Office Hours:
6 AM to MIDNIGHT M - F
8 AM to Midnight Sat - Sun
All times Central

"We're serious about our business...
...and we're open long hours to prove it!"

Preparing Your Auto for Shipment

The following important information will help speed your move along:

Personal Belongings
The only items acceptable for shipment in your automobile are those tools and accessories normally attached to the vehicle, or permanently installed in the dash, doors, rear deck, or console. For example, if not bolted in, the following items should be removed:
• loose radios
• CB's
• tape players and tapes
• tape recorders
• compact disc players and discs
• portable telephones of any type
• power boosters
• equalizers
• radar scanners
• extra speakers
• decorative ornaments
• auto protective covers/auto bras
• truck tailgate nets
• auto roof racks if not factory installed
• theft alarm systems (if you choose to leave the car alarm in your vehicle, make sure that the system is disengaged prior to shipment)

Gas and Antifreeze
• Gas - Please deliver your vehicle to Matson with 1/4 tank or less fuel. Our port personnel will do the rest, and make sure your vehicle is ready to go when it reaches its destination. If you are shipping a vehicle powered by an alternate fuel-propane, electric, natural gas, etc. - please contact our Customer Service Center for special shipping instructions.
• Antifreeze - Automobiles shipped between Seattle and Hawaii, especially during the fall and winter months, should be delivered to Matson with antifreeze. We are not responsible for providing this protection nor liable for damage resulting from low temperatures.

Fire Extinguishers and Propane Tanks
• Fire extinguishers - Must be removed. Federal regulations do not permit fire extinguishers to be shipped with your automobile.
• Propane tanks - Vehicles with propane tanks for auxiliary uses must be delivered for shipment with the propane tanks empty of any liquid or fumes. The empty tank must be tagged and certified as "gas free" by an authorized propane dealer or service company. We recommend that you verify the cost of emptying and certifying propane tanks. It may be less costly to purchase a new tank at your destination.

Delivery to the Matson Port Facility
Take your automobile to the Matson Port Facility (maps and hours of operation are provided at the end of this page). Be prepared to provide the following:
• Name, mailing address, and phone number of the shipper - that is, the person for whom the automobile is being shipped.
• Name, mailing address, and phone number of the consignee - that is, the addressee, or the person to whom the automobile is being shipped. Most of the time, the shipper and the consignee are the same person.
• General information about your automobile - year, make, model, and license number.
• In Seattle, be prepared to show a copy of registration or purchase papers.
• Port of discharge -

Leave a set of keys for the ignition, trunk door, gas tank, and any other locking compartment. The Department of Agriculture inspects all compartments of your vehicle, and will detain any vehicle without a key to a locked compartment. We will provide a special Matson Key Chain and your keys will accompany your vehicle to its port of discharge.

• Please retain possession of your automobile registration document - you will need it at the port of discharge.

Special Requirements When Shipping Your Car FROM Hawaii:
The State of Hawaii requires proof of ownership when an automobile is delivered in Hawaii for shipment to the Mainland. We cannot accept a vehicle for shipment from the State of Hawaii unless it is accompanied by a certificate of ownership and a current certificate of registration. If someone other than the registered owner is shipping the automobile, we must have:
• a notarized letter of authorization from the registered owner and
• a current certificate of registration.

If the lienholder is named on the registration, a letter from the lienholder authorizing shipment from Hawaii is required. Hawaii State Law does not allow any exceptions to these requirements.

Special Requirements FROM Hawaii TO Seattle:
The United States Department of Agriculture has the authority to inspect all vehicle shipments traveling from Hawaii to the US Mainland. Therefore, individuals are responsible for thoroughly cleaning their vehicle prior to shipment. If found dirty, the vehicle will not be accepted for shipment in Hawaii until it is cleaned.

During USDA inspections, they will be looking for insects and/or soil contaminated with organic material that can carry disease. Soil build-up can usually be found inside the cab areas, fenders/wheel wells, rims, bumpers, truck beds and the undercarriage of vehicles.

Vehicles not passing inspection in Seattle will have to be steam-cleaned by Matson prior to their release. Currently, there is no cost for this service, but it will cause a delay in your vehicle's availability.