Do a 15-minute sweep before free pickup. Remove garage-door remotes, spare house keys, toll transponders, parking permits, disability placards, insurance cards, registration papers, and anything personal or valuable from the cabin and trunk. Pull the toll tag and remove the vehicle from that toll account.
Factory-reset the infotainment system. Clear Bluetooth pairings, HomeLink, saved addresses, call logs, and navigation favorites. Leave the keys and the signed-over title WITH the car.
Your pre-pickup checklist
Remove security items
Start with anything that opens a door, gate, or secure space. Take out the garage-door remote, gate fob, building access card, mailbox key, spare house keys, and any key hidden in the console or visor. Check the key ring too. If a house key is attached to the vehicle key, remove it now and leave only the vehicle key.
Pull billing items
Remove the toll transponder, prepaid parking tag, fuel card, fleet card, and any payment card stored in the car. Do not just take the plastic device out. Log in to the toll or parking account and remove this vehicle from the account. That helps stop future tolls, garage charges, or invoices from following the donated vehicle.
Clear the glovebox
Open the glovebox and door pockets. Remove the insurance card, registration, service receipts, warranty papers, old estimates, medical papers, school forms, and anything with your name, address, phone number, or policy number. Also remove parking permits and disability placards. Keep donor paperwork in your own folder so it does not leave with the vehicle by mistake.
Sweep cabin and trunk
Work front to back. Check under both front seats, between seat cushions, seat-back pockets, visors, cup holders, door bins, center console, rear floor mats, cargo pockets, and the trunk. Lift the cargo floor and look in the spare-tire well. Remove sunglasses, tools, cash, mail, medication, chargers, garage passes, clothing, sports gear, and any child items.
Wipe electronic data
Use the infotainment menu to delete your data. Clear Bluetooth pairings, synced contacts, call history, text message access, navigation favorites, saved home address, saved work address, Wi-Fi settings, apps, and media accounts. If the system offers a factory reset, run it. Also clear HomeLink or any built-in garage-door buttons so the car no longer opens your home.
Remove optional add-ons
Take removable aftermarket items only if doing so will not change the car from what you described. Dash cams, phone mounts, portable GPS units, upgraded floor mats, child seats, bike racks, and removable stereo faceplates can come out. Do not strip parts, cut wires, remove installed equipment, or take tires and batteries. Leave the vehicle intact and as-described.
Leave keys and title
After your sweep, leave the vehicle keys and the signed-over title with the car. If there are multiple keys, include all vehicle keys, remotes, and fobs that belong to the car. Do not leave your personal key ring. If the title has two listed owners, a lien, or confusing instructions, ask your DMV or county clerk before signing.
Paperwork to keep separate
Use a small envelope for your donor copies, removed documents, parking items, and account notes. Keep it away from the title so the wrong papers do not get handed over. Whether the vehicle is in Louisville or a smaller county, do the same sweep before the driver arrives. For plates, see our separate guide, Kentucky License Plates After Donating a Car. For state notice, see our separate guide, Kentucky Release of Liability After Donating a Car.
Common questions
Should I leave the title in the glovebox?
Leave the signed-over title with the car, but do not mix it with old glovebox papers. Put it in a clearly marked envelope with the vehicle keys if that is how you are preparing the car. If the title signing instructions are unclear, check with your DMV or county clerk before signing.
What if I forget something in the car?
Contact Ride for Good as soon as you notice. Give your donor name, vehicle description, and the item you left behind. Recovery is not always possible once transport begins or the vehicle is processed, so the safest plan is to finish the 15-minute sweep before the vehicle leaves.
Can I remove my upgraded stereo or dash cam?
You can remove portable or clearly added items if the car remains intact and matches what you described. A plug-in dash cam, phone mount, or child seat can come out. Do not remove installed parts in a way that leaves holes, loose wiring, missing equipment, or a different vehicle condition.
More donation prep guides
A clean final sweep protects your privacy, your accounts, and your paperwork. Remove personal items, billing devices, documents, and stored data. Leave the vehicle keys and signed-over title with the car. Ride for Good supports Heritage for the Blind (EIN 58-2164446), and your careful prep helps the donation move cleanly. Start with the driver’s seat and work your way back.