Buyer's guide
Florida Auto Transport Companies: How to Choose
Search 'car shipping Florida' and you get dozens of near-identical websites. Here is exactly what to check before you hand any of them a vehicle or a deposit.
The short version
Five checks that filter out most bad actors
- Get the USDOT and MC numbers, then verify them yourself on FMCSA SAFER — do not accept a screenshot
- Confirm whether the company is a broker or a carrier, and that they say so without being pushed
- Ask to see the assigned carrier's active authority and current cargo insurance before dispatch
- Treat an unusually low quote as a warning, not a win — it is often a number no truck will accept
- Never send a deposit by wire, gift card or cash app, and get the refund terms in writing
Most complaints about Florida car shipping trace back to one of those five points: an unverified company, an unclear broker relationship, an unverified carrier, a bait quote, or an unrecoverable deposit. None of them require industry knowledge to check — only ten minutes before you commit.
Broker or carrier
Know which one you are hiring
Almost every nationwide auto transport company advertising in Florida is a broker. That is not a problem — brokers hold their own federal authority and surety bond, and a good one gives you access to thousands of vetted carriers instead of one truck's schedule. The problem is a broker who lets you believe they own the truck.
Ask directly: "Are you the carrier, or are you brokering this?" Then ask who the assigned carrier is once the vehicle is dispatched, and check that carrier's authority and cargo policy too. A company that answers both questions plainly is telling you how it operates; one that deflects is telling you something else.
Quotes
Why the cheapest Florida quote is usually the slowest
Carrier pricing on Florida lanes is set by supply and demand week to week, not by the company you booked with. A quote below what carriers are accepting does not make the move cheaper — it makes the vehicle unattractive on the load board, so it sits. That is the mechanism behind most "my car never got picked up" stories, and it peaks in the October–December and March–May windows when demand into and out of Florida is heaviest.
A realistic quote should come with a reason: the lane, the season, the vehicle size, open versus enclosed, and how firm your dates are. If nobody explains those, the number is a guess.
Verify us the same way
Hold us to the checks on this page
Licensing
USDOT #2273104 · MC #774106
Federally licensed and bonded property broker — not a carrier. Verify on FMCSA SAFER.
Better Business Bureau
BBB Accredited Business | A+ Rating
Accreditation and rating can be checked on our BBB business profile.
In business
Serving customers since 2012
Established February 2012 — 14+ years arranging vehicle transportation.
Booking line
(239) 273-4649
This is our only booking number. Owner-operated, Naples, Florida and Minnesota.
Open, enclosed and door-to-door transportation for standard, luxury, exotic, classic and collector vehicles, nationwide, with seasonal snowbird expertise on the Minnesota ↔ Florida corridor. More about the company.
Questions
Choosing a Florida auto transport company
How do I check whether a Florida auto transport company is legitimate?
What is the difference between a broker and a carrier?
Why do quotes from different Florida companies vary so much?
Should I pay a deposit before a carrier is assigned?
How far ahead should I book car shipping in Florida?
Is Enterprise Auto Transport the same as Enterprise Rent-A-Car?
Compare us against anyone on this list
Owner-operated since 2012, BBB Accredited with an A+ rating, and every carrier verified before your vehicle is assigned.