Car shipping companies frequently require a deposit when you schedule the shipping of your vehicle. Most deposits are between 10% and 25% of the total cost of shipping. The exact amount depends on the car shipping company you are using.
Why do companies typically charge a deposit? It shows you are serious about shipping your vehicle. Having a car carrier come to pick up your car costs money in terms of fuel and time. So, a car shipping company wants your car to be ready when a car carrier arrives to pick it up. Worse yet (from the company’s perspective), you could change your mind and not inform the car transport company that you no longer want to ship your car. A deposit increases the likelihood that you will be ready to ship your car when the car carrier arrives to pick it up.
Even though there are good reasons to charge a deposit, some car shipping companies do not charge a deposit and some charge the full price of shipping at the time you schedule the shipment. Therefore, it is a good idea to inquire about the required deposit when you request a quote from any companies.
See a list of the car shipping companies in the US and Canada in the Move Cars directory of auto transport companies to find the right car shipping company for you.