Vehicle Preparation Checklist for Auto Transport

Preparing your vehicle properly before the carrier arrives is the difference between a smooth transport experience and one filled with disputes, delays, and frustration. Most preparation problems are entirely preventable. Every item on this checklist exists because someone, somewhere, skipped it and regretted the decision.

This guide walks through every step in the order you should complete them, starting one week before pickup and ending when the carrier pulls away with your car.

One Week Before Pickup: Planning Phase

Start your preparation a full week before your scheduled pickup date. This gives you time to address any issues without rushing.

Schedule Necessary Repairs

If your vehicle has known mechanical issues that could affect loading or transport, address them now. The carrier needs your car to start, steer, and brake. A dead battery, locked-up brakes, or a steering column that seizes will either prevent loading or require expensive special equipment.

Issues to fix before shipping:

• Dead or weak battery that struggles to start the engine
• Brake problems that prevent the car from rolling or stopping
• Power steering leaks that make turning difficult
• Transmission issues that prevent shifting into neutral
• Flat tires that prevent rolling

Issues you do NOT need to fix:

• Check engine lights for non-critical problems
• Cosmetic damage
• AC or heating systems
• Entertainment system problems
• Minor oil consumption

If your vehicle genuinely cannot run, inform the carrier during booking. Non-running vehicles can be shipped with winch loading equipment, but this costs an additional $100–$200 and must be arranged in advance. Surprising the driver with a non-starting car on pickup day causes delays for everyone.

Gather Your Documentation

Collect and organize the paperwork you will need:

• Vehicle registration — Some states require proof of registration for transport
• Proof of insurance — Your current auto insurance card
• Photo ID — The carrier may need to verify your identity
• Carrier contact information — Phone numbers for the driver, dispatch, and the company's customer service
• Booking confirmation — Your reservation details including order number, quoted price, and payment terms
• Special instructions — Written notes about any vehicle quirks the driver should know

Keep copies of everything. Give originals or copies to the driver as needed, and keep your own set.

Notify Your Insurance Company

Contact your auto insurance provider and inform them that your vehicle will be transported by a commercial carrier. Ask three specific questions:

1. Does your policy provide any coverage while the vehicle is on a commercial carrier's trailer?
2. Are there any notification requirements or policy adjustments needed?
3. How would a claim be processed if damage occurs during transport?

Most personal auto policies do not cover vehicles during commercial transport—that responsibility falls to the carrier's cargo insurance. But knowing your own coverage status eliminates surprises.

Three Days Before Pickup: Physical Preparation

With the logistics handled, focus on getting the vehicle itself ready.

Exterior Wash and Inspection

Wash the entire exterior thoroughly. This is not optional and it is not about vanity. A clean vehicle makes existing damage visible. Dirt, road grime, and dust hide scratches, chips, and dents that need to be documented before transport.

Pay particular attention to:

• Lower door panels and rocker panels where road spray builds up
• Bumper corners where minor scuffs hide under grime
• Wheel wells and wheel faces
• The roof and hood where bird droppings and tree sap accumulate
• Around door handles and mirror bases

After washing, dry the vehicle completely and inspect it under good lighting. Walk slowly around the entire car looking for every imperfection—scratches, dents, chips, scuffs, cracked or missing trim pieces, rust spots, foggy headlights, cracked taillights.

This inspection serves a single purpose: establishing the vehicle's condition before the carrier touches it.

Photograph and Video Documentation

After your inspection, document everything with photos and video. This is your most valuable protection if a damage dispute arises.

Photo documentation checklist:

Take each of these shots:

• Front of the vehicle straight on
• Rear of the vehicle straight on
• Driver side from front fender to rear bumper
• Passenger side from front fender to rear bumper
• Front driver-side corner at 45 degrees
• Front passenger-side corner at 45 degrees
• Rear driver-side corner at 45 degrees
• Rear passenger-side corner at 45 degrees
• Close-up of every existing scratch, dent, chip, or blemish
• All four wheels and tires
• The roof (use a step stool or higher vantage point)
• Odometer reading
• Dashboard with the vehicle running (shows warning lights)
• Interior front seats
• Interior rear seats
• Trunk or cargo area

Video documentation:

Record a continuous slow walk-around of the entire vehicle, narrating any existing damage as you go. Modern phone video includes timestamps and GPS location data, making it excellent evidence. A 90-second walk-around captures everything the photos might miss.

