How long should it take to ship my car and what affects the timing?

Auto Shipping Timeline

The auto-shifting process is fairly predictable when everything goes according to plan. However, several factors influence pickup, relocation, and delivery times.

Here at A-1 Auto Transport, we pride ourselves on providing high-quality service that you can count on. When we give you a timeframe, you can rest assured that we will do our best to meet it.

In most cases, your shipment will follow the timeframe we list here. However, if your auto shipment experiences delays, these times are subject to change.

Key Delivery Timeline Factors

The four factors that influence delivery speed and time are as follows:

01 Location

This has to do with the overall location of your vehicle and where you want it delivered. If the pickup and delivery locations are along major transportation hubs, you can expect a relatively speedy auto-shifting process. Any contracts involving removed locations and smaller towns will take longer to complete, as that results in additional transportation time.

02 Price

The speed of your auto shipment is dictated by the price you paid. Higher-priced priority shipments are usually taken care of first. While shopping around for quotes is a good choice, paying the market rate ensures that your shipment gets picked up and shipped on time.

03 Vehicle Size

A standard trailer is capable of fitting around four large trucks or SUVs. Larger vehicles typically take longer to move than a standard small card. If you are moving heavy equipment or oddly shaped vehicles, expect your lead times to take longer as specialized transportation may be needed.

04 Season

Auto shipping frequency tends to peak during seasons where elderly individuals head south in the winter, or when people go on vacation. When volume spikes, shipment times can take longer as it will be challenging to pair your shipment up with a transport.

Average Transit Time by Distance

The type of transport used for your auto shiftings will depend on what kind of vehicle you are relocating.

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Small car haulers are used for single-vehicle shipments, while large car haulers are used for multiple vehicles.
• Your transport may spend a few days in a target city picking up several vehicles for a shipment.
• Keep in mind: By law, a transport driver cannot drive for more than 11 hours in a day as mandated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Hours-of-Service (HOS) regulations. Breaches of this regulation can lead to major fines and even delays in your shipment.
• Teams of drivers are sometimes available to speed up the delivery process, but this will lead to additional costs.
• Travel time is heavily dictated by the type of transport you are using. The two most popular types include open-air and enclosed transportation.

How to Improve Your Vehicle Shifting Timeline?

The four factors that influence delivery speed and time are as follows:

• The average pickup window is 3-5 days. Your vehicle will need to be ready if you want your pickup to go smoothly.
• Location will impact your pickup speed. Remote locations take longer to travel to than those that are connected to major highways or located within cities. Major cities like New York City and Los Angeles will always have more shipment volume than smaller cities like Cleveland.
• If you can use open-air transport, use it. While certain vehicles may need the additional protection afforded by enclosed transports, the average car doesn’t. Open-air transport is the most common and cheapest choice.
• Be flexible. If you are willing to be flexible, you’ll likely get a better pickup date and shifting timeline. Most companies are dealing with hundreds, if not thousands of shipments, and scheduling all of them can be difficult.
• Pay the premium rate if you need a guaranteed shipment time. If you are trying to reach your destination by a set date, you shouldn’t leave your shipment up to chance.
• Premium rates put you high on the priority list and are designed to get your vehicle hauled as quickly as possible.

Preparing Your Vehicle for Shipping

Before your car is shipped, following a few key steps is essential to ensure everything goes smoothly. Most auto transport companies including A1 Auto Transport require specific preparations before pickup.

Documentation & Legal Requirements

If you're shipping internationally, start by checking import rules. Each country has different regulations, so verify that your vehicle complies. You'll also need the title and Certificate of Origin to confirm ownership and valid insurance coverage. Make sure your policy is active and offers enough protection for transport-related risks.

Condition & Inspection Readiness

A clean vehicle helps during inspection. Wash your car thoroughly to expose any existing damage like scratches or dents. Dust and dirt can hide blemishes, so both interior and exterior cleaning is important. Vacuum seats and floor mats, wipe down the dashboard, and remove personal items. If you're short on time, consider hiring an auto detailing service.

