Sacramento, CA Car Shipping

Preparing your vehicle for transport from Sacramento is simple. Follow these steps to ensure a smooth pickup:

Clean your vehicle: Wash the exterior so you can document any existing damage with photos. This helps with the inspection process.

Remove personal items: Take out all belongings, toll passes, and loose items from the interior. These aren’t covered by insurance during transport.

Check for leaks and mechanical issues: Make sure your car runs properly and has no fluid leaks. Inform the carrier of any mechanical problems beforehand.

Secure or remove accessories: Remove or secure antennas, spoilers, bike racks, and other exterior accessories that could be damaged in transit.

Maintain proper fuel level: Keep your gas tank at about a quarter full. This reduces weight while ensuring the car can be loaded and unloaded.

Provide a spare key: Have a working key ready for the driver at pickup.

For more detailed preparation tips, visit our Vehicle Shipping Tips page.

Yes, your vehicle is fully insured when shipping from Sacramento, CA. All carriers in our network must carry a minimum of $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 during transport.

Your vehicle is covered from pickup in Sacramento until delivery at your destination. If you have questions about insurance coverage, our team is happy to provide details before you book.

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

Here’s why advance booking helps:

• Better carrier availability: More carriers can plan routes that include your pickup location
• Lower prices: Carriers can bundle multiple vehicles going the same direction, reducing costs
• Flexible scheduling: You’ll have more options to choose your preferred pickup dates

If you need faster service, we offer expedited shipping options with pickup possible in as little as 1-3 days. Keep in mind that rush orders typically cost more.

Bottom line: Book as early as you can. Two weeks is good, but 3-4 weeks is ideal for the best rates and service from Sacramento.

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 fully exposed to weather and road conditions during transit, but it’s safe, reliable, and costs significantly less.

Enclosed auto transport protects your vehicle inside a covered trailer, shielding it 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 or modifications.

For most standard vehicles shipping to or from Sacramento, open transport works perfectly fine. Carriers use the same method that dealerships use to transport new cars. However, if you’re moving a high-value or collectible vehicle, the extra cost of enclosed transport provides valuable peace of mind.

Learn more in our detailed open vs enclosed auto transport guide.

Yes! We offer door-to-door auto transport service for Sacramento customers. This means we’ll pick up your vehicle from your home, office, or any address you choose in the Sacramento area and deliver it directly to your destination.

Here’s how it works: When you book your shipment, simply provide your preferred pickup and delivery addresses. Our assigned carrier will come directly to those locations to load and unload your vehicle—no need for you to drive to a terminal.

Important to know: In some Sacramento neighborhoods, large car carriers may face restrictions due to narrow streets, low-hanging trees, or tight turns. If your street isn’t accessible for an 18-wheeler, don’t worry. Your driver will contact you to arrange a safe, nearby meeting spot like a shopping center parking lot or gas station. This happens occasionally in older Sacramento neighborhoods or areas with limited access.

Door-to-door service saves you time and hassle, making your car shipping experience as convenient as possible.

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!