How to Ship a Car: The Complete 2026 Guide

Shipping a car takes eight steps, from asking for a free estimate to paying the company you booked. We've been doing this at American Auto Shipping since 1999 and we've helped customers ship over 235,000 vehicles. The fundamentals haven't changed much, but the transparency has improved a lot. No jargon, no sales pitch -- the sections below take each step in turn.

To get a car shipping quote, give your vehicle's year, make and model, your pickup and delivery ZIP codes, open or enclosed transport, and your approximate dates. The estimate weighs distance, vehicle size, route demand, season and current carrier availability.

This is where a lot of people make their first mistake: they request quotes from ten companies and pick the cheapest. In auto transport the cheapest quote is frequently not the best deal. Some companies quote low to win the booking, then call back a week later saying the carrier needs more money to pick up the car. The estimate ranges on our pages come from a published formula; the binding price comes in writing from the licensed company you choose.

A carrier is the company that owns the truck and hauls your vehicle. A broker coordinates the shipment by connecting you with a carrier from a network of vetted transport companies. With American Auto Shipping, licensed companies compete for your shipment with their best offers and you choose.

Most auto shipments in the U.S. go through brokers, and there's a good reason for that. A broker has access to thousands of carriers across every route, so it can find competitive pricing and faster pickup times. A single carrier only runs specific routes and may not have space when you need it. Whoever you book with, check for an active FMCSA license (MC number), a physical business address and real customer reviews.

Open transport means your car rides on a multi-level car hauler, exposed to weather and road dust. It's the standard, lowest-cost choice and what most everyday vehicles ship on. Enclosed transport means a fully enclosed trailer that protects the car from weather, road debris and prying eyes. It costs about 50% more than open (our estimate formula prices it at 1.5 times open) and is recommended for vehicles valued over $75,000, classic cars, exotics and show cars.

Open haulers are what you see on every highway, and the exposure is the same your car gets on any dealership lot. Flatbed transport is also available for oversized vehicles, lifted trucks and heavy equipment.

Standard pickup windows are 1 to 5 business days from your requested date. Expedited pickup within 24 to 48 hours is available at a premium (our estimate formula adds 20%). The licensed companies making offers are already routed through your area, which means faster pickups and more competitive pricing because the truck doesn't have to deadhead -- drive empty -- to reach you.

The more flexible you are on dates, the better the pricing usually is. The driver calls 12 to 24 hours before arrival to confirm timing and logistics.

At pickup, the driver walks around your car and records every existing scratch, dent and ding on a vehicle diagram on the Bill of Lading (BOL), and you both sign it. The BOL is your baseline documentation, so don't rush it and don't let anyone pressure you to skip it.

Before the driver arrives, photograph every panel, the roof, wheels, bumpers and the interior, with time stamps, and email the photos to yourself so you have a verifiable record.

Transit time follows distance: 2–4 days for 500 miles, 3–5 days for 1,000 miles, 4–7 days for 1,500 miles and 6–10 days for a 2,500-mile cross-country trip, on top of the pickup window.

Your car is secured with ratchet straps on the frame or tie-down points, wheel nets cradle each tire and chocks stop it rolling. Federal Hours of Service rules limit a driver to 11 hours of driving after 10 consecutive hours off duty, so carriers cover roughly 350 to 500 miles a day, and your car may share the trailer with 6 to 8 others heading the same general direction. The company you booked handles updates during transit.

The cost to ship a car depends on four main factors: distance, vehicle size, transport type and timing. The table shows this month's estimate ranges for a standard sedan by road distance, open and enclosed, built from our published formula and the latest EIA diesel price.

Oversized vehicles cost more than a standard sedan because they take more room on the trailer: in our formula an SUV or crossover adds 12%, a van 20%, and a pickup or large SUV 25%. These are estimate ranges, not quotes -- the price you pay comes in writing from the company you book, and it will be specific to your route, vehicle and timing.

December and January are typically the cheapest months to ship a car, and summer (June through August) is peak season. Snowbird season creates predictable demand spikes on specific corridors: October and November heading south, April and May heading north.

Auto transport pricing follows supply and demand, the same economics that drive every market. If you have flexibility on your dates, you can save significantly by shipping in a lower-demand period. Our estimate formula factors the season and the weekly diesel price into every range, and the licensed companies making offers price the current market on top of that.

Most carriers in the auto transport industry work on a cash-on-delivery basis, so you pay the company that hauls the car directly at delivery. Some brokers collect a deposit at booking, with the balance going to the carrier at delivery. The licensed company you choose gives you its binding price in writing, so confirm every fee is in it before you book.

Payment methods typically include cashier's check, money order or cash at delivery. Some carriers now accept credit cards, though a convenience fee may apply.

At delivery, walk around the whole car, open the doors, inspect the interior and compare its condition with the Bill of Lading from pickup. If everything matches, sign the delivery portion of the BOL and you're done. The company contacts you 12 to 24 hours before arrival to coordinate.

If you notice any new damage, note it on the BOL before signing, photograph it immediately and file the claim directly with the company you booked -- ask about its cargo insurance before you book, since federal rules set no cargo minimum for car haulers. Don't sign a clean BOL if there's damage -- that signature matters.

American Auto Shipping puts your shipment in front of licensed auto transport companies vetted for operating authority, safety records and insurance coverage. They compete with their best offers, and you choose and book directly with the company. The company you book handles pickup, delivery and updates.

We've refined this process over 27 years and helped customers ship over 235,000 vehicles, and we're not going anywhere. Get your free estimate -- it takes 60 seconds and there's no obligation.