Shipping a Car You Sold Online to the Buyer
Who books the transport, buyer or seller
There is no law here, only negotiation. Most often the buyer books and pays, since delivery is their problem, and your only job is being present at pickup. Sometimes the seller books and rolls the cost into the price, which buyers love because it turns a scary unknown into one number. Both work. What matters is that whoever books uses a verified company, because you are about to hand your old car to a stranger's contractor. Send the buyer our choosing guide if they are doing the picking, it protects both of you.
Money clears first, the car moves second
The one unbreakable rule of selling at a distance: no cleared funds, no car. Cleared means the wire has landed and your bank confirms it is final, or the cashier's check has fully cleared, which takes days, not the moment a teller accepts it. Zelle and Venmo are instant but have sender limits that make them rare for full car prices. The classic fraud is a truck arriving "as agreed" while the payment is pending, fake, or about to be reversed, and once the car is gone, your leverage went with it.
Pickup day: what actually happens at your driveway
The driver arrives inside the agreed window, walks around the car, and marks every existing scratch and ding on the bill of lading. Walk with them. Photograph the car from all four corners and the odometer while they work. You sign, they sign, you keep a copy, and that document is your proof of the condition the car left in, which closes the door on a buyer claiming damage that predates the trip. Hand over one working key. The car should carry about a quarter tank and nothing of yours inside, prep details are in our prep guide.
The title never rides in the car
Sign the title per your state's rules and send it by tracked mail or through an escrow service once funds have cleared. It does not ride in the glovebox, because a title traveling with the car is a car that can be retitled by whoever ends up with it, and transport insurance covers vehicles, not documents. Remove your plates at pickup unless your state says otherwise, return or transfer them per local rules, and file the sale notice or release of liability the same day the car leaves. From that filing forward, tickets and tolls belong to the buyer.
The seller's one-screen checklist
- Funds fully cleared and confirmed by your bank
- Transport company verified, MC number checked, driver name and truck known in advance
- Car cleaned out, quarter tank, one working key ready
- Photos of all four corners and the odometer, taken at pickup
- Bill of lading signed by both sides, your copy kept
- Title sent tracked or via escrow, never inside the car
- Plates removed, release of liability filed the day the car leaves
If the buyer side of this story is yours too, the mirror-image guide is shipping a car you bought online.
Your questions answered
Who pays for shipping when I sell my car online, me or the buyer?
Whatever the deal says. Most commonly the buyer pays, since delivery is their side of the bargain, but sellers sometimes include transport in the price to close the sale faster. Decide it in writing before anyone books a truck.
Should I release my car before the buyer's payment clears?
Never. Cleared means your bank confirms the funds are final, not that a transfer was initiated or a check was deposited. The truck showing up is not a payment confirmation, and a reputable transporter will not pressure you to release early.
Can the buyer book transport for a car sitting in my driveway?
Yes, that is the normal arrangement. The buyer books and pays, we coordinate the pickup window with you directly, and you act as the releasing contact. You approve the handoff, sign the condition report, and you are done.
What do I hand the driver when my sold car is picked up?
One working key and the car itself, cleaned out, around a quarter tank. Not the title, not the plates, not your garage opener. The driver signs the bill of lading with you and that copy is your protection.
Do I sign the title before or after shipping the car?
Sign it per your state's rules once funds have cleared, and send it separately by tracked mail or escrow. Shipping and title transfer are two independent events, and keeping them separate is what keeps you safe.
How do I protect myself when a stranger's carrier picks up my car?
Verify the company's MC number beforehand, get the driver's name and truck number in advance, photograph the car at pickup, and sign a bill of lading recording its condition. Five minutes of ceremony, total protection.
What is my proof the car left in good condition?
The signed bill of lading plus your own timestamped photos from pickup. Together they document exactly what the buyer's transporter received, which ends any later argument about when a scratch appeared.
Should the plates stay on a car I sold and shipped?
In most states you remove plates at sale and the car ships without them, which is completely normal for carriers. Check your state's rule, return or transfer the plates, and file your release of liability immediately.
What if the buyer backs out after the truck is booked?
If you booked, cancel before dispatch and an honest broker charges nothing since no driver was assigned. If the buyer booked, that cancellation is their expense. Either way the car never left, so the sale simply unwinds.
Do I need to be home at pickup of a sold car?
You or someone you trust must be there to release the car, hand the key, and sign the condition report. A neighbor or relative can do it if we have their name and number in advance.
Does Facebook Marketplace or eBay arrange vehicle shipping?
They host the sale, not the move. eBay sometimes surfaces shipping partners, but transport is a separate contract either side arranges with a company like ours. Treat the shipping decision with the same care as the payment method.
Is it safe to give my address to the buyer's transporter?
To the verified transport company, yes, they need a pickup location. What you should not share is anything beyond the logistics: the carrier needs an address, a contact, and a window, not your schedule or financial details.
A firm written quote, a vetted insured driver, and a small honest broker fee.
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