New York Transfer Notification Support Page

It Is Required for the Donor to Surrender the License Plates to a Motor Field Office After the Pick-up Date of the Vehicle Donation to Release Liability

This means transfer of ownership occurs when you surrender the plates and with the transfer of the title. We recommend keeping a copy of the transferred title for your personal records.

HOW TO HANDLE THE LICENSE PLATES WHEN YOU DONATE A CAR, TRUCK, SUV OR OTHER STANDARD VEHICLE IN NEW YORK

Please remove the license plates of your donated vehicle before the pick-up. Please remove the license plates and the windshield registration sticker, which shows your plate number, and surrender the plates to a motor vehicle office (unless you are transferring them to a replacement vehicle).

Click HERE to find your local DMV Office.

Click HERE for steps to surrender your plates by mail.

Haven't donated yet? We can help you find a fantastic New York nonprofit to donate to.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: When do I cancel my insurance? A. Only cancel your vehicle's insurance AFTER your vehicle has been picked up and you have notified the state that you’ve donated your vehicle. If your state requires notification, please be aware that you should never cancel your insurance prior to reporting to the state you are no longer in possession of the vehicle. This is a general rule for States/Motor Vehicle Departments that require Notification be submitted or license plates returned.

Q: Who is considerd the purchaser of my vehicle donation? Is it the nonprofit or charity? A. The purchaser of your donated vehicle is NOT the nonprofit or charity. It will either be the vendor or Charitable Adult Rides & Services, the vehicle donation program provider and partner of your nonprofit of choice.

Q. What is State Notification? A. State notification releases the vehicle donor from liability over the vehicle, including registration fees and from having to keep the vehicle insured, after the vehicle is picked up. State notification is a way for the state to create a record that the owner is no longer in possession of the vehicle. The steps needed to release your liability of a donated vehicle vary by state.

Q. Who is supposed to take care of the state notification process? A. If state notification is required, only the donor and/or owner of the vehicle can complete this process. Please do not rely on the pick-up driver or vendor to report to the State/Motor Vehicle Department that you are no longer in possession of the vehicle. If you need support, please contact the vehicle donation support team at donorsupport@careasy.org or call 855-500-7433. We would be happy to assist you.

If you have additional questions, please visit our vehicle donation FAQS.

If you would like assistance with your vehicle donation, please contact us here.

For more information on vehicle transfers, please contact your local Motor Vehicle Division:

NYS DMV
6 Empire State Plaza
Room B24
Albany, NY 12228

DMV Call Centers: 1.518.486.9786
TDD: 711 or 1.800.662.1220
DMV Website