Can You Pack Personal Items in Your Car When Shipping It?

The roughly 100-pound guideline isn't written into federal law. It comes from three practical realities:

Truck weight: A fully loaded car carrier is close to federal weight limits. A few hundred extra pounds in every car can push a truck over, and overweight trucks get fined and delayed.

What carriers are licensed for: Auto carriers are authorized to haul vehicles, not household goods. Moving boxes across state lines is a different kind of license.

Insurance: Carrier coverage is built to insure the vehicle, not what's inside it.

• Up to about 100 pounds of items, depending on the carrier
• Packed in the trunk or rear cargo area
• Kept below the window line so the driver can see and nothing shifts
• Soft items like clothing and bedding, packed securely
• Standard car accessories: spare tire, jack, floor mats, child seats

Always tell us what you plan to leave in the car so we can confirm with the carrier before pickup.

• Hazardous materials: fuel cans, propane, fireworks, aerosols, ammunition
• Firearms (see our firearms during shipping FAQ)
• Illegal items of any kind
• Perishable food and plants
• Pets or animals
• Cash, jewelry, important documents and electronics — not prohibited everywhere, but never a good idea because they aren't covered

Carrier insurance covers the car, not your belongings. If you're shipping something you care about:

• Call your homeowner's or renter's insurer and ask whether personal property is covered in transit.
• Ask about limits and exclusions, and get the answer in writing.
• Make a quick list and photos of what you pack.
• If something is lost or damaged, the claim usually goes through your own insurer.

Hawaii: Ocean carriers usually require the vehicle to be completely empty except for standard equipment. Plan to ship belongings separately. See ship a car to Hawaii.

Alaska: Rules vary by ocean carrier; some allow limited items, sometimes for an added fee.

International: Customs rules generally require the car to be empty. Read our international car shipping page.

If your carrier allows a small amount of belongings, pack them so they don't shift or block the driver's view:

• Use soft bags or bins rather than loose items.
• Keep everything in the trunk or cargo area, below the window line.
• Don't pile items on seats, where they can slide and damage the interior.
• Avoid anything fragile, valuable or irreplaceable.
• Make a quick list and take photos of what you pack.

Tell us exactly what you plan to leave in the car so we can confirm with the carrier before pickup.

• Ship boxes separately: Ground shipping services are often cheap for a few boxes and include tracking.
• Use your movers: If you're moving house, include the items with your household goods.
• Portable storage containers: Useful for larger moves.
• Carry valuables yourself: Documents, jewelry, electronics and medication should always travel with you.

A driver who finds a car packed full may refuse to load it, ask you to remove items, or charge more for the extra weight. That can delay your pickup by days. A car loaded well past the limit can also push the truck over its legal weight, which risks fines at weigh stations. Packing light avoids all of it.

For the rest of your prep, see how to prepare your car for shipping.

A typical car carrier can legally haul a gross weight of about 80,000 pounds on interstates. Once you subtract the tractor, trailer, fuel and equipment, the carrier has roughly 40,000–50,000 pounds left for vehicles. With eight to ten cars on board, the average car can't weigh much more than its curb weight without pushing the load over the limit.

If every customer added 300 pounds of boxes, a ten-car load would gain 3,000 pounds — enough to force the carrier to leave a car behind or risk an overweight fine at a weigh station. That's why carriers keep personal items to a small amount per vehicle.

Auto carriers are licensed to haul vehicles. Moving household goods across state lines is a different kind of operation, with its own federal rules for estimates, inventories and liability. When a car is packed full of belongings, the shipment starts to look like a household move, which the auto carrier isn't set up or insured to handle. Keeping items minimal keeps the shipment clearly in the vehicle category.

Carrier cargo insurance is written to cover the vehicles on the truck. Belongings inside a car usually fall outside that coverage, which means a lost suitcase or broken TV isn't the carrier's responsibility. Some carriers will refuse to load a car with valuables in plain view, because it raises the risk of theft at truck stops.

If you must send something with the car, check your homeowner's or renter's policy and ask whether it covers personal property in transit.

• Passports, birth certificates and Social Security cards
• Title, registration and financial documents
• Medications and medical devices
• Laptops, tablets and phones
• Jewelry, cash and other valuables
• House keys and spare car keys
• Anything sentimental or irreplaceable

• Toll transponders (or seal them in a shielded bag)
• Parking permits and garage remotes
• Phone mounts, dash cams and portable GPS units
• Roof boxes, bike racks and cargo carriers if possible
• Loose floor items that could slide under pedals
• Child seats, if you'll need them right away or they're expensive

See how to prepare your car for shipping.

A car full of belongings is hard to inspect inside. The driver may note "interior not inspected" on the Bill of Lading, which makes interior damage claims harder later. Keeping the cabin clear lets you and the driver record the interior's condition properly, and it reduces the chance of items shifting and scuffing seats or trim during transit.

Ocean shipping is stricter than truck transport. For Hawaii, most carriers require the car to be empty except for standard equipment like the spare tire, jack and owner's manual — the vehicle is inspected at the port, and loaded items can delay or block the shipment. Alaska rules depend on the carrier; some allow limited items, sometimes for an added fee. For international shipments, customs rules often require a completely empty vehicle on roll-on/roll-off ships, while container shipments may allow some items with a detailed inventory.

Check the rules with your shipping line before packing anything. See shipping a car to Hawaii or Alaska.

If an item you left in the car is missing at delivery, note it on the Bill of Lading before signing and contact your broker. Because carrier insurance usually excludes personal belongings, the claim generally goes through your own homeowner's or renter's policy. Photos of what you packed, taken on pickup day, make that claim much easier.

Snowbirds often want to send golf clubs, beach chairs or clothes with the car. Keep it light — a bag or two in the trunk, below the window line, if the carrier agrees. Ship heavier items separately, or keep a set of essentials at each home. See our snowbird auto transport guide.

How much personal property can I leave in my car during transport?: Most carriers allow up to about 100 pounds, packed in the trunk or cargo area and kept below the window line. Confirm the limit before pickup.

Are personal items covered by the carrier's insurance?: Generally no. Carrier coverage is for the vehicle. Check whether your homeowner's or renter's policy covers belongings in transit.

What should never be packed in a shipped car?: Hazardous materials, firearms, ammunition, illegal items, perishables and pets.

Can I pack items when shipping a car to Hawaii?: Usually not. Ocean carriers typically require the vehicle to be empty except for standard equipment.

Can I ship boxes in my car if I'm moving?: Only a small amount, kept in the trunk and below the window line, if the carrier allows it. Ship most boxes with your movers or a parcel service.

Will the driver check what's inside my car?: Drivers may look inside to make sure the car isn't overloaded and has no prohibited items like fuel cans or firearms.

Can I leave my car's spare tire and jack?: Yes. Standard equipment that came with the car is fine to leave.

Can I leave a car seat installed?: Usually yes, if you'll need it right away. Remove expensive car seats if you're worried about damage.

Can I ship tools in my truck bed?: Most carriers don't allow cargo in truck beds, and tools aren't insured. Remove them before pickup.

Can I leave my garage door opener in the car?: Remove it. Garage remotes and parking passes can get lost, and they're a security risk if the car is ever stolen.