Do a 15-minute sweep before the tow truck takes the car. Remove the garage-door remote, spare house keys, toll transponder, parking permits, disability placards, insurance card, registration, glovebox papers, and all personal items. Check under seats, consoles, visors, seat-back pockets, the trunk, and the spare-tire well. Factory-reset the infotainment system so Bluetooth pairings, HomeLink, and saved home addresses are gone. Leave the keys and the signed-over title with the car.
Your pre-pickup checklist
Remove security items
Start with anything that opens a door, gate, or private space. Take the garage-door remote, building fobs, spare house keys, mailbox keys, storage keys, and workplace access cards. Check the visor, cup holders, key tray, center console, and door pockets. If a remote is built into the mirror or infotainment system, plan to wipe it during the electronics step.
Pull billing items
Remove the toll transponder from the windshield, dashboard, or license-area mount. Then log in to the toll account and remove the donated vehicle from that account. Do the same for paid parking apps, campus permits, garage stickers, and fleet fuel cards. Take disability placards and hangtags with you. Anything tied to charges or privileges should leave with you.
Clear glovebox documents
Take your insurance card, registration, inspection or repair paperwork, receipts, warranties, and any papers showing your address, account numbers, or signature. Check the glovebox, owner’s manual folder, console file slot, and map pockets. Do not accidentally remove the signed-over title once it is ready to go with the vehicle. Keep unrelated personal records at home.
Sweep cabin and trunk
Move front seats all the way forward and back. Look under the seats, between cushions, in seat-back pockets, visors, door pockets, cup holders, the center console, cargo bins, and the trunk. Lift the trunk floor and check the spare-tire well. Remove sunglasses, cash, tools, medication, chargers, school items, work badges, and anything with personal information.
Wipe stored electronics data
Factory-reset the infotainment system if the car has one. Delete Bluetooth pairings, saved phones, contacts, call history, navigation destinations, garage-door settings such as HomeLink, Wi-Fi settings, and any saved home address. Also clear app logins and subscription profiles. If the battery is dead or the screen will not turn on, remove what you can and note the issue.
Remove optional add-ons
Take aftermarket items only if removing them does not change the vehicle from what you described. Dash cams, plug-in GPS units, phone mounts, upgraded stereos, roof racks, and child seats may be yours to keep. Leave factory parts, required safety equipment, and anything needed for the car to remain intact. Do not strip parts after donation details are confirmed.
Leave pickup essentials
Leave the keys and the signed-over title with the car. Put them where the pickup driver can receive them, or follow the driver’s document handoff instructions if you are present. The title assignment is state-specific, so follow the printed title instructions exactly. If the owner name, lien status, co-owner signature, or estate issue is unclear, contact the Pennsylvania DMV before handoff.
Handle related paperwork separately
This checklist is only for clearing the car before free pickup. It is not the place to work through separate state paperwork questions. For license plates, use the separate guide License Plates After Donating a Vehicle. For release of liability, use the separate guide Release of Liability After Donating a Vehicle. Keep your donation confirmation, title copy if you make one, and any personal vehicle records in your own file after the car leaves.
Common questions
Should I leave the insurance card in the glovebox?
No. Remove the insurance card and any insurance paperwork from the glovebox or console. Those papers can show policy numbers, names, addresses, and other personal details. Keep them with your records until you confirm what you need to do with your insurer after the vehicle is no longer in your possession.
What if I cannot factory-reset the screen?
Remove data manually if the factory reset is not available. Delete paired phones, contacts, saved addresses, garage-door settings, navigation history, and app profiles one by one. If the battery is dead or the system will not power on, remove any removable devices and tell the pickup driver that the system could not be accessed.
Can I keep the dash cam or child seat?
Yes, if the item is yours and removal does not damage the car or change what you reported. Take dash cams, child seats, portable GPS units, phone mounts, and similar add-ons before pickup. Leave factory-installed equipment and required parts in place so the vehicle remains intact and as described.
Where should I put the keys and title?
Keep the keys and signed-over title together for handoff. If you will meet the driver, hand them over directly. If you received a specific document placement instruction, follow that instruction. Do not leave an unsigned title, and do not pack the title away with personal papers you are removing from the vehicle.
More donation prep guides
A clean sweep protects your privacy and prevents small items from leaving in the vehicle by mistake. Take 15 minutes, work front to back, remove anything personal or billable, wipe stored data, and leave only what the pickup needs: the keys and signed-over title. Your donation through Capital Rides Initiative benefits Heritage for the Blind (EIN 58-2164446). When you are done, keep this checklist with your records.