading in the same direction. The carrier is planning a route that picks up and delivers multiple cars along the way, and logistics don’t always cooperate. A delivery runs late in one city, weather slows things down, a shipper isn’t ready when the driver arrives — it cascades.

The window actually works in your favor. A wider window means your broker can match you with the best carrier for the route — not just whoever happens to be closest. Better carrier matching means a more experienced driver, a more direct route, and fewer stops along the way.

At Transcar, we offer a 7-day pickup guarantee. If your vehicle isn’t picked up within 5 business days of the first available date, we cover additional costs out of pocket. Most pickups happen within 2-3 days. But we back it up because we know the wait is stressful, and you deserve a commitment, not just a “we’ll try.”

Frequently Asked Questions

Is my car insured during shipping?

Yes. Every licensed carrier is required to carry cargo insurance, typically $100,000-$250,000 per vehicle. This covers damage that occurs during transport. Your broker should be able to provide proof of carrier insurance on request.

Can I put personal items in my car?

Technically, most carriers will allow a small bag or box in the trunk (under 100 lbs). But here’s the catch: carrier insurance does not cover personal items. If something goes missing or gets damaged, you have no claim. We recommend removing everything of value.

How long does car shipping take?

It depends on distance. A 500-mile move takes 2-4 days from pickup. Cross-country runs 7-10 days. Add the pickup window (1-5 days) to the front end for total door-to-door time.

Do I need to be present at pickup and delivery?

Someone needs to be there — it doesn’t have to be you. You can designate any adult to meet the driver, do the inspection, and sign the BOL. Just let your broker know ahead of time.

What if my car gets damaged during shipping?

It’s rare — damage rates are under 1% — but it happens. If you notice new damage at delivery, document it on the BOL and take photos immediately. Then file a claim with the carrier through your broker. Having your pre-shipping photos makes the process much faster.

Can I ship a non-running vehicle?

Yes, but it costs more — typically $100-200 extra. The carrier needs a winch or special equipment to load and unload the vehicle. Let your broker know upfront so they can assign the right carrier.

How do I track my shipment?

Your broker should provide tracking updates throughout the process. At Transcar, we keep you updated via text and email with driver location, estimated pickup, and delivery times. You can also call us directly at (682) 252-4654.

Is car shipping safe?

Very. Over a million vehicles ship across the U.S. every year with a damage rate under 1%. Licensed carriers carry insurance, vehicles are secured on the trailer with professional equipment, and both pickup and delivery include documented inspections. The industry has been doing this for decades — it’s not new, it’s not risky, it’s routine.

Get Your Free Quote in 30 Seconds

You’ve read the guide. You know how it works, what it costs, and what to look for. Now get an actual number for your move.

→ Get Your Free Quote

Our rate calculator gives you a real price — not a teaser that changes later. Enter your pickup and delivery locations, your vehicle info, and you’ll have a quote before you finish your coffee.

Questions? Call us at (682) 252-4654. Our coordinator Lori has been doing this longer than most companies have existed. She’ll shoot you straight.

DOT 2227505