When you donate your car and do not transfer your vehicle tags to another vehicle, you must cancel your vehicle tag registration, or surrender your vehicle tags to the State. Be sure to cancel the vehicle registration prior to cancelling insurance.
Vehicle Tag Cancellation or Surrender
There are 3 ways in Washington, DC to notify the DC DMV that you have donated your car: online, by mail or in person. Remember to cancel the registration before cancelling the insurance for the vehicle. You can find more information and forms for each notification method below:
1. TO CANCEL YOUR REGISTRATION AND SURRENDER YOUR TAGS ONLINE:
*PREFERRED METHOD* If possible, we highly recommend completing forms online instead of by mail, so you may easily save and print out a copy for your records that includes a date/timestamp. Also, when completed online a receipt can be printed ensuring it's been received by the DC DMV.
Click on the button below to begin your Vehicle Tag Cancellation online. Only the primary owner of the vehicle can cancel the tag registration online. If the vehicle is co-owned, then the primary person is the person listed first on the vehicle registration card. If you do not meet these requirements, you must surrender your vehicle tages by mail or in person at a DC DMV service center.
VEHICLE TAG CANCELLATION2. TO SURRENDER YOUR TAGS BY MAIL:
DC will mail you a receipt for your records. Please wait until you receive your surrendered tag receipt to cancel your insurance to avoid insurance lapse fines.
Mail Tags To:
DC DMV
Vehicle Registration
PO Box 90120
Washington, DC 20090
3. TO SURRENDER YOUR TAGS IN PERSON:
Only the primary owner of the vehicle can cancel the tag registration online. If the vehicle is co-owned, then the primary person is the person listed first on the vehicle registration card. If you do not meet these requirements, you must surrender your vehicle tags by mail or in person at a DC DMV service center.
Click
HERE for a list of DC DMV Service Centers.