California to Virginia Car Shipping

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

Remove personal items: Take out all belongings, including items in the glove box, trunk, and console. Carriers aren’t responsible for personal property.

Clean your car: Wash your vehicle inside and out. This helps you spot any existing damage during the inspection.

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

Remove or secure loose parts: Take off custom accessories, spoilers, or loose trim. Remove toll passes, GPS devices, and fragile items.

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

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

For complete preparation details, visit our Vehicle Shipping Tips page. Following these steps ensures your car arrives safely in Virginia.

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

Before your car ships, we verify that your carrier’s insurance is active and valid for the entire journey from California to Virginia. We also require all carriers to list Sherpa as a Certificate Holder on their policy for added protection.

What this means for you: If any damage occurs during transport, the carrier’s insurance will cover repairs or replacement costs. This coverage is included in your shipping quote at no extra charge.

For complete peace of mind, we recommend taking photos of your vehicle before pickup and reviewing the insurance details with your carrier during the inspection process.

For car shipping from California to Virginia, we recommend booking at least 2-3 weeks in advance. However, booking earlier gives you the best results.

Here’s why advance booking matters:

• Better pricing: Early bookings often get lower rates
• More carrier options: Popular routes fill up quickly
• Flexible scheduling: You’ll have more pickup date choices
• Route bundling: Carriers can group your car with others going the same way

During busy seasons (summer and early fall), consider booking 3-4 weeks ahead. If you need last-minute service, we can still help, but expect higher costs and fewer options.

Pro tip: Book as soon as you know your moving date. You can always adjust pickup times later if needed.

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 car rides on an open trailer with other vehicles. It’s safe and reliable, but your car is exposed to weather and road debris during the trip from California to Virginia.

Enclosed auto transport protects your vehicle inside a covered trailer. This costs 40-60% more than open transport, but it’s worth it for luxury cars, classic vehicles, or cars with custom paint jobs that need extra protection on the long cross-country journey.

For most standard vehicles shipping from California to Virginia, open transport works great and saves you money. Choose enclosed transport if your car is worth over $50,000 or has special value to you. See our complete open vs enclosed auto transport guide for more details.

Yes, Sherpa Auto Transport offers convenient door-to-door service for all shipments from California to Virginia. This means we’ll pick up your vehicle from your home, office, or any address you choose in California and deliver it directly to your preferred location in Virginia.

When you book your California to Virginia car shipment, simply provide us with your pickup and delivery addresses. Our assigned carrier will coordinate with you to schedule both pickup and delivery at times that work for your schedule.

In some cases, large transport trucks may not be able to access certain residential streets due to low-hanging branches, narrow roads, or local 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 our standard pricing, so you won’t pay extra fees for this convenience when shipping your car from California to Virginia.

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!