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 papers, and all personal items. Check under seats, visors, seat-back pockets, the center console, trunk, and spare-tire well.
Factory-reset the infotainment system. Clear Bluetooth pairings, HomeLink, saved addresses, and garage codes. Remove optional aftermarket items only if the car stays intact and as-described. Leave the keys and signed-over title with the car.
Your pre-pickup checklist
Remove security items first
Start with items that can open doors or identify where you live. Remove the garage-door remote, spare house keys, building fobs, storage-unit keys, and mailbox keys. Check the visor, cup holders, center console tray, and key ring for anything attached. If the remote is built into the vehicle, plan to clear it during the electronics reset step.
Pull billable account items
Remove the toll transponder, parking access card, paid parking permit, and any fuel, fleet, or charging card. Then log in to the toll or parking account and remove the donated vehicle from the account. Do both steps. Taking the tag out stops one risk; removing the vehicle from the account helps prevent future charges tied to the plate or vehicle record.
Clear documents and permits
Take out the insurance card, registration, repair invoices, old receipts, loan papers, and anything in the glovebox with your name, address, policy number, or account number. Remove disability placards and neighborhood parking permits unless a specific program tells you otherwise. Keep these personal documents with your records. Do not pack the signed-over title away; it stays with the vehicle at the end.
Sweep cabin and trunk
Work front to back. Check under both front seats, between seat cushions, door pockets, cup holders, the center console, seat-back pockets, visors, rear cargo bins, and every small tray. Open the trunk or hatch. Look in the side wells, tool area, cargo cover space, and spare-tire well. Remove sunglasses, cash, medications, chargers, child items, work badges, and anything valuable or private.
Wipe stored vehicle data
Use the screen menu to delete phones, Bluetooth pairings, call history, text access, navigation favorites, saved home and work addresses, Wi-Fi hotspots, and app accounts. If the system offers a factory reset, use it. Then clear or reset HomeLink if it is separate. If you cannot find the menu, remove phone permissions from your phone and check the owner manual.
Remove optional aftermarket gear
Take aftermarket items only if removal is clean and the car remains intact and as-described. Common removals include dash cams, plug-in GPS units, upgraded stereo faceplates, phone mounts, removable roof racks, child seats, and personal emergency kits. Do not cut wires, remove required equipment, or take parts you already described as included with the donation. When in doubt, leave the vehicle complete.
Leave keys and signed title
After your sweep, put all keys with the car, including ignition, door, trunk, wheel-lock, and remote keys if you have them. Leave the signed-over title with the vehicle for pickup. Do not leave your insurance card, registration, or personal files as substitutes. If multiple owners are listed or the title has an issue, pause and confirm the correct signing process before handing it over.
Title and paperwork checks
Title rules can vary when there are two owners, a lien, a missing title, a name change, or an estate. Some titles require every listed owner to sign; others depend on the wording between names. If your situation is not straightforward, check the Minnesota DMV before the vehicle leaves. For license plates, see our License Plates After Donation Guide. For release of liability, see our Release of Liability Guide. Keep copies or photos of donation paperwork for your own records.
Common questions
Should I leave maintenance records in the car?
Only leave records if you have removed personal information first. Many invoices show your name, address, phone number, payment details, or account numbers. If the paperwork is useful but private, keep it. Revive Auto does not need your insurance card, registration, loan paperwork, or glovebox files to pick up the vehicle.
What if I forget something in the car?
Contact Revive Auto as soon as you notice. Recovery is easier before the vehicle changes hands, but it is not guaranteed after pickup. That is why the 15-minute sweep matters. Check small places twice, especially the center console, under-seat area, visor, trunk side pockets, and spare-tire well.
Do I need to clean or detail the car?
No. You do not need to detail the vehicle before donation. Focus on removing personal property, private documents, toll and parking items, and stored data. Throw away loose trash if it helps you see under seats and in storage pockets. Normal dirt, wear, and an unwashed exterior are not the priority.
Can I remove a dash cam or upgraded stereo?
Yes, if it is aftermarket, belongs to you, and can be removed without damaging the vehicle or changing what you already described. Take removable dash cams, memory cards, mounts, and child seats. Leave factory equipment, required safety parts, and anything that would make the car incomplete or materially different.
More donation prep guides
Use this as your final walk-around: remove personal, billable, and data-linked items; keep the vehicle whole; and leave the keys and signed-over title with the car. If anything about the title looks off, confirm before pickup. Revive Auto vehicle donations benefit Heritage for the Blind (EIN 58-2164446). When your sweep is done, you are ready for free pickup.