Driver’s License

If you're picking up your car after transport, ensure your driver’s license is current and valid.

Transport-Specific Tips

Before shipment, ensure your car is running (unless it’s inoperable transport), check tire pressure and fluid levels, and secure any loose parts. Following these steps can save time and avoid delays, especially when you’re asking how long it takes to ship a car or how long car transport takes.

Proper preparation speeds up the process and helps prevent damage and disputes.

Remove Personal Items Before Shipping

Before your vehicle is picked up, take a moment to remove all personal belongings, including chargers, GPS devices, dash cams, coins, and anything else that might shift during transit. Transport companies aren’t liable for personal items, and insurance won’t cover them if they are lost or damaged.

Alarm systems should be turned off or removed to avoid any issues during loading and unloading. If your vehicle has a sunroof or is a convertible, double-check that the top is sealed securely.

Extra weight increases your shipping cost, so clearing out even small items can help keep your quote low and ensure a smoother door-to-door car shipping experience.

Document Your Vehicle’s Condition

After washing your car, carefully inspect it for dents, scratches, or paint chips. Take clear, dated photos from every angle and zoom in on any existing damage. These photos will serve as your visual record if you need to file a claim later.

Cross-check these details with the bill of lading during pickup and delivery. It’s the easiest way to confirm your car arrives in the same condition it left.

Inspect Your Vehicle’s Mechanics

Your car should be fully operable unless you've made special arrangements for inoperable vehicle transport. Check these items before the shipping date:

• Tire pressure is within the recommended range
• The battery is charged and functional
• No fluid leaks
• All fluids are topped off
• The fuel tank is no more than one-quarter full
• Ignition, transmission, and brakes are all working
• Odometer reading is documented
• The vehicle is locked once loaded

If you find any mechanical issues you can’t fix in time, notify your transporter in advance. Accurate documentation protects you from liability and ensures a safe trip.

Your auto-shipping company needs to document any mechanical problems that were found and could not be fixed before the pickup date. No one wants to be liable for damage they didn’t cause, and this protects you from any new damage that may occur.

Keep a Spare Set of Keys

Accidents happen from time to time. Your auto-shifting company will require a set of keys because the vehicle will have to be driven from one point to the other several times during the shipping process. In order to avoid any unforeseen circumstances, carry a set of backup keys with you. This will prevent costly things like delays, needing a new key to be crafted by your manufacturer, or your vehicle getting stranded somewhere.

Purchase Additional Insurance

Most insurance plans will cover standard damage. However, if you are shipping a rare or exotic car, you will want to purchase additional insurance. Keeping your vehicle properly covered will protect you from additional stress and costs should something go wrong.

Companies work hard to ensure that the majority of shipments go according to plan. In most cases, your vehicle will arrive safely. Additional insurance is nice to have if you want to reduce the overall anxiety you may feel as your vehicle is shipped.

Keep the Driver Informed

If your vehicle has quirks, tell your vehicle relocating company. Every vehicle is different. While many run fine, some have specific characteristics that your shipping company will need to know.

For example, you’ll want to tell your shipping company if your alignment is off, if the brakes require a few pumps to get working, or your car makes a strange noise when it’s started. As mentioned above, they will have to drive your car on and off the transport trailer and boat.

Domestic Shipping Methods for Cars and Equipment

When shipping a car or heavy equipment within the U.S., your transport method will depend on the vehicle's size, shape, and weight. Two of the most common options are open and enclosed trailer shipping.

Open Trailer Shipping

This is the most commonly used and budget-friendly method for domestic routes. Vehicles are transported on multi-car open trailers, often the same kind used by dealerships to move new cars from manufacturers.

Open trailers can also be adapted for transporting heavy or irregular equipment using flatbeds. In some cases, disassembly may be needed for oversized loads.

