What happens during the vehicle inspection at pickup?

The vehicle inspection at pickup is one of the most important steps in the entire shipping process. When the carrier driver arrives, they will walk around your vehicle with you and conduct a thorough visual inspection, noting every existing scratch, dent, ding, chip, scuff, and imperfection on a vehicle diagram that is part of the Bill of Lading. The driver uses standard condition codes — S for scratch, D for dent, C for chip, and so on — and marks their location on the diagram.

This inspection serves as the legal baseline for your vehicle's condition. At delivery, the same inspection process is repeated, and any new damage is compared against the pickup documentation. If something was not noted at pickup, it becomes very difficult to prove it happened during transport. For this reason, do not rush the inspection. Walk around the vehicle slowly, check every panel including the roof, inspect the bumpers, wheels, mirrors, and trim. Open the doors and check the edges. Look at the undercarriage if you can.

Before the driver arrives, take your own comprehensive photos of the vehicle — every panel, all four corners, the roof, wheels, interior, and any existing damage in detail. Email these photos to yourself so they have a verifiable timestamp. Your personal photo documentation is a powerful backup to the driver's written inspection. Once you and the driver agree on the condition report, both of you sign the Bill of Lading. Make sure you get your copy. This document is your protection if anything happens during transport.