Do a 15-minute sweep before the tow truck arrives. Remove the garage-door remote, spare house keys, toll transponder, parking permits, disability placards, insurance card, registration, and every glovebox document you want to keep. Check under seats, visors, seat-back pockets, center console, trunk, and spare-tire well. Take personal items and valuables. Factory-reset the infotainment system, including Bluetooth pairings, HomeLink, and any saved home address. Leave the working keys and the signed-over title with the car.
Your pre-pickup checklist
Remove security access items
Start with anything that controls access to your home, garage, building, or storage space. Take the garage-door remote from the visor, console, or cup holder. Remove spare house keys, building fobs, mailbox keys, storage-unit keys, and hidden magnetic key boxes. Check key rings too. Only the vehicle keys should stay with the donated car.
Stop toll billing first
Remove every toll transponder, pass, or tag before the car goes on the truck. Then sign in to the toll account and remove this vehicle from the account or mark the device inactive, depending on how your provider handles it. Keep the tag with you until the account shows the vehicle is no longer billable.
Clear out car documents
Empty the glovebox and door pockets of papers. Take the insurance card, registration, maintenance receipts, old repair estimates, parking permits, disability placards, and anything with an address, policy number, or account number. Do not leave loan papers. If you need a record, take photos or make copies before you set the title with the car.
Sweep cabin and trunk
Work front to back. Look under all seats, between cushions, inside seat-back pockets, in visors, in the center console, in cup holders, and in door bins. Open the trunk or cargo area. Check side compartments, emergency kits, tool trays, the spare-tire well, and any organizer. Remove cash, cards, sunglasses, medications, chargers, and personal keepsakes.
Factory reset saved data
Wipe stored data from the infotainment system before you hand over the car. Delete Bluetooth pairings, call logs, contacts, saved Wi-Fi, navigation history, and any saved home or work address. Clear HomeLink or built-in garage controls. If the menu offers a factory reset, use it, then confirm your phone no longer connects.
Remove optional add-ons carefully
Remove aftermarket items only if you can do it cleanly and the car still matches what you described. Dash cams, plug-in GPS units, phone mounts, upgraded stereos, bike racks, and child seats may be yours to keep. Do not strip required parts, leave exposed wiring, or remove equipment that changes the vehicle’s basic condition.
Leave keys and title
Leave the working keys and the signed-over title with the car. Put the title in a dry, obvious place only when you are ready for handoff, not days in advance. If there is more than one key, include the spare. Keep your copies of donation paperwork separate so they do not leave by mistake.
Paperwork and account notes
Title and account rules can depend on whether the title is clean, whether a lien is listed, and whether the state asks you to keep or file any transfer notice. If anything about the signature, buyer line, odometer entry, or lien release is unclear, pause and confirm with the Minnesota DMV before the car leaves. For plates, use our License Plates After Donation guide. For reporting the transfer, use our Release of Liability After Donation guide. Keep copies or photos of the signed title and donation paperwork for your records, along with any toll-account confirmation.
Common questions
Should I leave the keys and title in the car?
Yes. Leave the working vehicle keys and the signed-over title with the car. Keep your insurance card, registration, permits, receipts, and copies of donation paperwork. If more than one owner is listed or a lien appears on the title, confirm the signing requirements before handoff.
Can I leave trash or unwanted items for the tow driver?
No. Remove trash, loose items, and anything you do not want to lose. Donation vehicles should be sent as vehicles, not as storage. A quick trash bag pass through the cabin, trunk, and console prevents personal property from leaving with the car.
What if my car does not have a factory reset option?
Use the manual delete options you can find. Remove phones from Bluetooth, delete contacts, clear navigation destinations, erase garage-control buttons, and remove any saved Wi-Fi. If the screen is dead or locked, remove connected devices and keep a note for your records.
More donation prep guides
After the sweep, the car should contain only what belongs with the vehicle: the working keys, the signed-over title, and any equipment you agreed to donate with it. Your donation through Twin City Wheels benefits Heritage for the Blind (EIN 58-2164446). If a document, device, or account detail feels uncertain, take one more minute to check before free pickup.