Auto Transport Pre-Pickup Checklist: What to Document Before Your Car Is Loaded

What you do in the 30 minutes before your car is loaded onto the truck determines whether you can make a damage claim later. Most people hand over their keys and walk away. Do not do this. Here is a complete pre-pickup checklist and exactly what to document.

Why the pre-pickup inspection is your most important protection

When your car is delivered, you will compare its condition to the condition report created at pickup. Any new damage that was not on the pickup report is the carrier's responsibility. Any damage that was on the pickup report — or that you failed to note — is your problem.

Carriers know this. Rushed inspections and vague condition reports benefit them, not you.

Do this before the driver arrives

• Wash the car. Seriously. Dirt and grime hide scratches, chips, and dents. A clean car is the only way to do a thorough inspection. If the car arrives dirty, ask the driver to wait while you rinse the key panels — or note that the inspection was performed with dirt present.
• Take your own photos of every panel, the roof, the glass, the bumpers, the mirrors, and the undercarriage. Date and timestamp every photo. This is your independent record separate from the BOL.
• Remove all personal items from the car. Carriers are not responsible for personal property left in the vehicle, and many contracts explicitly exclude it. Remove electronics, valuables, documents, and anything loose.
• Check tire pressure and fuel level. Note these on the BOL. Some carriers require the fuel tank to be less than a quarter full (for safety/weight reasons) — verify this with your broker in advance.

The inspection checklist: do this with the driver present

Walk around the entire vehicle systematically with the driver and the BOL in hand:

• All four doors: Check each panel front to back, top to bottom. Open each door and check the edges.
• Hood and trunk: Look for dents, scratches, and paint chips.
• Roof: If you cannot see the roof clearly, use your phone camera. Roofs are commonly damaged during loading when clearances are tight.
• Glass: All windows, windshield, rear window, and mirrors. Note any existing chips or cracks.
• Bumpers: Both front and rear, including corners.
• Wheels and tires: Check for curb rash on wheels.
• Undercarriage: If you can safely access it, check for existing damage or fluid leaks.
• Interior: Many carriers won't open doors for interior inspection, but if they do, note any existing damage.
• Odometer: Note the exact mileage on the BOL.

How to mark damage on the BOL properly

Be specific. Vague notations are nearly useless:

• Bad: "scratch on door"
• Good: "3-inch horizontal scratch on driver front door, 8 inches below window, paint through to primer"
• Bad: "dent on rear"
• Good: "golf ball-sized dent on rear passenger quarter panel, 6 inches above wheel arch"

If there is damage the driver will not let you add to the BOL, take photos of the damage and the unsigned BOL together, and text your broker immediately with a written record of the refusal.

Get copies of everything

Before the driver leaves, request a copy of the signed BOL. You are entitled to one. If the driver cannot provide a paper copy immediately, ask for a photo of the signed document.

What not to leave in the car

• Electronics (GPS devices, dash cams, charging cables)
• Documents (registration, insurance — bring photocopies, leave originals at home)
• Valuables of any kind
• Aftermarket accessories that are not permanently attached
• Food or anything that could spill

Disable any toll tags or transponders — some carriers drive through toll plazas and the charges will appear on your account.