Before the tow truck arrives for free pickup, take 15 minutes to remove anything personal, valuable, or billable. Pull the garage-door remote, spare house keys, toll transponder, parking permits, disability placards, insurance card, registration, glovebox papers, loose items, tools, child gear, and trunk contents.
Then factory-reset the infotainment system: delete Bluetooth pairings, HomeLink, and any saved home address. Leave the keys and the signed-over title with the car.
Your pre-pickup checklist
Remove access and security items
Start with anything that opens a door, gate, or building. Remove the garage-door remote from the visor, console, or key ring. Check for spare house keys, storage-unit keys, mailbox keys, office keys, gate cards, and building fobs. If you kept emergency cash, a hidden key, or a wallet card in the car, take it now.
Pull billing and permit items
Take out the toll transponder, parking permits, campus tags, apartment stickers, and disability placards. For tolls, removal is only half the job. Log in to the toll account or call the toll agency and remove the donated vehicle from the account so future toll activity is not billed to you.
Clear documents from glovebox
Remove your insurance card, registration, repair invoices, warranty papers, loan papers, medical cards, receipts, and any document showing your address or account numbers. Keep copies you may need for tax or insurance records. Do not leave personal paperwork in the glovebox just because it “belongs with the car.”
Sweep cabin and trunk
Move through the car like a lost-item check. Look under the seats, between cushions, inside seat-back pockets, under floor mats, in door pockets, in the center console, above the visors, and in cup holders. Then check the trunk, cargo bins, jack compartment, spare-tire well, tool area, and any hidden storage panels.
Wipe stored vehicle data
Factory-reset the infotainment system if the vehicle has one. Delete Bluetooth pairings, call history, contacts, saved phones, navigation favorites, garage-control settings, and any saved home address. If the car has HomeLink, clear the programmed garage buttons. If you cannot find a reset option, delete each saved device and address manually.
Remove optional aftermarket items
Take dash cams, phone mounts, upgraded stereo faceplates, add-on speakers, portable GPS units, removable cargo racks, and child seats if you want to keep them. Do not strip parts needed to keep the car as described. Leave installed equipment in place unless it is clearly aftermarket, removable, and not part of the donation description.
Leave transfer items ready
Leave the keys and the signed-over title with the car. Put them where the driver can identify them, but do not hide them inside a locked vehicle unless you were specifically told to do so. If there are multiple keys, include the ignition key and any key needed to unlock the doors or trunk.
Keep separate guide tasks separate
Title and transfer paperwork can depend on facts like ownership, liens, and how the vehicle is titled. If something in your paperwork conflicts with this checklist, follow the instructions from the North Dakota DMV or your county motor vehicle office. For plates, use our separate guide: License Plates After Donation. For release of liability, use our separate guide: Release of Liability After Donation. Keep those tasks separate from this sweep so the interior is clean, the title is ready, and no personal paperwork rides away by mistake.
Common questions
Should I leave my insurance card or registration in the car?
No. Remove your insurance card, registration, and any personal paperwork from the glovebox. Keep what you need for your records. Insurance cancellation timing can depend on your policy and transfer details, so contact your insurer if you are unsure when to cancel coverage.
Do I remove child seats, dash cams, and phone mounts?
Yes, remove personal add-ons you want to keep, including child seats, dash cams, portable GPS units, and phone mounts. Leave the vehicle intact and as described. Do not remove factory parts or installed equipment that would change the condition you reported.
What if I cannot factory-reset the infotainment system?
Delete what you can manually. Start with paired phones, contacts, call history, saved addresses, garage-door programming, and navigation favorites. If the screen does not work, remove personal items and documents, then keep a note for your records that a full reset was not possible.
What if I find a personal item after the car leaves?
Contact Drive for Good as soon as you notice. Recovery is not guaranteed after the vehicle has been towed, moved, or processed, so the best protection is the 15-minute sweep before pickup. Check small spaces carefully before you hand over the keys.
More donation prep guides
A final sweep protects your privacy and prevents tolls, permits, and personal documents from leaving with the vehicle. Keep your records at home, reset stored vehicle data, and leave only what is needed for the transfer: the keys and signed-over title. Drive for Good supports Heritage for the Blind (EIN 58-2164446). When your checklist is done, you are ready for pickup.