Advantages:

• Lowest cost option for most standard vehicles
• Widely available nationwide
• Routes are predictable and well-established

Disadvantages:

• Exposed to weather and road debris
• Not ideal for high-value or delicate vehicles

Enclosed Trailer Shipping

Enclosed car transport offers added protection by shielding vehicles inside a covered trailer. This method is popular for classic, luxury, or specialty vehicles that require extra care.

Advantages:

• Protects against weather, dust, and road debris
• Ideal for long-distance or cross-country shipping of high-value cars
• Shared transport options can reduce costs

Disadvantages:

• Higher cost compared to open shipping
• Limited space may reduce availability
• No personal items allowed inside the vehicle

Choosing between open and enclosed trailer shipping depends on your vehicle’s value, condition, and your budget. If you're wondering how long does car shipping take, both methods generally follow similar timelines, but enclosed transport may have limited scheduling flexibility due to lower availability.

International Shipping Options

International relocation is typically completed using cargo boats. While air transport is an option, it isn’t usually offered because it is expensive. It involves two primary methods: roll-on, roll-off (RORO), and container shipping.

Roll On, Roll Off Shipping

It is exactly how its name sounds. Your vehicle is loaded onto a container and moved by driving it on. This method has to be viable, so your vehicle has to be operational. Inoperable vehicles can be loaded, but it will require additional heavy machinery.

Advantages:

Standard international shipping methodis offered by many companies worldwide. Cheaper option: Predictable routes

Disadvantages:

Vehicles can get damaged by other vehicles during transit. There is Less protection than container shifting. No personal belongings can be left in your vehicle

Container Shipping

It involves transporting your vehicle using large metal containers, which will protect it. In some cases, you can even move other furniture with your vehicle, so long as it all fits in the container you have rented.

Advantages:

Complete protection for your vehicle. Ship other personal belongings with your car

Disadvantages:

More expensive, Larger vehicles may not fit

Methods of Payment

Every company has its own methods for taking payment. These methods include:

• Cash or debit payments are still popular choices, and a company may discount your price if you decide to pay in cash because they won’t incur any transaction fees from credit card providers, PayPal, and other payment processing middlemen.
• Credit cards are readily accepted throughout the industry. A company may ask you to verify your identity to ensure that the card is legitimate and not used for fraud.
• Some companies use PayPal. While it’s not the preferred method due to its reputation, some companies will accept it.
• Some companies use wire transfers. While it’s not the preferred method due to its reputation, some companies will accept it.

International relocating is typically completed using cargo boats. While air transport is an option, it isn’t usually offered because it is expensive. International movings involve two main methods: roll-on, roll-off (RORO), and container shipping.

Don’t be afraid to ask if you have any questions about what type of payments your moving company takes.

Do not pay for a service if a company asks you to use a payment system that you are uncomfortable using.

General Tips

We have prepared the following list of general tips to help you prepare for your auto shipment. Do your research and determine if these tips apply to your specific auto shipment.

Insurance

• Ask your company for proof of insurance. If your vehicle is worth a lot, you’ll want to protect it and make sure it's protected by both your company’s insurance and your own.
• Get all agreements in writing. You want all agreements to be clear and established when things go wrong. Get everything in writing to properly defend yourself should something go wrong.
• Check personal insurance coverage. Your personal auto insurance plan may cover your vehicle while it’s being shipped. Please don’t assume it will check.
• Perform a thorough pre- and post-shipment inspection. These inspections will help you spot damage that occurred before and after shipment. You’ll need to have this data listed in the Bill of Lading if you want to make an insurance claim.

Preparing Your Vehicle

• Remove all personal items from your vehicle. They are considered an additional liability, and in most cases, your insurance will demand it as well and not cover them.
• Fold your mirrors in. Your vehicle may be loaded into tight spaces. Fold your mirrors in, remove your antenna if you have one, and secure any loose parts of your car to prevent them from breaking.
• Keep your gas tank low. Every company has its own maximum gas level. Typically, you should leave your tank between 1/8 and 1/4.
• Disable your car alarm. Your driver will require that you disable your car alarm. If this is impossible, you will have to provide detailed instructions on how they can disable it.
• Give yourself enough time. Don’t leave everything until the last minute. Not only will this lead to delays, but it may also cause your shipment to get canceled.

