How to Cancel an Auto Transport Order and Get Your Deposit Back

Circumstances change. You need to cancel your auto transport order. Whether you get your deposit back — and how much — depends almost entirely on one thing: when you cancel relative to carrier assignment. Here is exactly how cancellation works, what to say, and how to dispute a refusal.

The critical dividing line: carrier assignment

When you book with a broker, there is a period between booking and actual carrier assignment — the moment a specific trucking company is contracted to move your vehicle. This dividing line is the most important factor in whether you receive a refund.

• Before carrier assignment: Most legitimate brokers offer a full refund or minimal cancellation fee during this period. The broker has not yet committed a carrier, so their cost is limited to administrative time.
• After carrier assignment: The broker has made a financial commitment to the carrier. Most contracts impose a cancellation fee ranging from $100 to the full deposit amount during this window.
• Within 24–48 hours of scheduled pickup: Many contracts are non-refundable at this stage, as the carrier has committed their truck and time.

Read your contract before you do anything

Find the cancellation clause in your signed contract or order confirmation. The language will tell you the exact terms. Common structures:

• "Fully refundable if cancelled more than 48 hours before pickup"
• "$75 cancellation fee after carrier assignment"
• "Non-refundable after carrier dispatch"
• "Full refund within 24 hours of booking"

If the contract is vague or contradicts what you were told verbally, document what you were told (check your email or text history) — verbal representations can matter in a dispute.

How to cancel: always in writing

Never cancel by phone call alone. Send a written cancellation via email or text so you have a timestamped record. Include:

• Your order number or confirmation number
• The vehicle information
• The date and time of your cancellation
• A request for written confirmation of the cancellation and any refund owed

Follow up the written cancellation with a phone call to confirm receipt, but the written record is what protects you in a dispute.

If they claim carrier assignment has happened (and you doubt it)

Ask for the carrier's name, MC number, and confirmation of assignment. A legitimate broker can provide this in seconds. If they cannot, or if the assignment "just happened" the moment you asked to cancel, that timing is suspicious.

If they refuse to refund what the contract says they owe

1. Credit card chargeback: Dispute the charge citing the specific contract language. Provide your contract and your written cancellation request as evidence. "Merchant did not honor agreed cancellation terms" is a strong chargeback reason.
2. FMCSA complaint: Failure to honor contract terms by a licensed broker is a regulatory matter.
3. State Attorney General: Consumer protection complaint — especially effective if the cancellation terms were misrepresented verbally.
4. Small claims court: For deposit amounts up to your state's limit. Bring your contract, cancellation email with timestamp, and the broker's response.

What to do if the broker cancels on you

If the broker cancels — cannot find a carrier, goes out of business, or simply fails to perform — you are entitled to a full refund of your deposit regardless of their cancellation terms. Their failure to perform is breach of contract.

File a chargeback immediately and file a FMCSA complaint. Do not wait for them to offer a refund voluntarily.