Can You Ship a Car with Stuff in It?
Everyone asks, so here is the straight answer: yes, a little, in the trunk, uninsured, and never anything you would cry about losing. The details below are the difference between a smooth pickup and a driver refusing an overloaded car at the curb.
How much stuff can actually go in the car?
The working convention across the industry is up to about 100 pounds, packed in the trunk or below window level, out of the driver's seat and off the dashboard. Carriers are licensed to haul vehicles, not household goods, and truck weight limits are federal law, so the allowance is a courtesy with a ceiling, not a moving service.
Is anything I pack inside covered by insurance?
No, and this is the rule people learn the hard way. The carrier's cargo policy covers the vehicle, full stop. A duffel of clothes is a reasonable risk, a laptop is not. If losing it would hurt, it travels with you, that one sentence is the entire policy you need.
What should never be in a shipped car?
Valuables, electronics, documents, medication, anything irreplaceable, and the hard-prohibited list: firearms, ammunition, hazardous materials, and anything alive or perishable. Toll tags come off too, or they will cheerfully bill the truck's every gantry crossing across five states.
Will packing the car change my price or my pickup?
Inside the courtesy allowance, no. Beyond it, yes, and not in your favor: a visibly loaded-down car can be surcharged on the spot or refused entirely, because the driver's axle weights are checked at real scales with real fines. When in doubt, ship less.
Do the same rules apply when a car ships overseas in a container?
No, container shipping plays by different rules: declared items can often travel with the vehicle, customs inspects, and duties may apply on arrival. Lanes like Nigeria run on exactly that model. Domestically though, on an open or enclosed truck, the 100 pound trunk rule is the law of the land.
Stuff in the car questions
Can I ship a car completely full for a cross-country move?
No, a packed-to-the-roof car will be surcharged or refused at pickup, because carriers haul vehicles under vehicle weight limits, not household freight. Ship the extra by parcel or freight and the car travels clean.
Do child seats and strollers count against the allowance?
They are among the most reasonable things to leave in, and yes they count toward the informal 100 pounds. Installed child seats in particular ride fine and bother nobody.
Will the driver inspect or inventory what is inside the car?
The driver documents the vehicle's condition, not your packing list, which is exactly why contents are not insured. Anything inside rides at your own risk, sight unseen.
Can I lock my stuff in the trunk for security?
Yes, the trunk is the right place anyway, and the car stays locked between loadings. Just remember the driver holds a key to move the car, so truly private items should travel with you.