You found the deal, wired the money, and now the car is sitting 1,400 miles away at a seller you’ve never met. Whether it came from Carvana, eBay Motors, Bring a Trailer, or a Facebook Marketplace stranger, the sale was the easy part. Now you’re staring at the same three questions every online car buyer hits: Can I ship it before the title arrives? Who actually hands the keys to the driver when I’m not there? And how much is this going to cost?
This guide answers all three honestly — no sales fluff. At Best Care Auto Transport, coordinating pickups from dealers, auction lots, and private sellers on behalf of buyers who are hundreds of miles away is a core part of what we do. Here’s exactly how it works.
You Bought a Car Online — Now What? The 5-Step Transport Timeline
The moment your payment clears, you become responsible for getting the vehicle home. On most online marketplaces, the buyer — not the platform — arranges shipping. Here’s the sequence:
- Confirm ownership paperwork. Gather your bill of sale or purchase invoice — that’s your proof of ownership for the transporter.
- Get a quote and book. You’ll provide the car’s exact pickup location, its condition (running or not), and any modifications that affect loading.
- Coordinate the pickup contact. Give the transporter the seller’s name and phone number as the on-site contact.
- Pickup & inspection. The driver inspects the car, both parties sign the Bill of Lading, and the car is loaded.
- Delivery & final inspection. You (or your designated contact) inspect the car against the pickup condition report and sign for delivery.
Can You Ship a Car Before the Title Transfers? (The Paperwork Timing Problem)
This is the single biggest anxiety in online car buying, and the good news is reassuring. For domestic, interstate transport, you generally do not need the physical title in hand to ship the car. Many online purchases involve a delay between payment and title transfer — and that’s normal.
What the transporter actually needs is proof of ownership. Industry guidance is that you need a bill of sale or purchase invoice as proof of ownership, and the carrier generates the Bill of Lading at pickup — you don’t have to provide that yourself. Some transporters will also accept vehicle registration or insurance documents as ownership proof.
A few honest caveats:
- Interstate vs. international. The relaxed paperwork rule is for domestic interstate shipping. Shipping a vehicle overseas requires additional documents such as the bill of sale and proof you paid sales tax or import duty.
- Auction releases. Buying at an auto auction? You’ll typically need a gate pass and auction PIN to release the vehicle at pickup — arrange that with the auction house before your driver arrives.
- Documents don’t ride in the car. Registration and insurance paperwork do not need to be physically inside the vehicle during transport.
Shipping From a Dealer vs. Private Seller vs. Auction: What’s Different
Where you bought the car changes who you coordinate with at pickup.
| Purchase Type | Pickup Contact | Key Consideration |
|---|---|---|
| Online dealer (Carvana, Vroom) | Dealer logistics / hub staff | The dealer may offer its own delivery — compare that fee against independent transport. |
| Private seller (eBay Motors, Facebook Marketplace) | The seller in person | Confirm the seller can be present to sign the Bill of Lading and release the car. |
| Auction (Bring a Trailer, Cars & Bids, eBay auctions) | Seller or storage lot staff | Have the title/ownership handoff, gate pass, and any auction release code ready. |
Who Handles Pickup When You’re Not There?
You almost never need to be physically present at the seller’s location. Here’s how a remote pickup actually works: the driver contacts the seller or a designated contact to coordinate access, and buyers should confirm the pickup address is accessible to a large truck for entry and exit.
The one hard requirement: someone has to be there to sign the Bill of Lading, because carriers can’t load without that signature — so provide a backup contact name and number at booking. That “someone” is usually the seller or their authorized representative.
Delivery works the same way. Most transport brokerages use digital contracts, so you can pre-sign documents online, leave keys in a secure spot like a lockbox for a contactless handoff, and stay in phone contact with the driver.
Inspection at Pickup: What the Driver Checks (And Why It Protects You)
When you buy remotely, the pickup inspection is your safety net. The driver documents the car’s existing condition on the Bill of Lading — noting any dents, scratches, or damage — before loading. That’s the baseline you’ll compare against at delivery.
Because you weren’t standing next to the car when you bought it, do two things:
- Request fresh photos close to pickup day — all four sides, the engine bay, and the underside. Ideally you had a pre-purchase inspection (PPI) done before you paid.
- Inspect thoroughly at delivery and note any discrepancy on the Bill of Lading before you sign. If something’s wrong, that document is the foundation of any damage claim.
