Remove your license plates before the donated vehicle is towed. In Wyoming, plates generally stay with the donor, not the vehicle. After removal, either transfer the plates to an eligible next vehicle through your county treasurer or DMV office, or surrender them if you are not transferring them.
Ask for and keep the surrender receipt. That receipt is your proof for cancelling the registration and may be needed before you can cancel insurance without a penalty.
What to do with your plates
Confirm the plate rule
Before the tow, confirm the current plate rule with your county treasurer or DMV office. Most states treat plates as belonging to the donor, while a smaller group has plates stay with the vehicle. This state follows the owner-keeps-plates approach, but it is still smart to confirm if your registration is unusual, personalized, specialty, expired, or tied to a recent transfer.
Remove plates before towing
Take off the front and rear plates before the tow truck leaves with the vehicle. Put the screws in a bag or cup so the plates do not get scratched or lost. If the vehicle is already hooked up, ask the driver to pause while you remove them. Do not leave plates in the glove box, trunk, or back seat.
Transfer or surrender plates
If you have another eligible vehicle, ask your county treasurer or DMV office how to transfer the plates to it. If you do not plan to transfer them, surrender the plates as directed. Do not throw them away unless the office tells you that is allowed. Surrendering closes the loop between the donated vehicle, the old registration, and your insurance records.
Keep the surrender receipt
Ask for a receipt or written confirmation when you surrender the plates. Keep it with your donation paperwork, title copy, and insurance records. The surrender receipt is your proof for cancelling the old registration. Some insurance companies also ask for plate surrender proof before they will cancel coverage without a fee, penalty, or back-and-forth questions.
File the transfer notice
After the vehicle is gone, complete the notice of transfer or release of liability step that applies to your donation. Use our separate Release of Liability guide for that task. Keep a copy of the submitted notice with your plate receipt. The plate step and the liability step are separate, and both help show you no longer control the donated vehicle.
If the tow is today
Use a simple order: plates first, personal items second, title and keys last. Check both bumpers before the vehicle leaves. If one plate is blocked by damage, rust, or a stripped screw, take a photo and ask the tow driver what can be safely removed on site. Do not climb under the vehicle or use tools in a way that feels unsafe. If a plate cannot be removed, contact your county treasurer or DMV office right away for the next step.
If plates already left
If the donated vehicle has already been towed with plates attached, contact Wheels for Wishes as soon as possible and ask whether the plates can be recovered. Also contact your county treasurer or DMV office for instructions. You may be told to retrieve the plates, report them missing, surrender recovered plates, or document what happened. Keep notes, names, and any written confirmation. Then finish the release-of-liability task using the separate guide.
Common questions
Do I leave license plates on a donated car?
No. For this donation, plan to remove the plates before the tow. Plates generally stay with the donor in this state. After removal, either transfer them to an eligible next vehicle or surrender them as instructed by your county treasurer or DMV office.
Can I cancel insurance after the vehicle is picked up?
Do not cancel only because the vehicle was towed. First remove and surrender or transfer the plates, then keep the receipt. That receipt is often the proof used to cancel registration, and some insurers require it before they cancel coverage without a penalty or billing issue.
What if I want to use the plates on my next vehicle?
Ask your county treasurer or DMV office about transferring the plates before you put them on another vehicle. Transfer rules can depend on the vehicle, registration status, and plate type. Keep any transfer confirmation with your donation papers and insurance records.
What if the tow driver says the plates can stay?
Use the state rule, not a casual instruction at pickup. If plates belong to you, remove them before the vehicle leaves. If there is a conflict or the plates cannot be removed, contact your county treasurer or DMV office and document what happened.
More donation prep guides
Your plate task is small, but it protects your records. Remove the plates, transfer or surrender them, keep the receipt, and complete the separate release-of-liability step. When your vehicle donation through Wheels for Wishes is complete, it benefits Heritage for the Blind (EIN 58-2164446). Keep this checklist handy while you finish the donation.