California to Texas Car Shipping

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

Remove personal items: Take out all belongings, including toll passes, electronics, and fragile items. Carriers are not responsible for personal property left in the vehicle.

Clean your car: Wash your vehicle inside and out. This makes it easier to spot any damage during inspection.

Check fluids and battery: Ensure your car has enough gas (about 1/4 tank), oil, and coolant. Make sure your battery is secure and working.

Remove or secure loose parts: Take off custom accessories, spoilers, or loose trim that could fall off during transport.

Have keys ready: Provide one set of working keys to the driver. Keep a spare for yourself.

Document everything: Take photos of your car from all angles before pickup. Note any existing damage.

For a complete checklist and more detailed tips, visit our Vehicle Shipping Tips page. Following these steps will help ensure your car arrives safely in Texas.

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

Before your car ships, we verify that your carrier’s insurance is active and valid. We also require all carriers to add Sherpa as a Certificate Holder on their policy for extra protection.

This coverage protects your vehicle against damage during loading, transport, and unloading. Your car is covered from pickup in California all the way to delivery in Texas.

Important: While rare, if damage occurs, report it immediately to your driver and contact Sherpa right away. We’ll help you file a claim and work with the carrier’s insurance company to resolve it quickly.

We recommend scheduling your car shipping service from California to Texas at least 2-3 weeks in advance. This gives you the best chance to secure competitive rates and flexible pickup dates.

Here’s why early booking matters:

• Better pricing: Carriers can plan efficient routes and bundle shipments
• More availability: Popular routes like California to Texas fill up quickly
• Flexible scheduling: You’ll have more pickup window options

If you need last-minute service, we can often accommodate rush orders within 3-7 days, though rates may be higher. Peak seasons (summer months and winter holidays) require even earlier booking – ideally 3-4 weeks ahead.

Ready to ship your car? Contact Sherpa Auto Transport today for a free quote and to secure your preferred pickup date.

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 is the most common and cost-effective option. Your car rides on an open trailer alongside other vehicles. It’s fully exposed to weather and road debris, but it’s safe and reliable for most cars.

Enclosed transport protects your vehicle inside a covered trailer. It costs 40-60% more than open transport but shields your car from weather, dust, and road debris during the long trip from California to Texas.

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

Choose enclosed transport if: You own a luxury car, classic vehicle, exotic car, or have custom paint work. The extra cost is worth protecting your investment on the 1,200+ mile journey.

For most California to Texas moves, open transport works perfectly fine. See our complete open vs enclosed guide for more details.

Yes, we offer door-to-door auto transport service from California to Texas. This means we pick up your car from your home, office, or any address you choose in California and deliver it directly to your specified location in Texas.

Here’s how it works: When you book your shipment, simply provide us with your preferred pickup address in California and delivery address in Texas. Our assigned carrier will coordinate with you to schedule both pickup and delivery at these exact locations.

In some cases, large transport trucks cannot access certain areas due to low bridges, narrow streets, or neighborhood restrictions. If this happens, don’t worry – our driver will work with you to find a safe, nearby meeting spot like a shopping center or gas station. This ensures your vehicle is still picked up and delivered as close to your door as possible.

Door-to-door service is included in most of our California to Texas auto transport quotes at no extra charge, making your cross-country move 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!