Table of contents
Quick answer
Usually a car does not need current registration to be shipped, because it is not being driven on public roads while it is on the truck. What carriers need is someone with the keys and some way to show the car is yours or that you are entitled to move it. Insurance is a separate question: the carrier's coverage applies while the car is on its truck, but not before pickup or after delivery, and it has limits and exclusions of its own. Talk to your insurer before canceling a policy on a car you are about to ship.
Registration: why expired tags usually don't matter
Registration is what lets a vehicle be driven on public roads. A car strapped to a carrier is not being driven, so an expired sticker or a canceled registration does not usually stop it being loaded. Carriers move cars with lapsed tags all the time: cars bought at auction, cars that have not run in years, cars coming out of an estate.
What carriers actually ask for
The thing a carrier wants to be sure of is that you have the right to hand the car over. Registration is one way of showing it, but it is not the only one, and an expired registration still shows whose name the car is in.
- The title, or a copy of it.
- A registration card, current or expired.
- A bill of sale, for a car you have just bought.
- Written permission from the lender or leasing company, for a financed or leased car.
- Estate paperwork, for a car you are moving on behalf of someone who has died.
If the paperwork is complicated
Insurance: what the carrier covers, and what it doesn't
The carrier's insurance is the cover that applies while your car is on its truck. You do not need a policy of your own for the carrier to load the car. But that cover starts at pickup and ends at delivery, and it comes with limits, a deductible and exclusions that are worth reading before you rely on it.
- Ask for the carrier's certificate of insurance, and check the cargo coverage limit against what the car is worth.
- Ask what is excluded and what the deductible is.
- Remember that nothing the carrier holds covers the car while it sits waiting for pickup or after it is delivered.
Your own policy: think before you cancel
It is tempting to drop insurance on a car nobody is driving. Before you do, ask your insurer two questions: does my comprehensive coverage apply while the car is on a carrier, and is there a lower-cost option for a car that is parked or in storage? A car waiting for pickup can still be stolen, flooded or hit.
After the car arrives
- Insure it before you drive itThe carrier's cover ended when you signed for the car. Make sure your own policy is active before it goes on the road.
- Register it in your new stateIf you have moved, most states give new residents a short window to register. The deadline depends on the state.
- Keep the bill of ladingIt shows when the car arrived, which can matter for the registration deadline and for any damage claim.
Frequently asked questions
Can I ship a car with expired tags?
Usually yes. The car is not being driven while it is on the truck, so current registration is rarely required. It does need to be legal to drive for any part of the trip where it is driven, such as to or from a terminal.
Can I ship a car that has no insurance?
Yes. The carrier's insurance applies while the car is on its truck. Your own policy covers the time before pickup and after delivery, so think carefully before canceling it.
What proof of ownership will the carrier want?
A title, a registration card (even an expired one), a bill of sale, lender or leasing company permission, or estate papers. Ask the company in advance what it accepts.
No title or keys?Does my own car insurance cover the car on a truck?
It depends on your policy. Ask your insurer whether your comprehensive coverage applies while the car is being shipped, and what it would pay if the carrier's insurance fell short.
Do I need to register the car in my new state before shipping it?
No. You register it after it arrives. Most states give new residents a set number of days, which varies by state.
Registering in a new state
Sources
Written and reviewed by the Haulwide editorial team. Editorial policy
