Car Delivered to the Wrong Address or State

Your car was delivered to the wrong address — a different city, a different state, or a location you never agreed to. Now you can't get the carrier to move it, the broker isn't responding, and you're being told you need to pay for the re-delivery. Here's your actual position and how to fix it.

This is the carrier's fault, not yours

A carrier who delivers your vehicle to a location other than the agreed delivery address has breached the transport contract. Period. The cost of correcting a delivery error is the carrier's responsibility, not yours. You should not pay anything additional to receive your vehicle at the correct location.

What typically happens and why

Wrong-address deliveries usually happen because:

• A miscommunication between the broker and carrier on the delivery address in the dispatch paperwork
• The driver misread the address or used incorrect GPS coordinates
• A last-minute address change by the customer that wasn't properly communicated through the chain
• The carrier served a terminal delivery (their nearest depot) rather than door-to-door as contracted

Immediate steps

• Do not sign the Bill of Lading confirming delivery if your vehicle was not delivered to your agreed address. A signed BOL confirming delivery releases the carrier from further obligation.
• Document the wrong location in writing immediately — photograph where the vehicle was delivered, get the address, and timestamp everything.
• Contact your broker in writing (email or text) stating the vehicle was not delivered to the contracted address and demanding they arrange correct delivery at no additional cost to you.
• Contact the carrier directly with the same demand. Get their response in writing.

If they demand more money for re-delivery

Refuse to pay any additional amount for a delivery error that is not your fault. If you made an address change and didn't communicate it through proper channels, you may bear some responsibility — but if the original contracted address was not honored, the carrier pays.

If the carrier refuses to correct the delivery without additional payment:

• File an FMCSA complaint immediately — delivery failure and holding vehicles for uncontracted payment are federal violations
• File in small claims court against the carrier for breach of contract plus any costs you incurred (storage, rental car, transportation to the wrong location)
• File against the broker if they were involved in the address error

Storage fees at the wrong location

If your vehicle is sitting at a terminal or lot at the wrong location and accumulating storage fees, get in writing from the carrier that delivery was made to the wrong location. This documentation protects you from being held liable for storage costs that resulted from their error. A carrier cannot charge you storage fees for a vehicle they delivered to the wrong place.

If you're unable to travel to the wrong location

If the vehicle was delivered to a distant wrong location and you cannot physically retrieve it:

• Do not authorize anyone to sign the BOL on your behalf unless you fully understand the delivery location situation
• Instruct the carrier in writing that the vehicle must be delivered to the correct contracted address
• If they refuse, file for an injunction in small claims or consult an attorney if the vehicle value warrants it
• Contact your state AG's consumer protection division — delivery fraud is within their mandate

Getting compensated for your losses

Beyond correcting the delivery, you may be entitled to compensation for:

• Rental car costs during the delay
• Transportation costs to inspect the vehicle at the wrong location
• Time off work caused by the delivery failure
• Storage fees you were forced to pay

Document every cost with receipts. These form the basis of your small claims case against the carrier.