Posted on 12/30/2025 | 3 min to read
Shipping your car can feel overwhelming at first, especially if it’s your first time trusting someone else with your vehicle. From worrying about potential damage to understanding what’s expected before pickup day, a little uncertainty is entirely standard. The good news is that with the proper preparation, car shipping can be a smooth, straightforward experience from start to finish.
Preparing your vehicle ahead of time helps avoid unnecessary delays, ensures accurate inspections, and protects your car throughout the transport process. Simple steps, like cleaning your truck, documenting its condition, and removing personal items, can make a significant difference in how efficiently your shipment is handled. When your car is ready to go, the carrier can load and transport it safely without complications.
In this blog, 7 Steps to Prepare Your Car for Shipping, we walk you through everything you need to do before your vehicle is picked up. Each step is designed to help your car travel safely and arrive in the same condition it left.
Car washing may seem superficial, but it is actually an essential part of car shipping preparation. Cleaning the car helps ensure that any pre-existing scratches, dents, or paint damage aren’t obscured by dirt, dust, or road grime, making it easier to spot.
Why washing matters:
Helps ensure an accurate pre-shipment inspection
Prevents disputes over pre-existing damage
Makes documentation more precise and more reliable
Exterior cleaning tips:
Wash the entire exterior, including wheels, fenders, and undercarriage
Remove bird droppings, bug residue, and tar, which can damage paint if left untreated
Consider applying wax for added surface protection, especially for open auto transport
Interior cleaning tips:
Vacuum seats, carpets, and floor mats
Remove trash and unnecessary items
Check the glove box, center console, and trunk for forgotten belongings
A clean car not only protects you during inspection, but it also sets the tone for a professional and efficient pickup process.
When your car is cleaned thoroughly, now is the time to inspect it. Move around your vehicle slowly and examine it for any scratches, dents, dings, broken glass, and paint flaws. Make sure to check your mirrors, bumpers, rims, and headlights.
How to document properly:
Take good, well-lit photos taken from different angles
Take close-ups of the existing damage
Photograph the interior, dashboard, and seats
Make sure to record the date and time of your photograph
This documentation enables a differentiation to be made between prior damage and any potential problems that may be reported during shipping. While damage during shipping is rare, having accurate records provides peace of mind and clarity.
Additionally, you should record the odometer reading before you collect the car. Noting that vehicles may be moved a little during the process of both unloading and loading, a slight mileage difference isn’t abnormal.
Car transporters are responsible for moving your vehicle, but not the personal items you may carry in it. Insurance usually does not cover personal belongings you choose to leave in the car. In many cases, any loose attachments or items may shift and damage the car’s interior.
Things You Should Remove:
Electronics (GPS devices, chargers, dash cams)
Toll tags & parking passes
Documents and paperwork
Sunglasses, Coins, and Personal Accessories
Aftermarket add-ons are not permanently installed
If your car has an alarm system, turn it off before picking up. Alarms going off during transport may result in delays and hassles.
When it comes to safety, insurance, and liability, it is always preferable to transport the vehicle empty.
Loose or hanging exterior parts can be hazardous when shipping, both to the shipping and to other vehicles being shipped. They can also raise the logistic height, which can affect shipping regulations, requirements, and rates.
Things You Should Secure or Remove:
Roof Racks, Bike Racks, and Cargo Carriers
Off-road lighting and accessories
Spoilers or car body parts, removable
Removable or fixed antennas
Convertible tops must be fully secured
Further Tips:
Fold in the side mirrors
Secure sunroofs and windows
Ensure Trunk and Hood Close Properly. If an accessory cannot be removed, it must be secured firmly. It avoids any damage that may occur during transport.
Your car must be able to roll, brake, and steer unless it has been reserved as inoperable. Ensuring your car can roll, brake, and steer will prevent delays in retrieving and delivering it.
Key Verifications You Should Perform:
Oil and Coolant Levels
Brake Fluid and Power Steering Fluid
Tire pressure and tire condition
Battery Charging and Connections
Check the ground under the car for any fluid leaks. This could create transport hazards and cause shipment delays.
If you have car troubles such as starting problems, brake issues, or steering difficulties, be sure to notify your transport company in advance. Non-functional vehicles usually require specific equipment; this must be set up in advance.
The whole tank is also an unnecessary weight that affects safety during transport. The best level for carrying fuel is a quarter tank full.
Why this matters:
Decreases vehicle weight
Minimizes fire and spill risks
Meets carrier safety requirements
The driver only needs enough fuel to load and unload your vehicle.
For Electric Vehicles (EVs):
Maintain charging level at 45%-65% capacity
Include charging cables if necessary
Avoid complete or near-empty battery levels for safety
Manufacturers generally recommend shipping lithium batteries at or below 50% charge.
You must provide the driver with a set of keys so they can load, unload, and reposition your truck as needed. Although this is mandatory, it is highly recommended that you include a spare set.
Why a spare key is helpful:
Protects against delays in case keys are misplaced
Provides peace of mind during transit
Removes risk of expensive locksmith emergencies
If your car has a keyless entry system, make sure your fob battery works.
The Bill of Lading (BOL) is one of the most critical documents in the car shipping process. It serves as:
A receipt for your vehicle
A condition report at pickup and delivery
A contract outlining transport terms
At pickup, review the BOL carefully and ensure all existing damage is accurately noted. At delivery, inspect your car again and compare it to the original report before signing.
If you notice any new damage, note it on the BOL immediately.
Preparing for Pickup and Delivery Day
On pickup day:
Be available or designate a trusted representative
Review inspection details carefully
Confirm delivery contact information
On delivery day:
Inspect the vehicle thoroughly
Compare with pre-shipment photos
Note any issues before signing the final paperwork
Preparing your car for transportation is more about hard work, foresight, and meticulous detail than it is about skill. A well-prepared vehicle not only makes transporting your car easy but also helps to prevent potential problems, misconceptions, and delays. When you tackle every step with care, you, your vehicle, and the transport company are in the best possible situation to ensure that your car goes through the entire process safely.
To sum up, you need to clean and check your car, remove all your belongings, tighten or remove any loose components, perform basic checks, monitor fuel levels, document your car's status, and carry a spare key.
When properly prepared and with a wise approach, shipping your car with Allstate from State is a hassle-free, efficient, and stress-free process that provides confidence and peace of mind throughout the entire vehicle transportation.
Q1. What should I do to prepare my car for transport?
Ans. The first step is to wash it so we can see the car's condition before it leaves. Next is the removal of personal items. Also, turn off the vehicle's alarm systems in case they activate during shipping. The fuel in the tank should be about a quarter full.
Q2. What is the cost of shipping a car?
Ans. The cost car of transporting an auto can vary depending on the overall distance, pickup and delivery points, seasonal influences, means of transport (open or closed transport), and the size and condition of your auto. The overall distance tends to have an inverse effect on the cost, while seasonality also affects the price. To get an accurate estimate, it’s always best to ask for a quote.
Q3: Is car shipping safe?
Ans. Yes, car transport is very safe and popular. Open transport does not protect from weather or external elements, but it is rare to see any damage to the vehicle. Additionally, you can opt for enclosed auto transport if you have an expensive or a classic car.
Q4. May I leave personal belongings inside my car while it is transported?
Ans. It is always better to transport an empty car. Personal belongings are not included in the insurance coverage, and there is a risk of damage or loss during shipping.
Q5. What is the time taken to deliver an automobile?
Ans. The delivery period depends largely on distance. Smaller transported distances can be completed in 1-3 days for inter-state shipment, 3-5 days for medium-range shipment, and 7-14 days for cross-country car shipment.