Store these photos and videos in at least two places: your phone and a cloud backup (email them to yourself, upload to Google Drive, or use any cloud storage).

Remove Personal Items

Carrier insurance does not cover personal belongings inside the vehicle. This is universal across the industry—no exceptions. Anything you leave in the car is there at your own risk.

Remove from the interior:

• Phone chargers, cables, and adapters
• Sunglasses and eyeglasses
• Loose change from cup holders
• Garage door openers
• Parking passes and toll transponders (these will accumulate charges during transport)
• CDs, USB drives, and media
• Water bottles and food items
• Tissues, napkins, and loose papers
• Dashcams and aftermarket GPS units
• Aftermarket phone mounts and holders
• Paperwork and documents (except registration if required)
• All items from the glovebox, center console, and door pockets
• Everything from under the seats
• All trunk and cargo area contents

Remove from the exterior:

• Bike racks, ski racks, and cargo carriers
• Removable antenna toppers or aftermarket antennas
• Aftermarket tow mirrors
• Magnetic signs or decals
• Loose or decorative license plate frames
• Bug deflectors that are clip-on rather than permanently mounted
• Aftermarket mud flaps that are loosely attached

The goal is a vehicle with nothing inside that could shift, rattle, become a projectile, or be stolen, and nothing outside that could come loose during highway-speed transit.

Check and Reduce Fluids

Fuel level: Reduce your fuel tank to one-quarter full or less. A full tank adds 100–150 pounds of unnecessary weight and increases fire risk. You need enough gas for the driver to start the car, drive it onto the trailer, and drive it off at delivery. A quarter tank is plenty.

Other fluids: Check for active leaks. Park on clean concrete or cardboard overnight and check for spots in the morning. Oil leaks, coolant leaks, transmission fluid leaks, and power steering fluid leaks all create problems during transport—they can damage other vehicles on the trailer below yours.

If your vehicle has a known leak:

• Inform the carrier before pickup
• The driver may position your vehicle to prevent fluid from dripping onto other cars
• Severe leaks may result in the carrier declining to transport the vehicle

Top off any critically low fluids (coolant, brake fluid, power steering fluid) but do not overfill anything. Normal fluid levels are fine.

Disable Alarms and Anti-Theft Systems

Aftermarket alarm systems with motion sensors, tilt sensors, or vibration triggers will activate repeatedly during transport. Every bump, turn, and stop on the trailer triggers the sensor. The alarm drains your battery, creates noise at every truck stop, and the driver cannot always access your vehicle quickly to silence it.

For aftermarket alarms: Disable the system entirely. If you cannot disable it, disconnect the alarm's power source or have it professionally deactivated.

For factory alarms: These typically arm and disarm via the key fob. Since the driver will have your key, they can manage factory systems. No action needed.

For electronic steering wheel locks (like The Club): Remove them. The driver needs to steer the vehicle during loading.

For kill switches: If your vehicle has an aftermarket kill switch, make sure the driver knows where it is and how to operate it. Better yet, leave it in the "off" (normal operation) position.

One Day Before Pickup: Final Checks

Tire Pressure

Check all four tires and the spare. Inflate to the manufacturer's recommended pressure (found on the driver's door jamb sticker, not the tire sidewall). Proper inflation matters for two reasons:

1. The driver needs to drive the vehicle onto and off the trailer. Under-inflated tires make handling unpredictable.
2. Vehicles sit stationary on trailers for days. Significantly under-inflated tires can develop flat spots during extended transport.

