Alabama to California Car Shipping

Preparing your vehicle for shipment from Alabama to California is simple and straightforward. Follow these key steps to ensure a smooth transport:

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 items left in the vehicle.

Check fluid levels and battery: Ensure your car has enough fuel (about 1/4 tank), no leaks, and a charged battery so it can be loaded and unloaded easily.

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

Remove or secure accessories: Take off custom spoilers, bike racks, roof racks, or antenna extensions that could be damaged on the road.

Provide a key: Make sure you have a working key available for the driver.

For complete details, visit our Vehicle Shipping Tips page. Taking these steps protects your vehicle during its cross-country journey to California.

Yes, your vehicle is fully insured during transport from Alabama to California. 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 the carrier’s insurance is active and valid. We also require all carriers to add Sherpa Auto Transport as a Certificate Holder on their policy. This gives you extra protection and peace of mind.

This insurance coverage is included in your quote at no extra cost. If any damage occurs during transit, the carrier’s insurance will cover repairs.

We recommend scheduling your pickup at least 1-2 weeks in advance for the best results. However, booking earlier gives you more advantages.

Here’s why advance scheduling helps:

• Better carrier availability: More time allows carriers to plan efficient routes from Alabama to California
• Lower costs: Carriers can bundle your vehicle with other shipments heading west, which often reduces your price
• Flexible pickup windows: You’ll have more options to choose dates that work with your schedule
• Peak season planning: Summer months and holidays get busy, so extra lead time ensures your spot

Need to ship last minute? We can often accommodate rush orders within 2-5 days, though this may come with expedited fees. Contact us as soon as possible to discuss your options.

For the smoothest experience on your Alabama to California route, book early and give yourself flexibility on pickup dates.

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. Your vehicle is loaded onto an open-air trailer (the kind you see on highways). It’s exposed to weather and road debris during the 2,000+ mile journey from Alabama to California, but it’s perfectly safe for most vehicles. About 90% of cars are shipped this way.

Enclosed auto transport provides complete protection inside a covered trailer. Your vehicle is shielded from weather, dust, and road debris. This option costs 50-60% more than open transport, but it’s worth considering for luxury cars, classic vehicles, exotic sports cars, or any car with custom paint work.

For a typical daily driver making the Alabama to California trip, open transport is the smart choice. For high-value vehicles where extra protection matters, choose enclosed. Learn more in our open vs enclosed auto transport guide.

Yes! We offer door-to-door auto transport service from Alabama to California. This means we pick up your vehicle at your home or office in Alabama and deliver it directly to your destination in California.

Here’s how it works: When you book your shipment, simply provide your preferred pickup and delivery addresses. Our carrier will come to you—no need to drop off your car at a terminal.

Important to know: In some cases, large car carriers cannot access narrow streets, low-hanging trees, or residential areas with tight turns. If your location has any restrictions, our driver will contact you to arrange a convenient nearby meeting spot, like a grocery store parking lot or gas station. This is rare, but we always work with you to find the easiest solution.

Door-to-door service saves you time and hassle on your Alabama to California move. It’s our most popular shipping option and is included in most quotes at no extra charge.

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!