Checklist for donating your vehicle

Congratulations on deciding to donate your used vehicle to charity! You’ve made an important decision that will benefit a good cause while also hopefully making your life a little less cluttered.

And if you’ve designated the Humane Society of the United States as the recipient of your vehicle donation, then not only is your donation going towards our lifesaving work for animals, but you’re already experiencing the benefits of our easy three-step vehicle donation process.

The second step in our vehicle donations process is coming out and picking up your vehicle at absolutely no charge to you. But before you hand over your keys to the tow truck driver, there are a few important details that will require your attention. By carefully marking off the items in the checklist below, you’ll assure that handing over your vehicle will go as smoothly as possible.

HSUS vehicle donation checklist

1. No junk in the trunk! The last thing you want is to remember you’ve left behind a personal item of value in your vehicle after the tow truck has driven off. Taking the time to give your car, truck, SUV, motorcycle or boat a thorough once-over will prevent any post-pickup anxiety.
   • This means searching all possible locations where things might be stored, such as the glove compartment, arm rests, under seat storage drawers, behind sun visors, trunk and hatches, ash trays and spare tire well.
   • Common items left behind are sunglasses, motorcycle goggles and gloves, CDs and cassette tapes, garage door openers, aftermarket GPS receivers, ice scrapers and snow brushes, parking permits and EZ passes, car seats, dog crates and toys (kids and pet).
2. Remove license plates, registration and other docs such as emissions and inspection reports. Also be sure to return your vehicle’s license plates to the Department of Motor Vehicles prior to canceling your auto insurance.
3. Prepare title for handover—sign the title in the “Seller” section exactly as your name appears on the title. If anyone else is listed on the title, they will also need to sign in the “Seller” section. The agent who completes your donation will provide all other title instructions.
4. Make copies of both sides of the title for your records.
5. Obtain a lien release if the purchase of your vehicle was financed. This is required by law in order for the HSUS to accept your donation. Give the lien release along with the title and keys to the tow truck driver.

The final step: Thank you!

We hope the process goes smoothly for you. Making these final preparations prior to handing over your vehicle for donation will go a long way to providing you with the peace of mind that nothing of value was hauled away due to oversight. If you have questions or if you think we can improve this process, we’d love to hear from you. Give us a call at: 1-833-227-7610.

And by choosing the Humane Society of the United States as the charity for your vehicle donation, you can rest assured that your generosity will be put to effective use in fighting the big fights for all animals. For this, we extend our heartfelt thanks!