Deposits are where most car shipping disputes start. Here is how mine works, step by step, and the questions to ask any company before you pay anything.
With Leader Auto Ship you pay nothing when you book. A deposit is taken by card only after a licensed carrier is assigned to your car with a confirmed pickup window, and the remaining balance is paid to the driver after delivery. Every amount is on your dispatch confirmation before anything is charged.
When do you pay a car shipping deposit?
- At booking: nothing. A request for a quote or a reservation costs you nothing.
- When a carrier is assigned: the deposit, by card, to Leader Auto Ship.
- After delivery: the remaining balance, paid to the driver, by the method stated on your dispatch confirmation.
A real example: on a 2018 Audi Q5 I shipped from Newark, New Jersey to Fort Lauderdale in late September 2026, the total was $1,250. The deposit was $200, and the other $1,050 went to the driver after delivery.
The order matters. A deposit taken before any carrier has accepted your car pays for a promise, not a truck. If no carrier will take the quoted price, I tell you before anything is charged, and you choose whether to wait, widen your dates or raise the rate.
Why pay by card?
A card payment leaves a record and a dispute process. Be wary of any company that asks for the deposit by wire, gift card or a payment app before a carrier is named. I do not take deposits through Zelle.
What you receive once you pay
Once your final price is confirmed, you receive the driver’s name and phone number, the carrier’s certificate of insurance and its MC and DOT numbers. Cargo insurance is included in the price: up to $100,000 per vehicle on an open carrier and up to $1,000,000 on an enclosed carrier. You can check the carrier on the federal record before your car moves.
Can the driver ask for more than the balance?
No. The price is set in a written agreement with you and a separate one with the carrier, so nobody has the right to ask for more than the confirmed balance for the job as described. The price guarantee explains what is fixed and the few things, such as extra belongings or a car that does not run, that are re-quoted and agreed before pickup.
Questions to ask any company before you pay
- Is anything charged before a carrier is assigned?
- How is the deposit paid, and is it on a written confirmation?
- What exactly is due to the driver at delivery, and how?
- Will I get the carrier’s name, insurance certificate, MC and DOT numbers before pickup?
- What happens to my deposit if no carrier accepts the price?
The broker warning-signs guide covers the rest, and the verify-us page shows how to check our licence yourself.
Written by Brian Smith, Auto Transport Manager at Leader Auto Ship LLC — FMCSA licensed property broker, MC #1638331, DOT #4232283. Brian has more than four years of experience and has personally handled about 800 shipments. Verify the licence yourself.
