Vermont Transfer Notification Support Page

It Is Required for the Donor to Either Transfer the License Plates to Another Vehicle or Surrender Them to the State Commissioner Within Five Business Days of the Vehicle Pick-up Date to Remove Liability

Transfer of ownership occurs when you complete the reverse-side of the title and you either transfer or surrender the plates.

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

Please remove the license plates of your donated vehicle before the pick-up. Plates stay with the owner and must be transferred to another vehicle or surrendered to the State Commissioner within five days from the vehicle pick-up date. If you have any questions regarding the surrender or transfer of your license plates, please contact the State Commissioner's Office.

Click HERE to access the contact information for the State Commissioner's Office.

Haven't donated yet? We can help you find a fantastic Vermont 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:

Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles
120 State Street
Montpelier, VT 05603-001

Phone: 802.828.2000
Toll-Free: 888.99.VERMONT (888.998.3766)
DMV WEBSITE