Shipping a Car From Oahu: How to Get It Ready for Matson or Pasha

Both Matson and Pasha require a clean vehicle, a fuel level between 1/8 and 1/4 tank, and no personal belongings, and cars leaving Hawaii are inspected by the USDA for mud, soil, plant material and seeds inside and out.

What the carriers ask for

These are the published requirements as of September 2026. Carriers change their rules, so check your booking confirmation too.

Matson says to wash the exterior, make sure the interior is vacuumed and dry, and not to shampoo the interior. It states that dirty vehicles will not be accepted. It also asks for:

• Fuel between 1/8 and 1/4 of a tank, never more than 1/4
• All personal belongings removed (up to two child car seats may stay)
• Fire extinguishers, bike racks, car covers and extra batteries removed
• No check engine, airbag or tire warning light on, or the vehicle is refused
• Matson has suspended shipping electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids

Pasha Hawaii says vehicles must be drivable, free of leaking fluids, and thoroughly washed and cleaned for an accurate inspection, and that outbound shipments from Hawaii must meet USDA inspection requirements. It asks for:

• Fuel between 1/8 and 1/4 of a tank
• All personal items removed, including tools, spare keys, remote controls and car covers
• Every compartment emptied: trunk, glove box, center console, door pockets
• Interior vacuumed, including the seats, and the exterior washed thoroughly
• Any aftermarket alarm disconnected

What the USDA inspection looks for

According to Matson, the USDA looks for clumps of mud in the wheel wells and under the vehicle, checks under the hood, and looks for dirt, grass and plant seeds inside and out. A vehicle that fails at origin cannot ship until it has been cleaned at the owner's expense and inspected again.

That is why a quick drive-through wash often is not enough. The places that get flagged are the ones a tunnel wash does not reach: wheel wells, the undercarriage, the engine bay, and sand in the carpet.

A checklist for the week before

1. Book the cleaning a few days before your port drop-off, not the morning of.
2. Empty the car completely: trunk, glove box, console, door pockets, under the seats.
3. Get the exterior washed, including wheel wells and the undercarriage.
4. Vacuum the interior, seats included. Skip shampooing: Matson asks for a dry interior and says not to shampoo.
5. If the engine bay is dusty or has leaves in it, have it cleaned. It gets inspected too.
6. Run the tank down to between 1/8 and 1/4.
7. Take photos of every side at drop-off. A clean car photographs clearly, which is your record if it arrives damaged.

What we do

Our Shipping Prep is $225 for a car, $275 for an SUV or van and $350 for a truck. It covers an exterior wash, the undercarriage and wheel wells, an interior vacuum including the trunk or bed, and windows inside and out. Engine bay cleaning is $75 more. We don't certify a vehicle against any carrier's standard, so tell us what your carrier or broker asked for when you book and we will work to it. We're in Chinatown, about ten minutes from the harbor.

Book shipping prep