Illinois to Arizona Car Shipping

Preparing your vehicle for transport from Illinois to Arizona is straightforward. Follow these simple steps:

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

Clean your car: Wash the exterior so you can document its condition with photos before shipping. This helps if you need to file a claim later.

Check fluids and battery: Ensure your vehicle has less than a quarter tank of gas, and verify the battery is charged and secure.

Remove or secure accessories: Take off any custom exterior accessories, antennas, or spoilers that could be damaged during transit. Secure or remove loose interior items.

Provide a working key: Have a spare key ready for the driver. Make sure all alarms are disabled.

Document existing damage: Take clear photos of your vehicle from all angles before pickup.

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

Yes, your vehicle is fully insured when shipping from Illinois to Arizona. Every carrier 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 your Illinois to Arizona transport.

Your insurance coverage is included in your quote at no extra cost. If you have questions about coverage or want to see the carrier’s insurance certificate, our team is happy to provide that information.

We recommend scheduling your car shipment from Illinois to Arizona at least 1-2 weeks in advance. However, booking earlier gives you the best results.

Here’s why early booking helps:

• Better carrier availability: More carriers can fit your route into their schedule
• Lower prices: Carriers can bundle your vehicle with others heading to Arizona, reducing costs
• Flexible pickup dates: You’ll have more options to choose a time that works for you

Need to ship last minute? We can often arrange pickup within 2-5 days, though rates may be higher and availability more limited.

Best practice: Book as soon as you know your moving dates. This ensures smooth scheduling and the most competitive rates for your Illinois to Arizona car shipment.

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 and is perfectly safe for most cars. Your vehicle will be exposed to weather and road conditions during the Illinois to Arizona journey, but carriers are insured and experienced in protecting your vehicle.

Enclosed auto transport provides full protection inside a covered trailer, shielding your vehicle from weather, dust, and road debris. This option 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 long haul from Illinois to Arizona.

For most standard vehicles, open transport is the smart choice—it’s reliable, cost-effective, and used for 90% of all car shipments. Choose enclosed transport if your vehicle is worth over $100,000, is a collector’s item, or has sentimental value that justifies the extra cost. Learn more in our open vs enclosed auto transport guide.

Yes! We offer door-to-door auto transport service from Illinois to Arizona. This means we’ll pick up your vehicle at your home or office in Illinois and deliver it directly to your chosen address in Arizona.

When you book your shipment, simply provide your preferred pickup and delivery locations. Our carrier will come to you, making the process as convenient as possible.

Important to know: In some cases, large car carriers cannot access certain streets due to low-hanging trees, narrow roads, or tight turns. If this happens, our driver will contact you to arrange a nearby meeting spot, such as a shopping center or gas station. This is rare, but we always prioritize safety and work with you to find the best solution.

Door-to-door service eliminates the need to drive to a terminal, saving you time and hassle when shipping your car from Illinois to Arizona.

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!