What Documents Do You Need to Ship a Car?

Start with the type of shipment

Ask who must provide each item, to whom, and by which deadline. Shipping paperwork and registering a vehicle after arrival are separate tasks.

Keep the booking and agreement together

Save the accepted quote, agreed service, carrier details, vehicle information, pickup and delivery contacts, and payment instructions. Confirm that the make, model, condition, locations, and dates match your request. If a VIN is required for booking or release, provide it through the verified booking process.

Read our contract checklist before accepting terms. A quote email alone may not contain all the conditions that apply to the shipment.

Do I have to hand over the vehicle title?

Do not assume an original title is required for every domestic road move or that a title is never required. Ask the identified carrier what evidence it needs for your route and circumstances. A transport document is not automatically an ownership-transfer document.

Never sign a blank title transfer to solve an unclear shipping request. For export, ownership documentation is a separate regulatory issue: follow CBP’s vehicle-export instructions and the actual port’s procedures. Hawaii requirements should be checked with the ocean carrier.

If someone else handles the handoff

Agree on the representative’s identity, contact details, and written authorization before collection or delivery. Ask whether a specific form, notarization, or power of attorney is required for that shipment. Do not assume permission by text is sufficient at a port.

Pasha’s published vehicle FAQ distinguishes eastbound and westbound documentation and requires authorization when registered owners are absent. Use the current carrier checklist for the exact direction instead of applying one company’s instructions to all shipments.

Dealer and auction purchases need release confirmation

Confirm the seller has authorized collection and that required payments and release steps are complete. Ask for the booking or lot reference, pickup hours, gate instructions, and the last day before storage charges. Give the carrier the release details through the agreed channel.

For auction transport, a transport booking does not settle missing title paperwork or a seller’s release hold. If the condition differs from the listing, disclose it before the truck arrives.

Retain the bill of lading and condition records

The handoff documents identify the shipment and record important condition information. Read them before signing, keep a copy, and take your own photographs. Have your receiving representative compare the vehicle with the pickup record.

Under applicable federal cargo-claim rules, supporting documents can matter to a loss or damage investigation. See what to do about delivery damage; a condition note alone is not necessarily a formal claim.

Protect sensitive paperwork

Verify the recipient and the reason before sending identity or ownership documents. Use the specific process required by the legitimate carrier, seller, or authority. Keep a record of what was submitted and confirmation that it was accepted.

Highroad’s initial form asks for route, vehicle, timing, and callback information. Do not add payment credentials or copies of titles and identification to its notes field. Document requirements can be discussed during the shipment conversation.