Florida to Rhode Island Car Shipping

Preparing your vehicle for transport from Florida to Rhode Island is simple and straightforward. Here are the key steps:

Remove personal items: Take out all belongings, toll passes, and fragile items from your vehicle. Carriers typically don’t insure personal items during transit.

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

Check fluids and battery: Ensure your gas tank is between 1/4 and 1/2 full, and verify that your battery is charged and secure.

Remove or secure accessories: Take off bike racks, roof racks, spoilers, and other exterior add-ons that could be damaged or cause issues during transport.

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

Provide a key: Have a working key ready for the driver on pickup day.

For complete preparation guidelines, visit our Vehicle Shipping Tips page. Following these steps ensures a smooth shipping experience from Florida to Rhode Island.

Yes, your vehicle is fully insured during transport from Florida to Rhode Island. 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 list Sherpa Auto Transport as a Certificate Holder on their policy, giving you an extra layer of protection.

This coverage protects your vehicle against damage during loading, transport, and unloading. You’ll receive the carrier’s insurance details before your car ships, so you have complete peace of mind on your Florida to Rhode Island route.

We recommend scheduling your pickup from 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 advance booking helps:

• Better carrier availability: Carriers can plan routes more efficiently and bundle your vehicle with other shipments heading to Rhode Island
• More competitive pricing: Last-minute bookings often cost more due to limited availability
• Flexible scheduling: You’ll have more options to choose pickup and delivery windows that work for your timeline

If you’re moving during peak season (summer months and holidays), consider booking 3-4 weeks ahead. Florida is a high-volume shipping state, so earlier planning ensures smoother service.

Need to ship on short notice? We can often accommodate rush orders within 2-5 days, though availability and pricing may vary.

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, where your vehicle is shipped on an open-air trailer alongside other cars. It’s the same method dealerships use to transport new vehicles. While your car is exposed to weather and road elements during the Florida to Rhode Island journey, it’s a safe, reliable choice for most everyday vehicles.

Enclosed auto transport provides full protection inside a covered trailer, shielding your vehicle from weather, dust, and debris. This premium service typically costs 40-60% more than open transport but is ideal for luxury cars, classic vehicles, exotic sports cars, or any car with custom features you want to protect during the 1,200+ mile trip.

For most Florida to Rhode Island shipments, open transport offers excellent value and security. Choose enclosed transport if your vehicle is high-value or requires extra protection. Learn more in our open vs enclosed auto transport guide.

Yes! We offer door-to-door auto transport service from Florida to Rhode Island. This is our most popular option because it’s convenient and hassle-free.

Here’s how it works: When you book your shipment, simply provide your pickup address in Florida and your delivery address in Rhode Island. Our carrier will come directly to these locations to load and unload your vehicle.

Important to know: In some cases, large car carriers cannot access certain streets due to low-hanging trees, narrow roads, or tight turns. This is more common in residential neighborhoods or historic areas in Rhode Island. If this happens, our driver will contact you to arrange a nearby meeting spot like a parking lot or shopping center.

Door-to-door service saves you time and effort compared to terminal-to-terminal shipping. You won’t need to drive to a facility or arrange extra transportation. Most customers shipping from Florida to Rhode Island choose this option for maximum convenience.

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!