Retract and Secure

Walk around the vehicle one final time:

• Retract the antenna (power or manual)
• Fold in side mirrors if your vehicle has power-folding mirrors
• Close all windows completely
• Lock the sunroof if applicable
• Ensure the convertible top is up and secured
• Verify that truck bed covers (tonneau covers) are secured or removed
• Check that running boards are firmly attached
• Confirm all doors and the trunk/hatch close securely

Prepare Your Keys

You will provide one set of keys to the driver. If you have two sets, keep one for yourself. If you only have one set, make sure it includes everything the driver needs: the key or fob that starts the car, any separate trunk key, and any valet key if the vehicle has a valet mode.

If your key fob battery is weak, replace it. A dead fob at delivery means the driver cannot start the car to unload it, potentially delaying delivery and costing you time.

Pickup Day: Working with the Driver

The Bill of Lading Inspection

When the carrier arrives, the driver conducts a joint inspection of the vehicle. This process creates the Bill of Lading (BOL)—the legal document recording your vehicle's condition at the moment it enters the carrier's custody.

The driver walks around the vehicle with a condition report form, marking every existing imperfection: scratches, dents, chips, scuffs, missing trim, cracks, rust spots, and any other damage. This process takes 10–15 minutes and should not be rushed.

Your role during this inspection:

• Walk with the driver and verify everything they mark
• Point out damage they may have missed, especially small items like rock chips or hairline scratches
• If you disagree with anything marked on the form—for example, if the driver marks something as "prior damage" that you believe is their responsibility—speak up immediately
• Ask the driver to note areas that are in particularly good condition if that matters to you (pristine paint on a show car, for instance)
• Read the entire form before signing it

Do not sign a blank or incomplete Bill of Lading. Every imperfection should be noted. Once signed, this document is the baseline for any future damage claims. Anything not documented here will be assumed to be pre-existing.

Share Special Instructions

Tell the driver about any vehicle quirks in person and provide written notes:

• "The driver's door sticks—pull up slightly while opening"
• "Use the physical key in the door; the fob unlock range is very short"
• "The car needs 5 seconds of cranking to start when cold"
• "The trunk release is inside the glovebox, not on the key fob"

Drivers appreciate knowing these things. It prevents them from forcing something or assuming something is broken.

Confirm Contact Information

Exchange phone numbers with the driver. Confirm:

• The driver's cell phone number
• The dispatch number for the carrier company
• Your phone number and an alternate contact
• The estimated delivery window
• The delivery address and any access instructions for the destination

Watch the Loading

You are not required to watch, but observing the loading process gives you peace of mind. The driver will:

1. Drive your vehicle up the trailer ramp
2. Position it in the designated spot
3. Secure it with wheel straps, chains, or tire nets
4. Verify it is stable and properly secured

If anything during loading concerns you—the vehicle scraping the ramp, difficulty fitting, rough handling—mention it immediately.

After Pickup: What to Save

Once the carrier leaves with your vehicle, organize and save:

• Your copy of the signed Bill of Lading
• All pre-shipment photos and video
• The carrier's contact information
• Your booking confirmation and payment receipts
• Any written correspondence about the shipment

Keep these accessible until the vehicle is delivered, inspected, and you are satisfied with its condition. You may need this documentation within minutes of delivery if damage is found.

At Delivery: Closing the Loop

When your vehicle arrives at the destination, the process mirrors pickup in reverse. Inspect the vehicle thoroughly, comparing its current condition to your pre-shipment documentation and the pickup Bill of Lading.

Any new damage must be noted on the delivery receipt before you sign it. Once signed without notation, disputing new damage becomes extremely difficult.

Take delivery photos using the same angles as your pre-shipment documentation. This creates a clear before-and-after record.

If everything looks good—and in the vast majority of transports, it will—sign the delivery receipt, pay any remaining balance, and you are done.

Proper preparation makes this outcome nearly certain. The 30–60 minutes you invest before pickup protects a vehicle worth tens of thousands of dollars. That is time well spent.

Ready to ship? Get your free, no-obligation quote and let our team guide you through every step of the preparation and transport process.