If you’re a fan of Rock and Roll or the Cleveland Indians, then living in Ohio must feel like a dream. And if you’re reading this article, I bet you’re well on your way to make this dream a reality. Whether you’re visiting OH for a quick vacation or you’re moving to the state officially, you might need some help on how you can transport some of your essentials over there – including your car.

Having your own car in a large state such as Ohio is definitely a big advantage. If you’re only there for a short period of time, having your own means of transport allows you to get around easier and cover more ground faster. It’s also more convenient to drive and use map applications like Waze or Google Maps to find your way than it is to take a public commute in an unfamiliar city.

On the other hand, if you are looking to get your car to Ohio due to a change of residence, it is also important to know what you need to comply with in order to safely and legally gain entry for your vehicle in Ohio (see more). Different states would have different policies regarding out-of-state vehicles so it’s important to keep in mind that you first need to meet these requirements before you can even drive within the state’s territory.

Here are 4 steps you need to take to get your car shipped to Ohio:

Look For A Shipping Company To Partner With

If you’re looking to ship your car, then first you will need to find the right company to work with. You can easily explore your options with a quick search but make sure that you go over every prospect thoroughly. To make sure that there are no mishaps, you would want to work with a company with a good track record for deliveries, has a high customer satisfaction rating, and of course, is reliable and trustworthy.

You should also avoid making decisions in haste. If your trip or move to Ohio is still a couple months away, take your time to go over your options carefully. Ask for pricing quotations based on your location from at least 2-3 businesses, this will help you compare prices and service inclusions. Find one that best fits your needs specifically and you feel 100% satisfied with.

Once you’ve made your choice, book the service as early as you can, especially if you can land discounts by booking in advance. This will also help you plan ahead and avoid the rush during peak months.

Prepare Your Vehicle

After arranging the transport date with your chosen provider, the next thing you need to do is to ready your car for transit. While car transport companies in Ohio go above and beyond to ensure the safety of your car during the shipping process, you also have a responsibility as the owner to do what you can on your end to ensure safe delivery.

First, you have to make sure to remove any personal belongings from the vehicle. This includes sensitive documents, valuables, electronics, and other stuff that would not be necessary during transport.

In fact, it should be common practice to do this, especially when you are handing your automobile to someone you don’t entirely know. Most companies would have you sign to waive their liability in the case of lost or missing items from the vehicle so you should be responsible enough to clear everything out before passing on your key to the people in charge.

Second, make sure that you don’t overfill your vehicle right before shipping. The standard process is to only leave about ¼ of gas in your tank before you hand it off for transport. This makes your vehicle lighter and thus, easier to haul. This will help you save on delivery costs as well since car shipping companies base their service quotations on the vehicle’s weight and the distance traveled.

Have The Paperwork Ready

Next, make sure your car’s registration, your licenses, emission tests, and insurances are all up-to-date before you ship your car out. This will help you avoid any troublesome issues once your automobile arrives at the destination state’s borders. Most car shipping companies would ask you to submit the same prior to accepting your vehicle for shipping. If you are not 100% sure what documents you need to comply with, you can always ask your service partner.

Document Your Car’s Current Condition

Last but not least, don’t forget to secure proof of your automobile’s current condition. You can do this by taking photos and videos of your car’s interior and exterior. You also need to disclose any existing dents, scratches, and other damages your car already has in the bill of lading, which you can read more about here: https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/bill-of-lading-BoL-B-L. In the event that your vehicle gets into unprecedented accidents, as rare as this may be nowadays, these pictures and videos you took will serve as impartial evidence that your car has received new damage that needs to be compensated either by the company or your insurance company, or both.