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, glovebox documents, chargers, cash, tools, and all personal items. Check under seats, seat-back pockets, visors, the center console, trunk, and spare-tire well.
Factory-reset the infotainment system, including Bluetooth pairings, HomeLink, and any saved home address. Leave the keys and the signed-over title with the car.
Your pre-pickup checklist
Remove security items first
Start with anything that opens a door, gate, or secured area. Pull the garage-door remote from the visor or console. Remove spare house keys, mailbox keys, gate fobs, workplace badges, storage-unit keys, and any valet key you do not intend to donate. Check key rings in the cupholders and console before you move on.
Stop billable account charges
Remove the toll transponder from the windshield, dashboard, or glovebox. Then log in to the toll account and remove the vehicle from that account. Do the same for parking apps, monthly garage accounts, campus permits, neighborhood permits, and any fleet or fuel card tied to the vehicle. Take disability placards with you.
Clear documents and glovebox
Open the glovebox, door pockets, console, and visor clips. Remove the insurance card, registration, repair invoices, loan papers, receipts, medical paperwork, school forms, and anything with an address, account number, or signature. Keep donation paperwork separate from personal records so the signed-over title is not mixed in with papers you are taking away.
Sweep cabin and trunk
Work front to back. Check under both front seats, between seat cushions, seat-back pockets, floor mats, cupholders, the center console, sunglasses holders, visors, door bins, and rear cargo pockets. Then check the trunk, cargo tray, side compartments, jack storage area, and spare-tire well. Look for cash, jewelry, tools, medications, garage clickers, chargers, and children’s items.
Factory-reset the electronics
Use the vehicle settings menu to delete personal data. Remove Bluetooth pairings, call logs, contacts, garage-door settings such as HomeLink, navigation favorites, and any saved home address. Log out of connected-car apps if the system allows it. If you cannot find a full reset option, delete each saved item manually before the car leaves.
Remove optional aftermarket items
You may remove personal add-ons such as a dash cam, phone mount, upgraded stereo faceplate, portable GPS, seat covers, cargo organizer, or child seats. Do this before pickup. Leave the car intact and as-described. Do not remove parts that make the vehicle unsafe to load, steer, roll, brake, or identify.
Leave title and keys
Put the signed-over title and the vehicle keys with the car where the tow driver can receive them. Include the main key, any working fob, and any key needed to unlock the steering column or doors. Do not leave your insurance card, registration, toll tag, or personal documents with the title unless Rides for Pride specifically requested them.
Handle state paperwork separately
This checklist is for removing belongings and data, not for replacing transfer instructions. Vehicle-title rules are state-run and can vary. Some states require only the seller’s signed title; others may require extra signature details, odometer entries, lien releases, or a duplicate-title process if the title is missing. If any title detail is unclear, check with the Tennessee DMV before pickup.
For license plates, see our separate guide: License Plate Guide. For release of liability, see our separate guide: Release of Liability Guide.
Common questions
What if I forgot something in the car?
Contact Rides for Pride as soon as you notice. Give a clear description of the item and where it was left. Recovery is much harder after the vehicle has moved through the donation process, so do the sweep before pickup and keep valuables, records, and account-linked devices out of the car.
Should I leave the insurance card or registration?
No. Remove the insurance card, registration, and routine glovebox papers unless you were given a specific instruction to leave a document. Keep your records at home. The items that should stay with the vehicle are the keys and the signed-over title needed for the donation transfer.
Do I need to clean out trash too?
Yes. Take a small bag and remove trash while you check for personal items. This helps you spot coins, receipts, keys, documents, and small electronics that slide under seats or into pockets. You do not need to detail the vehicle; the goal is to remove belongings, data, and billable items.
More donation prep guides
A careful 15-minute sweep keeps your personal items, account devices, and stored data from leaving with the tow truck. Remove valuables and documents, reset the electronics, and keep paperwork straight. Then leave the keys and signed-over title with the car. Rides for Pride benefits Heritage for the Blind (EIN 58-2164446). Use this checklist before free pickup.