Do a 15-minute sweep before the tow truck leaves. Remove the garage-door remote, spare house keys, toll transponder, parking permits, disability placards, insurance card, registration, glovebox papers, personal items, and valuables. Check under seats, pockets, visors, the console, trunk, and spare-tire well. Factory-reset the infotainment system, including Bluetooth pairings, HomeLink, and saved home addresses. Leave the keys and the signed-over title with the car.
Your pre-pickup checklist
Remove security items first
Start with anything that can open a door, gate, or building. Take the garage-door remote, gate card, office badge, spare house keys, mailbox keys, storage-unit keys, and hidden magnetic key box. Check the key ring, visor clip, console tray, and side pockets. If a remote is built into the mirror, plan to clear it during the electronics reset.
Pull billing items next
Remove the toll transponder, parking tag, monthly garage card, fuel card, and any account-linked device. Do not just take the tag out of the windshield. Also remove the donated vehicle from the toll account or parking account so future charges are not tied to you. Keep any account numbers or receipts for your own records.
Clear glovebox documents
Open the glovebox and every document sleeve. Remove the insurance card, registration, service receipts with your name, roadside-assistance cards, loan papers, old inspection paperwork, and any envelope with an address or account number. Keep the owner’s manual only if you want it. Many donors leave it with the car, but personal documents should not go.
Sweep cabin and trunk
Work front to back. Check under both front seats, between seat cushions, seat-back pockets, door pockets, cup holders, the center console, overhead sunglass holders, visor clips, and the floor. Then check the trunk, cargo side bins, jack area, spare-tire well, and any emergency kit. Look for cash, medications, sunglasses, tools, chargers, garage passes, and children’s items.
Wipe saved vehicle data
Use the infotainment settings to delete personal data or perform a factory reset. Clear Bluetooth pairings, call history, contacts, navigation favorites, saved home and work addresses, garage-door programming such as HomeLink, Wi-Fi settings, app logins, and paired phone permissions. If the battery is dead or the screen will not power on, write down what you could not clear.
Remove optional add-ons
Take aftermarket items you intend to keep, such as dash cams, removable GPS units, upgraded speakers that are not built in, phone mounts, roof-rack accessories, and child seats. Keep the vehicle intact and as-described for donation. Do not remove factory parts, safety equipment, catalytic converters, batteries, wheels, or anything needed for basic loading unless that condition was already disclosed.
Leave pickup essentials
After the sweep, put the car keys where the driver can get them, and leave the signed-over title with the car as instructed. If there are multiple keys, include the working ignition key first. Keep your own copies or photos of paperwork if you need them, but the keys and signed-over title should stay with the vehicle.
Handle these in separate guides
This cleanout checklist is only for removing personal, valuable, billable, and security-related items before donation. It is not the place to sort out plate handling or state notice filings. Use our separate guide, License Plates After Donation. Use our separate guide, Release of Liability After Donation. For ownership questions that affect whether the title is ready, follow the instructions on your title and confirm unclear cases with the appropriate DMV before the vehicle leaves.
Common questions
What if I am not sure the title is signed correctly?
Do not guess. Title requirements can depend on owner names, liens, estate paperwork, or duplicate title status. Follow the instructions printed on your title and confirm state-specific questions with the Maine DMV. Once the title is properly signed over, leave it with the keys in the agreed pickup location.
Should I remove a dash cam or upgraded stereo?
Remove a dash cam, detachable GPS, phone mount, or other personal accessory if you want to keep it. For upgraded stereos or built-in equipment, keep the car intact and as-described. If removing something changes the vehicle’s condition, disclose that change before the free pickup.
What if I find personal property after I already swept the car?
Do one last walkaround before the vehicle leaves. Open every door, check the trunk again, and look where items slide out of sight. If you realize after pickup that something important was left inside, contact donor support right away with a clear description of the item.
Do child seats need to stay with the donated vehicle?
No. Remove child seats, boosters, stroller parts, and anything used for family travel unless you truly intend to donate those items too. Check under and behind the seats after removing them. Small items often fall into seat tracks, floor vents, and rear footwells.
More donation prep guides
A careful 15-minute sweep protects your privacy and prevents bills or access devices from leaving with the vehicle. Remove your personal items, wipe saved electronics data, and keep the vehicle intact. Then leave the keys and signed-over title with the car. Maine Motors Giveback benefits Heritage for the Blind (EIN 58-2164446). When your checklist is complete, you are ready for your free pickup.