Special Cases: Carvana, Vroom, eBay Motors, Bring a Trailer & Facebook Marketplace
Carvana / Vroom: These dealers offer their own home delivery, but it isn’t always free. If you’re within Carvana’s local delivery zone — typically 100–150 miles of a hub — delivery to your home is often free or low-cost, and a representative drives the car to you and hands over the keys. Outside that zone, Carvana delivery fees can range from roughly $190 to $590 depending on distance. For long distances, independent transport is worth pricing against the dealer’s fee.
eBay Motors: On eBay Motors, the “buyer is liable for car pickup or shipping” is a standard contract provision, so most buyers arrange their own transport and can choose open or enclosed based on the vehicle’s value.
Bring a Trailer & other auctions: With BaT, the platform only facilitates the auction — the buyer and seller are responsible for arranging payment, paperwork, ownership transfer, and coordinating pickup, and the buyer arranges the shipment. Because BaT specializes in rare, vintage, and collector cars, many buyers choose enclosed transport for the extra protection.
Facebook Marketplace: This is pure peer-to-peer. Verify the seller and the vehicle carefully, get a solid bill of sale, and confirm the seller will be present to release the car.
How Much Does It Cost to Ship a Car You Bought Online?
Online-purchase transport is priced exactly like any other car shipment — by distance, vehicle size, season, route density, and whether you choose open or enclosed. Cost isn’t higher just because you bought online. The figures below are illustrative ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual load-board pricing moves daily.
| Distance | Open Transport (illustrative) | Enclosed (illustrative) |
|---|---|---|
| Short (~300 mi) | Lower total, higher rate per mile | Meaningfully more than open |
| Medium (~1,000 mi) | Mid-range | Roughly 30–60% above open |
| Long / coast-to-coast (2,000–3,000 mi) | Lowest per-mile cost | Premium — common for exotics & collector cars |
Want the full mechanics behind these numbers — and why your quote can shift after booking? Read why car shipping quotes change and how to lock in a fair price.
5 Mistakes Online Car Buyers Make When Arranging Transport
- Assuming the platform ships it for them. On eBay, BaT, and Marketplace, the buyer arranges transport — start early.
- Not giving the seller as a pickup contact. Someone must sign the Bill of Lading; provide a name and backup number at booking.
- Skipping fresh pre-pickup photos. Without them, you have no baseline to prove damage that happened before transport.
- Not verifying the transporter. Before you send a deposit, verify the broker’s FMCSA license.
- Ignoring the truck-access problem. Auction lots and tight urban streets can block a full-size carrier — confirm access or arrange a nearby meeting point.
Ship Your Online Purchase With Best Care Auto Transport
You did the hard part — you found the car. Let Best Care handle the logistics of getting it home from a dealer hub, an auction lot, or a private seller’s driveway. We coordinate directly with your seller, keep you updated through pickup and delivery, and never require you to be on-site to make it happen. Get a quote and book with a licensed, verifiable transporter today.
Related reading: Shipping a Financed Car · How to Ship a Non-Running Car · Terminal-to-Terminal Car Shipping
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I ship a car before the title transfers to me?
For domestic interstate shipping, yes — in most cases. Online purchases often involve a delay between payment and title transfer. Transporters typically need a bill of sale or purchase invoice as proof of ownership rather than the physical title, and the carrier generates the Bill of Lading at pickup. International shipping requires additional documents.
Do I have to be present when the driver picks up a car I bought online?
No. The driver coordinates access with the seller or a designated contact. However, someone must be present to sign the Bill of Lading because carriers can’t load without that signature, so provide the seller’s name and a backup contact when you book.
Does Carvana or Vroom ship the car for me, or do I arrange it?
Carvana and Vroom offer their own delivery, but it isn’t always free. Carvana delivery within a local hub zone is often free or low-cost, while out-of-zone delivery fees can range from roughly $190 to $590. For long distances, it’s worth comparing the dealer’s fee against an independent transporter.
How do I ship a car I won on Bring a Trailer?
Bring a Trailer only facilitates the auction. The buyer and seller coordinate payment, paperwork, ownership transfer, and pickup, and the buyer arranges the shipment. You’ll typically need the ownership handoff plus any gate pass or release code, and many buyers choose enclosed transport for collector cars.
Does it cost more to ship a car just because I bought it online?
No. Online-purchase shipments are priced like any other move — by distance, vehicle size, season, route density, and open vs. enclosed. The purchase channel doesn’t add a fee on the transport side.
