In Colorado, license plates stay with the donor, not with the donated vehicle. Remove both plates before the tow. After pickup, either transfer the plates to your next vehicle through the DMV or surrender them as directed by your county motor vehicle office. Keep the surrender receipt or transfer record. That proof helps you cancel the registration and may be needed before your insurer will cancel coverage without penalties.
What to do with your plates
Confirm the current plate rule
Before pickup, confirm the current plate rule with the Colorado DMV or your county motor vehicle office. The general rule for this donation is that plates stay with you, not the car. Rules and office procedures can change. Ask whether your county wants the plates surrendered in person, by mail, or handled another way after the vehicle leaves.
Remove plates before pickup
Take off the front and rear plates before the tow driver leaves with the vehicle. Put the plates somewhere safe with your title copy, donation paperwork, and pickup receipt. If the car is missing a plate, note that in your records. Do not rely on the driver to remove or return plates for you.
Surrender or transfer plates
After the vehicle is gone, decide whether you will transfer the plates to another vehicle or surrender them. A transfer is handled through the motor vehicle office when you register the next vehicle. A surrender closes out the plate record as directed by the office. Follow the office’s current instructions and keep proof either way.
Keep the surrender receipt
If you surrender the plates, ask for a receipt or written confirmation. Keep it with your donation records. This receipt is your proof for canceling the registration tied to those plates. Some insurers also ask for proof that plates were surrendered or registration was canceled before they will cancel coverage without penalties.
File the transfer notice
Finish the ownership record step after the tow. File the notice of transfer or release of liability with the motor vehicle office. Use our separate guide, Release of Liability After Donating a Car, for that task. Keep the submitted notice confirmation with your plate receipt, title records, and insurance cancellation notes.
If plates left with the car
If the vehicle has already been towed and the plates are still attached, act quickly. Contact the pickup provider and ask whether the plates can be removed before the vehicle moves farther through processing. Write down who you spoke with and what they said. If the plates cannot be recovered, contact the motor vehicle office and ask how to document lost, unrecovered, or unavailable plates after a donation.
Before canceling insurance
Do not cancel insurance only because the tow is complete. First, make sure the plate, registration, and transfer records are handled. Your insurer may want proof that the registration tied to the donated vehicle is canceled, or proof that the plates were surrendered or transferred. Ask the insurer what document they need, then keep that document with your donation paperwork.
Common questions
Can the tow driver take the plates off for me?
Do not count on it. Remove the plates yourself before the vehicle leaves. The driver’s job is to take the vehicle, not to manage your registration record. If you need help removing rusted screws, arrange that before pickup or note the issue and contact the motor vehicle office for next steps.
What if I want to use the plates on my next car?
Keep the plates after donation and ask the motor vehicle office how to transfer them when you register the next vehicle. A transfer record can serve the same practical purpose as a surrender receipt because it shows what happened to the plates after the donated vehicle left your possession.
Do I still need a release of liability?
Yes. Plate handling and release of liability are separate tasks. Removing or surrendering plates helps close out registration and insurance issues. The notice of transfer or release of liability helps show you no longer own or control the donated vehicle after the transfer.
Can I throw old plates away instead of surrendering them?
Do not discard plates until you have checked the current instructions from the motor vehicle office. Some offices want plates surrendered. Others may allow defacing or other disposal steps. If you need proof for registration or insurance cancellation, a surrender receipt or written confirmation is safer than throwing plates away.
More donation prep guides
After donating through Ride to Relief, handle the plates before you close the file. Remove them, surrender or transfer them, keep the receipt, and complete the release-of-liability step. Those records protect you after the vehicle is gone and support your donation benefiting Heritage for the Blind (EIN 58-2164446). If you are unsure what your office requires, check before canceling insurance.