Remove your license plates before the tow. For this donation, the plates belong to you, not the vehicle. After removal, either transfer the plates to your next vehicle or surrender them through the state motor vehicle office if you are cancelling the registration. Ask for and keep a surrender receipt. That receipt is your proof for cancelling the registration and may be needed before your insurer will cancel coverage without penalty.
What to do with your plates
Confirm the plate rule
The working rule for this donation is simple: plates stay with the donor. If anything about your vehicle is unusual, confirm with the Illinois Secretary of State, often called the DMV. Ask whether your plates should be removed, transferred, surrendered, or handled another way. Do this before pickup if you can, so the tow driver does not leave with plates that should stay with you.
Remove plates before towing
Take off both plates before the vehicle leaves, including any front and rear plates. Put the screws in a bag or glove box if you plan to reuse the plates. Do not rely on the tow driver to remove them for you. If the vehicle is already gone with plates attached, contact Gear Up Giving and the motor vehicle office for next steps.
Transfer or surrender them
If you are getting another vehicle, ask the motor vehicle office how to transfer the plates to that vehicle. If you are done using them, surrender or return the plates as directed by the office so the registration can be closed out. Do not throw plates away until you know whether a surrender record is needed for your registration or insurance file.
Keep the surrender receipt
If you surrender plates, ask for a receipt or written confirmation. Keep it with your donation records, title copy, and insurance notes. This receipt is your proof that you took the plates out of service and started the registration cancellation process. Some insurers also ask for this proof before they will cancel coverage without a penalty or coverage dispute.
File the transfer notice
After the vehicle is picked up, file the notice of transfer or release of liability required for your situation. Use our separate Vehicle Donation Release of Liability Guide for that task. Handle the plate step and the transfer-notice step as two separate records. One protects your registration and plate status. The other records that you no longer control the donated vehicle.
Why plate handling matters
Plate rules are state-dependent. In most states, plates belong to the donor, so the donor removes them before the tow and then transfers or surrenders them. In a minority of states, plates stay with the vehicle. This page follows the donor-keeps-plates rule that applies here. The practical reason is simple: plates can connect you to registration, insurance, tolls, parking issues, or later use of the vehicle until your records are closed.
Common questions
What if my donated car was already towed with plates on it?
Contact Gear Up Giving right away and ask whether the plates can still be recovered. Also contact the state motor vehicle office and explain that the vehicle was donated with plates attached. Ask how to document the situation and how to cancel, transfer, or surrender the plate record.
Can I cancel insurance as soon as I remove the plates?
Check with your insurer before cancelling. Many insurers want proof that the vehicle is no longer in your control, and some may also want plate surrender or registration cancellation proof. Keep the surrender receipt, donation paperwork, and any transfer notice confirmation together before you close the policy.
Do I give the plates to the tow driver?
No. Remove the plates yourself before the tow unless the motor vehicle office has told you a different rule applies to your exact situation. The driver should take the vehicle, not your plates. If the plates are hard to remove, ask for help before pickup rather than sending the vehicle away with them.
More donation prep guides
Before your donated car leaves, remove the plates, decide whether to transfer or surrender them, keep the receipt, and file the transfer notice. These steps help close your registration, insurance, and liability records cleanly. Gear Up Giving supports Heritage for the Blind (EIN 58-2164446). If you are preparing your donation paperwork now, use this checklist before pickup.