If your home doesn't have a brick-and-mortar garage, you can still protect a vehicle. In fact, with carport kits, you can find a structure that meets your needs specifically and that you can install yourself. Most carport kits are do-it-yourself, as, essentially, the structure needs to be assembled and anchored into the ground. Portable carport kits may cover an area to shield several vehicles from rain and UV rays or they may have vehicle-specific dimensions.

Carport kits encompass fully metal and metal and polyethylene structures. For the former, metal carport kits are made entirely of galvanized steel. As the top in particular is exposed to the elements, this metal portion is coated with silicon. Metal and polyethylene carports, however, are far more common and offer more options for sheltering. Such carports can have a valance or enclosed design to protect an everyday or seasonal vehicle. The polyethylene, a heavy-duty and rip-stop material, is treated to be UV resistant, waterproof, mildew resistant, and rot proof. All carport kits allow for air circulation to prevent the buildup of mold, mildew, and dry rot on the investment stored inside.

Installation is a key part of using all carport kits. No matter the type of structure, putting the frame together and anchoring it are both necessary steps. A frame not anchored correctly won't be able to withstand as much snow or wind and has a greater chance of collapsing.

Most carport kits sold through Shelters of America have an accompanying set of anchors. This feature is ideal if you plan to use the carport temporarily – which, in the case of seasonal vehicles, is often. If the shelter becomes a permanent cover for your vehicles, however, setting the legs in concrete before they're added to the ground is often recommended. Nevertheless, building codes vary with each town, city, and neighborhood, and shelter that has been anchored by concrete into the ground may need to meet a different set of requirements than those for temporary structures.