{"id":2938,"date":"2020-07-05T03:52:49","date_gmt":"2020-07-05T09:52:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/citizenshipper.com\/blog\/?p=2938"},"modified":"2026-05-15T09:07:02","modified_gmt":"2026-05-15T15:07:02","slug":"can-you-put-stuff-in-car-before-shipping","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citizenshipper.com\/blog\/can-you-put-stuff-in-car-before-shipping\/","title":{"rendered":"Can you put stuff in a car before shipping? | Citizenshipper"},"content":{"rendered":"

Continuing our informal <\/span>odd-questions-answered<\/span><\/a> series, here\u2019s a query we get every now and then. Customers want to know, can you pack a car that is being shipped? As in, load it with personal items that also need to be moved? So you kill two birds with one stone\u2026?<\/span><\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve ever considered this option, rest assured that you wouldn\u2019t have been the first. Sometimes when moving house, you desperately need a little bit of extra space in the loading truck. So maybe you pop a few of the boxes into the trunk of a car that\u2019s also going the same way. What\u2019s the worst that could happen?<\/span><\/p>\n

We\u2019ll get to that, but as far as the basic premise goes, it\u2019s technically doable. Does your car have to be empty to be shipped? No, it does not. You <\/span>could <\/span><\/i>ship a car full of stuff… but this comes with a couple of important caveats.<\/span><\/p>\n

Caveat #1: Let the driver know of your plans<\/span><\/h2>\n

When arranging for the car to be shipped, you\u2019ll need to state what objects will be stored inside. The transporter that you hire will want all the cards on the table, avoiding any misunderstandings at drop-off.<\/span><\/p>\n

Some transporters might refuse to ship a car stuffed with personal objects. If they\u2019re worried about liability in cases of theft or property damage, they\u2019re within their rights to say no. Assuming they\u2019ve agreed, they might want the extra cargo enumerated and added to the shipping contract.<\/span><\/p>\n

The additional weight is rarely an issue unless you\u2019re *really* stuffing the car with junk. But if the items are valuable, transporters might add a surcharge to account for the added liability. As always, it\u2019s up to you to negotiate these details personally.<\/span><\/p>\n

Caveat #2: Understand the risk that you\u2019re taking<\/span><\/h2>\n

Of course, stuffing the car with extra cargo does carry a certain risk. If the items aren\u2019t properly secured, they can be shaken loose in transport. This might result in damage, either to the items themselves or the vehicle\u2019s interior.<\/span><\/p>\n

Perhaps more importantly, your car is unlikely to be shipped straight to its destination, with no stopovers. When they park, any personal items inside the car practically invite burglary. That\u2019s why transporters might ask you to position all the bags or boxes low, unlikely to be seen from the outside.<\/span><\/p>\n

In case of theft, you\u2019d hold the transporter liable for damages, so make sure they\u2019re insured. If their policy doesn\u2019t cover items stored in the car, you might be looking at a long legal process.<\/span><\/p>\n

So, the final call\u2026?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Considering the caveats above, can we stuff a car before shipping? Yes, technically you can, <\/span>if your driver agrees<\/span><\/a>. Here\u2019s a quick list of dos-and-dont\u2019s you might want to consider first:<\/span><\/p>\n