4 Important Documents You Need To Ship Your Car

4 Important Documents You Need When Shipping Your Car

Shipping companies need documentation for interstate and overseas shipping. Failure to provide documents in time can result in delays and avoidable storage charges. Here are the most important car shipping documents you will need:

Bill of Lading (BOL)

A bill of lading is an inspection/ invoice for car shipment and must remain with the car during its travel. It shows the condition of your car at pickup and delivery. This is the document you use to report any damage during transit. Insurance companies rely on the BOL to pay claims. 

Insurance Coverage

 Every shipping company is required to have insurance coverage for body damage while the vehicle is under their possession.  Metti International Vehicle Transport and Car Shipping strongly suggests keeping your own insurance active during the car’s transport in the unlikely event of body damage. If damage does occur, your insurance company would contact the carrier’s insurance company to have your car repaired quickly.

Owner Authorization For Overseas Shipments

If your car is going to a port for overseas shipping, owner authorization is required. Additionally, someone should be present to represent you at the destination port. It’s essential to have these documents for the handover process or emailed ahead to the ocean carrier. Brokers will assist, advise and answer any questions you may have.

Form that most car carriers use to do vehicle inspections at pick up and delivery.

Lien Authorization for Overseas Car Shipping

This is a letter of permission to travel from the lien holder that is required if your car is under financing or lease. The bank will mail this document to you upon request. It can’t be emailed or faxed since the notarization stamp has to be original, so be sure to do this with plenty of time to spare!

While the BOL, absent owner authorization, and lien authorization are the three primary car shipping documents, you may also need your car registration, title, and photo identification to pick up a vehicle at overseas ports. These documents are important for your shipping company as they make the process easier and faster. 

If you have any questions or are ready to ship your car, give us a call today at 866-620-1776!

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Frequently Asked Questions

Most major credit cards, postal money orders and cashiers checks are acceptable forms of payment.

As with most transport services, a deposit is generally required when placing an order. Deposits range from 10-25 % of the total shipping cost. The remaining balance will be due upon delivery.

Most auto transport companies accept cash, certified checks, and postal money orders.

Coast to coast trips usually takes between 10-14 days. Shorter trips ranges from 3-7 days, depending on the actual distance. Some factors may delay a trip, including traffic, weather, and truck breakdowns.

Yes, we request you, or a designated person, be present upon pick up of your vehicle. For your safety and your vehicle’s safety, an inspection is performed and a bill of lading must be signed that serves as proof of delivery.

The easiest way to ship an inoperable vehicle is to let us know when requesting a vehicle transport quote. There will be an additional charge, plus loading and unloading charges to your quote, if we are not informed of the vehicle’s condition prior to quoting.

Auto carriers are not licensed to carry house goods or personal items, these goods and items are not covered by the carriers insurance. Any damage to your vehicle due to household goods shifting or breaking is also not covered. Personal belongings left in the vehicle, are shipped strictly at the owners risk. Carriers will not inventory any belongings left in the vehicle and will assume no responsibility.

Your car is insured for the Blue Book value the entire time it is on the truck. Clearly listed on your Shipping Order, Agreement and Bill of Lading are occurrences not covered. At the time of pick up, a condition report is filled out and signed by both the person turning the car over and the truck driver and you are given a copy.

Upon delivery of your vehicle, this same report is presented. You should compare the condition of the vehicle to the report thoroughly at that time. If you feel damage has occurred to your vehicle during delivery, you must note it on the report before you sign it and the driver leaves. Damage done in transit does not relieve the shipper of paying for transport service performed. Claims will be handled by the vehicle carrier and insurance companies.

Metti International offers door-to-door auto transport service where possible. However, there are instances that we cannot collect/deliver directly to the door due to the size of our auto carrier’s trucks. The size of your street may prohibit direct delivery to your door. Also, some towns and cities do not allow trucks on their residential streets. If the carrier cannot get to your door, he will deliver your vehicle to the next most convenient accessible location, such as the nearest major crossing street, a shopping mall or supermarket.

Please have a no more than 1/4 tank of fuel, remove all personal items from your vehicle and have it washed and cleaned so that the ensuing inspection is easily performed. If it is a convertible, T-top, sunroof, etc. make sure all openings are closed and prepared for changing weather. You can find additional tips on how to prepare your car for transport here.