Illinois to California Car Shipping

Preparing your vehicle for shipping from Illinois to California is simple but important. Here’s what you need to do:

Remove Personal Items: Take out all personal belongings, including items in the glove box, trunk, and under seats. Car carriers aren’t insured for personal property.

Clean Your Car: Wash your vehicle inside and out. This helps you spot any existing damage during the pre-shipping inspection.

Document Everything: Take photos of your car from all angles, noting any scratches, dents, or other damage before shipping.

Check Fluids and Battery: Ensure your car has less than a quarter tank of gas, check oil levels, and make sure your battery is secure and working.

Remove or Secure Accessories: Take off loose parts like spoilers, bike racks, or toll transponders. Retract antennas and fold in mirrors.

Disable Alarms: Turn off car alarms to prevent issues during transport.

For complete details, check our Vehicle Shipping Tips page. Following these steps ensures your car arrives safely in California!

Yes, your vehicle is fully insured during transport from Illinois to California. All Sherpa Auto Transport carriers must carry minimum $1,000,000 liability insurance and $100,000 cargo insurance.

We verify each carrier’s insurance is active and valid before your shipment begins. This covers your vehicle for the entire journey from Illinois to California.

Additional protection: All our contracted carriers add Sherpa as a Certificate Holder on their insurance policy. This gives you extra peace of mind during your cross-country car shipment.

Your vehicle is protected from pickup in Illinois through delivery in California. No hidden fees – insurance coverage is included in your quote.

For car shipping from Illinois to California, we recommend scheduling your pickup at least 2-3 weeks in advance. This gives you the best chance to secure competitive rates and reliable carriers.

Here’s why early booking matters:

• Better pricing: Carriers can plan efficient routes and bundle multiple vehicles
• More carrier options: Popular routes like Illinois to California fill up quickly
• Flexible scheduling: You’ll have more pickup date options to choose from

If you need faster service, we do offer expedited shipping with 1-7 days notice, though this typically costs more. For the most savings and peace of mind on your Illinois to California car shipment, book as early as possible.

No payment is due at the time of booking. We do require a payment method on file so that it is available to charge once a carrier is secured. We accept all major debit and credit cards, including Mastercard, Visa, Discover and American Express. The most convenient option is to pay for your shipment in full by credit card at the time a carrier is secured.

We also allow you to pay for your Initial Payment via credit or debit card and then pay the outstanding balance on delivery day via cash or a certified check made out to the carrier.

Your Sherpa shipment includes up to 100 lbs of personal items or household goods stored in the trunk area or secured below the window line. If you are shipping to or from a port or your shipment includes ocean transit, your vehicle must be emptied of all items. Sherpa and your assigned carrier cannot be responsible for personal items left inside the vehicle. See our Vehicle Shipping Tips for more details.

Yes. It is important that you, or another adult that you trust, is there for pickup and delivery of your vehicle. This designated person plays an important role in the shipping process including documenting the state of the vehicle and signing the Bill of Lading, which acts as a receipt of the vehicle’s condition.

Open transport carries your car on an open trailer, exposed to weather and road debris. It’s the most popular option because it costs less and works well for most vehicles.

Enclosed transport protects your car inside a covered trailer. It costs about 50% more than open transport but shields your vehicle from weather, dust, and road debris.

Choose open transport if: You have a regular daily driver and want to save money. Most cars ship this way without problems.

Choose enclosed transport if: You own a luxury car, classic vehicle, or custom car with special paint. The extra cost is worth protecting your investment on the long drive from Illinois to California.

Need help deciding? Check our detailed open vs enclosed auto transport guide for more information.

Yes, Sherpa Auto Transport offers convenient door-to-door auto transport service for shipments from Illinois to California. This means we pick up your vehicle at your home, office, or preferred location in Illinois and deliver it directly to your destination in California.

When you book with us, simply provide your pickup address in Illinois and delivery address in California. Our carrier will coordinate with you to schedule pickup and delivery at these exact locations whenever possible.

Important to know: In some cases, large transport trucks cannot access certain residential streets due to low bridges, narrow roads, or parking restrictions. If this happens, our driver will work with you to find a safe, nearby meeting spot like a shopping center or gas station – usually within a few blocks of your address.

Door-to-door service saves you time and hassle compared to terminal-to-terminal shipping, where you’d need to drop off and pick up your car at specific facilities. This is especially valuable for long-distance moves from Illinois to California.

Many Auto Transport companies try to tease customers with lower rates, only to surprise you with “hidden costs” later. At Sherpa Auto Transport, we do things differently. We provide one locked-in price upfront and stick to it. If unexpected costs arise, we pay them out of our own pocket.

While we may not always be the cheapest option at first glance, our commitment to transparency and reliability offers exceptional value. As a premium service, we ensure an stress-free experience from start to finish.

We transport sedans, SUVs, pickup trucks, vans and motorcycles across the nation, including service to Alaska and Hawaii. At this time, we do not service boats, golf carts, ATVs, or RVs. We can ship both operable and inoperable vehicles so long as the vehicle can roll, brake, and steer, and that you can provide the carrier with a key to the vehicle. We can also ship electric vehicles.

Visit Sherpa’s FAQ page to learn more about car shipping!