Illinois to Florida Car Shipping

Preparing your vehicle for transport from Illinois to Florida is simple. Follow these key steps:

Clean your vehicle: Wash the exterior so you can document any existing damage with photos before shipping.

Remove personal items: Take out all belongings, toll passes, and fragile items. Carriers typically don’t insure personal property left inside.

Check for leaks and issues: Make sure your car is in good running condition with no fluid leaks. Inflate tires to the proper pressure.

Secure or remove accessories: Remove or secure loose parts like spoilers, bike racks, or antennas that could be damaged during transit.

Disable alarms: Turn off your car alarm to prevent it from going off during transport.

Provide a key: Have a working key ready for the driver.

Keep fuel low: Leave only about a quarter tank of gas to reduce weight.

For more detailed guidance, visit our Vehicle Shipping Tips page. Proper preparation ensures a smooth shipping experience from Illinois to Florida.

Yes, your vehicle is fully insured during transport from Illinois to Florida. Every carrier in our network must carry at least $1,000,000 in liability insurance and $100,000 in cargo insurance.

Before your shipment begins, we verify that your carrier’s insurance is active and valid. We also require all carriers to list Sherpa Auto Transport as a Certificate Holder on their policy. This gives you an extra layer of protection throughout your Illinois to Florida route.

Your carrier will provide proof of insurance before pickup. We recommend taking photos of your vehicle before and after transport for your records.

We recommend scheduling your car shipment from Illinois to Florida at least 1-2 weeks in advance. However, booking earlier gives you the best chance of securing competitive rates and flexible pickup dates.

Here’s why early booking helps:

• Better carrier availability: Carriers can plan routes more efficiently and bundle your vehicle with others heading to Florida
• More scheduling flexibility: You’ll have more options to choose pickup dates that work for your timeline
• Lower costs: Last-minute bookings often come with premium pricing due to limited availability

If you need faster service, we offer expedited shipping with pickup possible in as little as 24-48 hours, though this costs more than standard transport.

For the smoothest experience, contact us as soon as you know your moving dates. We’ll work with you to find the best pickup window for your Illinois to Florida car shipment.

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 auto transport is the most common and affordable option for shipping your car from Illinois to Florida. Your vehicle is loaded onto an open-air carrier (the same type you see on highways). While your car is exposed to weather and road elements, it’s perfectly safe for most vehicles and costs significantly less.

Enclosed auto transport protects your vehicle inside a covered trailer, shielding it from weather, road debris, and dust. This option typically costs 50-60% more than open transport but is worth considering for luxury cars, classic vehicles, exotic sports cars, or any car with custom paint or modifications.

For the Illinois to Florida route, most customers choose open transport due to the cost savings and reliability. However, if you’re shipping a high-value vehicle, enclosed transport provides extra peace of mind. Learn more in our open vs enclosed auto transport guide.

Yes, we offer door-to-door auto transport service from Illinois to Florida. This means we’ll pick up your vehicle from your home, office, or any address you choose in Illinois and deliver it directly to your specified location in Florida.

When you book your shipment, simply provide your preferred pickup and delivery addresses. Our assigned carrier will do their best to access both locations. However, if your street has low-hanging trees, narrow roads, or weight restrictions that prevent large car carriers from entering, we’ll work with you to choose a safe nearby meeting spot—like a grocery store parking lot or gas station.

Door-to-door service saves you time and hassle. You won’t need to drive to a terminal or arrange extra transportation. Most residential areas in Illinois and Florida are easily accessible for our carriers, making the process smooth and convenient for your move.

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!