Do not leave your plates on the donated car. In Massachusetts, plates stay with the donor. Remove both plates before the tow. Then either transfer the plates to your next eligible vehicle or cancel/surrender the registration tied to those plates through the RMV. Keep the cancellation, surrender, or plate-return receipt. That receipt is your proof for cancelling the registration and may be needed before you cancel insurance without penalty.
What to do with your plates
Confirm the RMV rule
Before pickup, verify the current plate rule with the RMV if anything about your plate type, title status, or move is unusual. For a standard donation, the plates stay with you, not the donated vehicle. This first check matters because a minority of states use the opposite rule. Do not rely on the tow driver to decide what happens to your plates.
Remove plates before towing
Take off the front and rear plates before the tow truck leaves with the car. Put the plates somewhere safe with your title documents and donation records. If a plate is stuck, use basic tools or ask for help before release. Do not put plates in the glove box or trunk. If they leave with the vehicle, you may have extra steps to recover or report them.
Transfer or cancel them
Decide whether the plates will go on your next eligible vehicle. If yes, follow the RMV transfer process. If no, cancel or surrender the registration tied to those plates through the RMV process. Do this as a plate-and-registration task, not as a donation task. Velocity Vehicle does not take ownership of your plates, and the tow driver should not be treated as the plate return point.
Keep the surrender receipt
Save the RMV receipt after you cancel, surrender, or otherwise close the plate registration record. This receipt is your proof that the registration was cancelled. Insurance companies may ask for it before ending coverage without penalty or backdating problems. Keep a digital copy and a paper copy if possible. Store it with your donation receipt, title copy, and any tow paperwork.
File the liability notice
After the car is donated, complete the notice of transfer or release of liability step that applies to your transaction. Use our separate Release of Liability Guide for that task. Do not skip this step just because the plates were removed. Plate cancellation and release of liability are related record-cleanup tasks, but they are not the same task.
If the car is gone
If the vehicle has already been towed with plates attached, act quickly and keep notes. Contact Velocity Vehicle to ask whether the plates are still with the vehicle or reachable through the towing process. If they cannot be recovered, contact the RMV for the correct next step. Do not cancel insurance based only on the donation date if the registration is still active. First close out the plate record or follow the RMV’s replacement, lost-plate, or cancellation instructions.
Common plate mistakes
Avoid the small errors that create cleanup work later.
- Do not leave plates on the car. They are tied to your registration record.
- Do not hand plates to the tow driver unless the RMV specifically instructs that process.
- Do not cancel insurance first if your insurer requires proof of registration cancellation.
- Do not throw plates away until your registration or transfer task is complete and you have saved the receipt.
Common questions
Should I give the plates to the tow driver?
No. Remove the plates before the vehicle leaves. The tow driver is picking up the donated vehicle, not closing your registration record. Keep the plates with your paperwork, then transfer them to an eligible replacement vehicle or use the RMV process to cancel or surrender the registration tied to them.
Can I cancel insurance as soon as the car is donated?
Check with your insurer first. Many insurers want proof that the registration has been cancelled before ending coverage without penalty. Your plate surrender, plate return, or registration cancellation receipt is the proof to keep. Do not rely only on the tow date or donation paperwork for insurance cancellation.
Can I transfer the plates to my next vehicle?
Usually, yes, if the next vehicle is eligible for the same plate and registration type and the RMV allows the transfer. Start that process before you discard or cancel the plates. If the plates will not be transferred, cancel or surrender the registration record instead and keep the receipt.
What if one plate is missing before pickup?
Remove and secure any plate you still have. Before the vehicle leaves, contact the RMV for the correct process for a missing plate connected to a donation. You may need to report the plate as lost or follow a specific cancellation process. Keep any confirmation the RMV provides.
More donation prep guides
Plate cleanup is a donor responsibility, and it is easiest when handled before the tow. Remove the plates, transfer or cancel the registration record, save the receipt, and complete the separate liability notice step. Your donation through Velocity Vehicle supports Heritage for the Blind (EIN 58-2164446). If you are ready, gather your title, plates, and records before pickup.