Look at Local Regulations and Customs

• Familiarize yourself with international shipping laws. Relocating a vehicle to another country can be stressful. Your vehicle must comply with U.S. export laws and any import laws your destination country has. Take the time to familiarize yourself with these laws if you want to avoid delays, extra costs, and even jail time.
• Prepare to pay duties, taxes, and other fees. The exact numbers will vary depending on your country. When importing a car into another country, you should prepare to pay a flat percentage of your vehicle’s value. In select Asian countries, those fees can exceed the car's value.
• Know your forms. There are many forms involved in the international auto-moving process. If you are having trouble understanding them, you should seek the help of an experienced international relocating company.
• Know where to look for information. Every country has a dedicated government agency for imports and exports. Here are a few examples:
• Give yourself enough time. Don’t leave everything until the last minute. Not only will this lead to delays, but it may also cause your shipment to get canceled.
• United States: U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Environmental Protection Agency, and Department of Transportation
• Canada: Transport Canada
• England: HM Revenue and Customs
• European Union: European Commission
• Australia: Department of Infrastructure, Regional Development and Cities

What to Expect During Pickup and Delivery

Auto transport schedules can vary due to traffic, weather, and mechanical issues, so companies often avoid guaranteeing exact pickup or delivery times. To ensure a smooth process, it’s important to stay flexible and maintain clear communication with your transport provider. The delivery timeframe also depends on your chosen shipping method. While expedited services offer faster results, they come at a premium. If you're wondering how long it takes to ship a car, the answer often hinges on the level of service you select and the distance involved.

At Pickup: What You Should Know

Make sure your vehicle is fully prepped and ready to go. If your car has any mechanical issues, let your transporter know in advance so they can plan accordingly and give you an accurate quote. The driver will conduct a visual inspection and document the vehicle’s condition. This will be noted on the Bill of Lading, a legal document you’ll sign at pickup and delivery. Don’t forget to record your odometer reading and share any special handling instructions with the driver. If you're unavailable, you can assign a trusted representative to handle the release or delivery of your car.

Tips for a Smooth Delivery

Leave only essential items in the trunk and remove valuables from your vehicle. Most companies allow up to 100 lbs. of cargo in the trunk, but it won’t be covered by insurance. If anything goes missing or gets damaged, the responsibility falls on the owner, not the carrier or insurer. Although damage during transit is rare, it’s smart to be cautious. Remove all personal items to reduce the risk of loss and ensure your car is transported without complications.

What to Expect at Delivery

For a smooth vehicle delivery, it is advised that you meet your driver on time. Once your vehicle has arrived at the destination, the driver will conduct another thorough inspection of the vehicle for the current state of the vehicle. This record will help you better analyze the damage done to your car during the transit.

Be available at the time of inspection to ensure that no one is trying to fool you. If you cannot be present, assign this task to a trustworthy representative. He can handle the things for you. Keep in mind that your vehicle will have faced road debris, dust, and rain.

Important Tips

• Inspect the vehicle yourself to record any potential damage.
• If the driver is meeting you at night, make sure you bring a flashlight for the vehicle inspection on site.
• Be sure to look at the car’s undercarriage.
• Recheck the odometer reading.
• Start up the car to check for other mechanical problems. Report if there are any.

Please note that payment is due upon delivery. After the inspection is complete, you will be asked to sign a Bill of Lading, which ensures that the transaction is final.

What Happens After the Delivery?

It is doubtful that your car will get damaged during the process. Ensure you note the new damages on the Bill of Lading before accepting the car. This is very important since it is the only time where you can inspect and report damages caused by the driver. The driver should sign the Bill of Lading and accept your reported damages. Now, follow the instructions and file a claim for the damages immediately. If you fail to report the damages, any claim for the damages will not be accepted.

