Good preparation gives the driver an accurately described vehicle and gives you a clear record of its condition. Start before pickup day so a missing key, detached part or inaccessible location does not become a rushed decision beside a waiting truck.
Use this checklist alongside the specific instructions from your chosen broker and assigned carrier. Rules for fuel, battery charge, loose parts and belongings can differ. Ask for those instructions in writing instead of assuming another company’s policy applies to your shipment.
Keep these in mind
- Use the assigned carrier’s preparation requirements.
- Photograph condition and disclose any change before pickup.
- Prepare keys, access and a representative who can complete the inspection.
The six-view photo check
Know where to look.
Select an area for photo notes. Repeat your walkaround at pickup and delivery, alongside the carrier’s condition report.
Start with the corners.
Take a wide view of each corner, then closer photos of bumpers, splitters, grilles and the rear diffuser. Keep existing marks visible in both a detail shot and a wider context shot.
This is a photo-planning aid. It does not upload or save photographs and does not replace the carrier’s inspection or claims instructions.
Confirm the plan while there is time to fix it
Review the route, contact numbers, vehicle description and trailer requirements. Tell the provider about any change since the quote: a car that no longer starts, new bodywork, a flat tire or an added accessory. Check the pickup window and how you will receive updates.
Walk through the access arrangements with the provider. Explain narrow roads, steep driveways, low branches, parking restrictions or gated entrances. If a meeting point is needed, agree on one that the carrier considers safe and permitted, and decide who will move the vehicle there.
Make the condition easy to see
Follow the finish manufacturer’s and installer’s cleaning restrictions, especially for fresh paint or wraps. Where permitted, clean the exterior enough to reveal existing marks. Photograph all sides and take closer images of scratches, dents, wheels, glass and vulnerable trim. Include modified areas such as a splitter or wide-body panel. Keep the original files somewhere you can access at delivery.
Record the odometer and any existing warnings or operating issues. These notes are your reference for the handover, not a replacement for the carrier’s inspection. Leave time to review the condition report together when the truck arrives.
Check the things needed for loading
If maintenance or accessory removal is needed, have a suitably qualified person do it before the appointment. Do not change suspension settings or remove unfamiliar components under time pressure. Tell the provider if the resulting dimensions or operating condition differ from the booking.
- Have a working key and any agreed instructions ready; keep your own spare separately.
- Confirm starting, steering, rolling and braking condition, and disclose problems.
- Check for fluid leaks and tell the provider about any issue before pickup.
- Follow the carrier’s fuel or EV charge instructions for the specific shipment.
- Explain alarms, immobilizers or unusual starting procedures without handing over unrelated personal credentials.
Sort loose items and accessories
Remove valuables, personal documents, toll devices and items that can move around the cabin. Ask the provider about any remaining belongings or loose parts; a transport allowance does not automatically mean those items have coverage. Keep necessary handover paperwork with the responsible person rather than leaving your only copies in the car.
Discuss roof racks, detachable aerials and fragile aftermarket accessories with the provider. Record what has been removed and where it is going. A box of spare parts needs an agreed plan too; do not quietly add it after the shipment has been described and priced.
Prepare the person who meets the driver
Give your pickup representative the broker’s contact, the vehicle handling notes and time to inspect the car. They should know which keys and accessories are being handed over and how to obtain the signed condition report. If they cannot stay for the inspection, arrange a suitable alternative with the provider beforehand.
Before the truck leaves, keep the pickup photographs, inspection record and shipment contact details together. Then share them with the person receiving the car. Preparation is complete when both ends of the journey are working from the same information.
Sources & further reading
Reviewed November 3, 2026. Provider-specific instructions can differ; confirm your actual shipment requirements with the provider handling it.
