Do a 15-minute sweep before free pickup. Remove the garage-door remote, spare keys, toll transponder, parking permits, disability placards, insurance card, registration, glovebox papers, and all personal items. Check under seats, visors, consoles, seat-back pockets, trunk, and spare-tire well. Factory-reset the infotainment system so Bluetooth pairings, HomeLink buttons, and saved addresses are cleared. Leave the keys and the signed-over title with the car.
Your pre-pickup checklist
Remove security access items
Start with anything that opens a home, garage, office, gate, or storage unit. Take the garage-door remote, spare house keys, work keys, gate fobs, and building access cards. Check the visor, center console, cup holders, door pockets, and key ring. If a remote is built into the mirror or console, clear the programmed buttons during the electronics reset step.
Pull billable account items
Pull the toll transponder from the windshield, dashboard, or glovebox. Then sign in to the toll account and remove the donated vehicle from the account profile. Do the same for paid parking apps, campus permits, apartment decals, and employer parking tags. Take disability placards and reusable permits with you; they should not ride away in the vehicle.
Clear glovebox documents
Empty the glovebox before adding transfer paperwork. Remove the insurance card, registration card, maintenance receipts, loan papers, repair estimates, medical paperwork, and anything with an address, account number, or policy number. Keep records you may need for taxes or insurance. Do not leave checkbooks, old bills, passwords, or title copies mixed in with the car documents.
Sweep cabin and trunk
Work front to back. Look under both front seats, between the seat and console, in door pockets, cup holders, seat-back pockets, visors, map pockets, cargo nets, and floor mats. Open the trunk or hatch. Check tool trays, side bins, the spare-tire well, emergency kits, reusable bags, and any hidden storage cubbies before the driver loads the car.
Reset stored vehicle data
Use the vehicle menu to factory-reset the infotainment system if it powers on. Delete Bluetooth phones, call history, contacts, navigation favorites, saved home address, garage-door HomeLink settings, Wi-Fi profiles, app logins, and driver profiles. If the battery is dead or the screen will not work, remove what you can and change passwords for linked vehicle apps after pickup.
Remove optional add-ons
Remove optional add-ons only if you can do it safely and the vehicle remains intact and as described for donation. Common items include dash cams, phone mounts, upgraded stereos, aftermarket speakers, roof-rack accessories, and child seats. Do not strip factory parts, airbags, emissions parts, catalytic converters, wheels, or major components. When in doubt, leave the car complete.
Leave keys and title
Put the keys with the vehicle, including the main key, spare key, and any key fob needed to steer, unlock, or load it. Leave the signed-over title with the car in the spot you were told to use. Keep personal records separate. A simple envelope marked title helps prevent it from being confused with papers you are taking home.
Paperwork items to separate
Keep the cleanout pile separate from the transfer pile. Vehicle-transfer rules are handled by the state, and the owner names, lien status, and signatures need to match the title record. If any title detail is unclear, contact the Delaware 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. Put the signed-over title with the car, but keep insurance, registration, receipts, and personal records with you.
Common questions
Should I remove my toll transponder?
Yes. Take the transponder out before the tow truck arrives, even if it is inactive or has a low balance. Then remove the donated vehicle from the toll account online or by phone. This helps prevent future tolls, parking charges, or account notices from being tied to the car.
What if I cannot reset the infotainment system?
If the screen is dead, the battery is missing, or the menu will not open, do not delay the donation over it. Remove phones from the vehicle profile if your app allows it. Change passwords for connected services, delete the vehicle from mobile apps, and keep a note that the reset could not be completed.
Should I take out child seats and boosters?
Yes. Remove child seats, booster seats, stroller bases, and pet barriers unless they are part of the donation description and you have chosen to leave them. Also check seat pockets and under child-seat pads for cards, toys, cash, house keys, and small electronics before the car is picked up.
More donation prep guides
After the sweep, the car should be empty of personal items, access devices, billing devices, and stored data. The only essentials to leave are the keys and the signed-over title. First State Autos will use your donation to benefit Heritage for the Blind (EIN 58-2164446). If your cleanout is done and your paperwork is ready, you can move forward with confidence.