Jennifer Cook is a writer for USA TODAY Homefront and has spent hours perusing sample warranty contracts from vehicle manufacturers and warranty providers. She began her career in automotive content researching insurance and vehicle shipping companies. Jennifer is based in the sleepy town of Cedar Mountain, North Carolina and spends much of her time exploring the Blue Ridge Mountains. She hopes to become an accomplished scuba diver in the coming years but knows that fear of sharks is a healthy thing.
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Auto transport services are a dependable way to get your vehicle across state lines. By working with a reputable company and choosing the right shipping and delivery services, you can coordinate movers, moving trucks and vehicle delivery for a seamless long-distance move.
However, you’ll need to get quotes from the best companies in the auto transport industry and prep your car for the journey. Below, we break down the steps you’ll need to take.
If you’re planning a big move and wondering how to ship your car, you have the choice of moving it yourself or having a company move it for you. In either case, you have a few options to help you get the most out of the process.
Moving your vehicle yourself might be the most budget-friendly option. By driving it yourself, you may save hundreds of dollars in shipping fees and can use your car to move some of your belongings. If you want to move your car yourself, you can do the following:
Depending on which state you’re moving to, you can move your car by road, freight train, boat or airplane. Most people ship their vehicles by road by connecting with shipping carriers through reputable shipping brokers or companies.
The most common type of over-road car shipping is open transport, but enclosed shipping is also available through most brokers and offers increased protection for your vehicle.
You may have seen long trailers stacked with multiple vehicles when traveling by interstate or highway. When you choose open shipping, your car will be moved using this transport vehicle. The high capacity of these specialized trailers makes them the most affordable shipping option for carriers and car owners.
Enclosed transport uses walled trailers to move vehicles. This auto shipping type transports fewer vehicles at a time than open shipping and costs more per mile, but your vehicle won’t be exposed to the weather or road debris. It’s a better option for luxury or antique vehicles.
Shipping your vehicle is a straightforward process that starts with assessing your shipping needs.
If you’re considering shipping your vehicle, first determine how you’d like it moved.
Regardless of your choice, we also recommend setting a hard limit for how much you want to spend on shipping services at this stage. Anticipating shipping costs before getting quotes can be tricky. However, as a rule of thumb, you can expect to pay an average of 89 cents per mile for car shipping, according to quotes we received from leading shipping companies.
Next, you’ll need to reach out to shipping companies for quotes. Most shipping companies you’ll work with are shipping brokers. These companies network with shipping carriers to give customers access to national and international vehicle shipping.
Carriers are the drivers with trucks that move your vehicle, while brokers are the companies that find carriers for your shipments.
Be prepared to provide information about your vehicle and shipping needs, including the following:
When requesting quotes, contact several shipping brokers around the same time and ask for quotes for different shipping services. Some carriers may offer lower prices for your job than others, and you may find that door-to-door and enclosed shipping are within your budget from select carriers.
Once you receive quotes, compare offers and choose the company you’d like to work with. Your carrier of choice will work with you to establish a pickup date, and you can use this opportunity to clarify any details about vehicle tracking and delivery at this time. You’ll also discuss acceptable payment methods and make any applicable down payments.
In most situations, the only documents you’ll need to ship your car are a photo ID and the bill of lading. The bill of lading works like a contract between you and the shipping carrier. It documents the condition of your vehicle and the shipment details and serves as a legal document in case of any issues during transit. Some carriers may also require a valid title, but this is rare.
If you’re shipping your vehicle to Hawaii or Alaska, you’ll most likely use port-to-port shipping. In this case, you may need an absent owner authorization form, which permits the carrier to pick up your vehicle in your absence.
Next, you’ll need to prep your vehicle for transport. Regardless of where you’re shipping your vehicle, make sure you remove all personal belongings or identifying documents from the vehicle. Shipping carriers don’t insure personal items stored in your vehicle and are not responsible if these items are lost or stolen during transit.
You can also clean and photograph your vehicle’s interior and exterior for added peace of mind. Cleaning your vehicle makes existing damages easier to spot for both you and the carrier, and photographing your car in its best state provides proof of its condition before shipping, should you need it.
Finally, before shipping your vehicle — especially when using port-to-port shipping — leave no more than a quarter tank of gas in your vehicle. This helps reduce the weight of your vehicle during transport.
When you meet your shipping carrier on your pickup date, you’ll do so either at your specified pickup location or the carrier’s shipping terminal. The carrier will inspect your vehicle during pickup and document its condition on the bill of lading, which you both sign before the carrier takes it.
Vehicle tracking varies by carrier. Some carriers offer online tracking, while others provide the service via phone or email. Verify this information with your carrier again when you hand your vehicle over for shipping.
When it’s time, you’ll meet your shipping carrier at the delivery location or a terminal for your vehicle. You’ll need to perform a final inspection and note any dents, damages or other changes in your car’s condition with the shipping carrier. If everything checks out, you can pay any remaining balance you’ve been billed, and the carrier will hand over your keys.
You’ll also sign the bill of lading again to confirm you received your vehicle and it’s in good condition.
Car shipping rates vary based on several factors. To help you understand what it might cost, we got car shipping quotes from some of the industry’s best-known companies for a 2019 Toyota Camry. Below, you can find the average of these quotes for different distances.
To give you an idea of how much the type of shipping you choose impacts your overall costs, compare the price of open shipping over 1,530 miles above against the cost of enclosed shipping over the same distance. Based on our quotes, using enclosed shipping to move a Toyota Camry 1,530 miles costs 40 cents more per mile or $612 more overall.
Beyond the type of shipping you choose, other factors that impact your car shipping costs include the following:
How long it will take to ship your car depends on which carrier you choose, how far you need to ship it, and which shipping and delivery methods you want. Generally, open carrier shipping with terminal-to-terminal delivery over short distances of 600 miles or less will be the fastest.
However, you can expect many shipping jobs to take between one and 14 days. If you’re shipping your vehicle to Hawaii or Alaska, transit times can extend up to six weeks.
You have many transport options for your vehicle during a move. If you’re weighing your options, you may be considering renting a tow dolly from your moving company or driving your vehicle yourself. However, the shipping process is simple and, depending on your transport method and other factors, you may find it more cost-effective to use dependable vehicle transport.
Depending on how far you need to transport your vehicle, deciding between shipping your car and driving it may be difficult. In general, if it’s a short distance and you have the means, driving it is the less expensive option. However, if it’s a farther distance, paying to ship your car may be worth it — it’s one less thing to move and you won’t add mileage or wear to your vehicle.
If you plan to move cross-country or to another state, car shipping services are a convenient and often cost-effective option. By choosing the right auto transport company, you’ll get peace of mind knowing your vehicle is safe and secure and will be ready for you at your chosen destination.
If you’re looking for the best auto shippers, see our picks for the top car shipping companies below. You can reach out to any of these companies for a no-obligation quote:
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