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Shipping a Car That Will Not Start
Non-running does not mean unshippable. What the carrier needs to know, what equipment gets used, and why an honest disclosure saves you money.
June 23, 2026 · 5 min read
Ready to ship your car?
Get a no-obligation quote from Enterprise Auto Transport. Owner-operated, U.S.-based, and licensed with the FMCSA.
Verify before you book
Two minutes on the FMCSA website tells you who you're really dealing with
You do not have to take any company's word for it. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration keeps free public records on every licensed broker and carrier in the country. Here is exactly what to ask for and where to verify it:
1.Ask for the MC and USDOT numbers
Every legitimate broker and carrier must provide both on request. Our numbers: USDOT #2273104 and MC #774106. If a company hesitates or deflects, stop.
2.Look them up on the FMCSA SAFER system
Go to safer.fmcsa.dot.gov and use the Company Snapshot search. Enter the MC or USDOT number and confirm the legal name, operating status and “Authorized” broker or carrier authority match what you were told.
3.Confirm the $75,000 broker bond
In the FMCSA Licensing & Insurance portal (li-public.fmcsa.dot.gov), verify the broker's BMC-84 bond or BMC-85 trust fund is active. No active bond means no legal authority to broker your shipment.
4.Request the carrier's insurance certificate
Before your car is loaded, ask for a certificate of insurance directly from the assigned carrier — cargo and liability. Match the carrier's name and DOT number on the certificate to the truck that arrives.
When you check our records you'll find Enterprise Auto Transport, USDOT #2273104, MC #774106 — an owner-operated, federally licensed and bonded broker with offices in Naples, Florida and Minnesota.
Define the condition precisely
In dispatch terms, an inoperable vehicle is one that cannot move under its own power, but the details matter enormously. A car that rolls, steers and brakes can be winched onto a deck in minutes. A car with seized brakes, a locked steering column or missing wheels needs different equipment and sometimes a different truck entirely.
Why disclosure protects you
If a driver arrives expecting a running car and finds one that will not roll, the load can be refused at the door and the whole booking restarts. Telling us the exact condition up front means the vehicle is posted to carriers with winch-equipped trucks, priced correctly the first time, and picked up on schedule.
The surcharge for non-running vehicles typically runs one hundred to two hundred dollars over the standard rate. It reflects the equipment and the extra loading time, and it is far cheaper than a failed pickup.
What to prepare
Air the tires if they hold pressure, clear the path so a winch cable can reach, disconnect any alarm that fires when the battery is jumped, and have keys available even if the car will not start.
- Tell us whether it rolls, steers and brakes
- Note missing wheels, seized brakes or a locked column
- Ensure a flat, accessible loading area
- Keys available for steering and gear selection
Key takeaways
- Most non-running cars ship fine on winch-equipped carriers.
- Rolls, steers and brakes is the question that sets the price.
- Disclose the condition early to avoid a refused pickup.
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