Documents Needed to Ship the Vehicle

You must provide the auto transport company with all the documents to verify that the vehicle belongs to you. You will also have to give the insurance.

Shipping within the Continental United States

If you are planning to transport your car within the continental United States, you will be asked to provide information, including documents like the Original Title and Registration, Photo Identification, and proof of Insurance.

• Original Title and Registration: You must have the original title and registration if you want to move a vehicle. Get these documents ready. Make sure you have a letter of permission from the Lien Holder if there is any.
• Insurance: You must provide proof of insurance to the transport company for the vehicle being hauled. This proof of insurance must be valid and not expired.
• Photo Identification: You must provide photo identification. A driver’s license or ID, or an unexpired Passport of the country where you are a legal resident, will do the job for you.
• Special Considerations: If you do not own the vehicle, you must provide a notarized letter containing specific information. This information will include the auto transport company, the name of the person acting on your behalf, and the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).

Moving to Another Country

If you relocate your vehicle to another country, you will need the following information and documents.

• Original Title or Registration: You must verify that there is no Lien Holder and that you are the only title holder of the vehicle. If the title has a Lien Holder, they must permit you to do so. The Lien Holder must provide you with an Original Letter with three certified copies of the Title.
• Insurance: Proof of insurance is required for the vehicle being shipped. This proof must be active and have a valid date. It must not have expired.
• Photo Identification: Provide a valid state-issued driver’s license or a passport from the country where you are a legal resident. The passport must not have expired.
• Bill of Sale: You must provide a Bill of Sale to prove that you own the vehicle. Vehicle transport companies cannot move a vehicle to another country without the owner's consent.
• Sales Tax proof: You must verify that you paid the state sales tax on your vehicle when you bought it. This is to ensure that your car is up to date on sales taxes before shipment.
• Import Duty: Depending on the country in which your vehicle is shipped, you will also need to provide proof of the tax levied on it.
• Original Power of Attorney: An Original Power of Attorney document is required if you are importing or exporting the vehicle on behalf of another person. The Original Power of Attorney document gives you a legal right to import or export the car even if you do not own it.
• Military: If you are a military contractor overseas or you are serving the military, we recommend you check out the following military auto-relocating checklist.

Insurance Requirements For Auto Relocating

The chances of your car getting damaged while being transported are very rare. Less than five percent of vehicles report damages from the process. Prevention is better than a cure. Therefore, you should protect yourself against all the potential issues. Your vehicle may not be driven while being transported, but that doesn’t mean you should not consider coverage for the trip. You must arrange insurance for your car.

Minimum Auto Shipping Insurance Requirements

Companies should have liability insurance. Make sure that your auto shipping company offers cargo insurance as well. Should anything happen to your car, your auto transporter will cover the damage caused to the vehicle during the relocation process. If they don’t offer cargo insurance, you should walk away and find one that does. Always ask for written proof.

The amount of coverage varies depending on the company. Therefore, you should carefully inspect the transporter’s coverage.

Ask your company for a copy of their insurance certificate. The companies are required to provide you with this information. You should verify the information provided on the certificate with the insurance company. You should also verify it with the Department of Transportation’s regulations.

You can also get additional insurance if your vehicle is expensive or you are moving long-distance.

Understanding Minimum Coverage Offered

Make sure that you completely understand the amount of coverage you have. You will indeed get some protection with the amount of insurance required by law. However, the minimum coverage may fall short of the vehicle's true value. Consider it your responsibility to determine the shipping company’s insurance policy terms.

You should ask the following questions about insurance:

• What kind of damage is covered?
• Is your car fully insured, or are only specific parts covered?
• Is there an option to buy expanded coverage?
• What is the limit of the coverage?
• Are spoilers or ground effects covered?

Contact your auto insurance company to see how much your personal insurance covers. Your insurance may not cover the vehicle in transit, but it is a nice idea to notify your insurance company about the vehicle being transported.

For added protection, you can buy additional insurance for your vehicle.