Remove your plates before the tow. For a donated vehicle here, plates generally stay with the owner, not the vehicle. After removal, confirm with the Mississippi DMV or your county tax collector whether to surrender the plates to cancel the registration, or transfer them to your next vehicle. Keep any surrender receipt. It is your proof that the registration was cancelled and may be needed by your insurer before penalty-free cancellation. Then file your notice of transfer/release of liability.
What to do with your plates
Confirm the State Rule
Before the tow, verify how your plates must be handled. Most states treat plates as belonging to the donor, so they come off the car. A smaller group of states keeps plates with the vehicle. Your donation paperwork should not be your only source. Confirm the plate rule with the DMV or county tax collector before the driver arrives.
Remove Plates Before Tow
Take the front and rear plates off the vehicle before it leaves, if your vehicle has both. Put the plates in a safe place with your title copy, donation receipt, and insurance papers. If the vehicle is already gone with plates attached, contact Magnolia Motors Gift and the DMV or county tax collector right away for the next step.
Surrender or Transfer Plates
After removal, ask the DMV or county tax collector whether the plates should be surrendered or transferred. In the common donor-owned-plate system, you may surrender plates to cancel the old registration or transfer them to your next vehicle. Do not destroy, sell, or throw away plates until the agency tells you that no return is required.
Keep the Surrender Receipt
If you surrender plates, ask for a receipt or written confirmation. Keep it with your donation records. That receipt is your proof for cancelling the registration. Insurers may also ask for it before they cancel coverage without penalties, billing disputes, or questions about why the donated vehicle no longer needs active insurance.
File Your Transfer Notice
After the vehicle is donated, file the notice of transfer/release of liability required for your situation. This separates you from future tickets, tolls, storage issues, or other records tied to the vehicle after donation. Use our separate Release of Liability After Donation guide for that task. Do not use plate surrender as a substitute.
If Plates Left With Vehicle
If the tow already happened and the plates are still on the car, act the same day if you can. Write down the vehicle year, make, model, VIN, and donation reference. Call Magnolia Motors Gift so the file notes show the plate issue. Then ask the DMV or county tax collector whether the plates can be recovered, reported, surrendered by record, or handled another way. Do not cancel insurance only because the car was towed. First confirm registration cancellation, plate status, and any receipt requirement.
Common questions
Can I leave plates in the glove box for the tow driver?
No. If plates belong to you under the state rule, remove them from the vehicle before the tow and keep them with your records. Leaving them inside the car can create confusion. The safer sequence is remove plates, confirm surrender or transfer, keep the receipt, then complete the transfer notice.
Do I cancel insurance before or after plate surrender?
Ask your insurer what proof it needs before cancellation. Some insurers want evidence that the registration was cancelled, and a plate surrender receipt is often the cleanest proof. Do not cancel too early if it could create a penalty, billing issue, or gap before the donation record is complete.
What if I want to use the plates on my next car?
Ask the DMV or county tax collector whether the plates can be transferred and what paperwork is needed. Do not put the donated vehicle’s plates on another vehicle until the transfer is approved. Keep your transfer confirmation with your donation and insurance records.
Is the donation receipt the same as a plate surrender receipt?
No. A donation receipt shows that you donated the vehicle. A plate surrender receipt or DMV confirmation shows what happened to the registration and plates. Keep both records. Your insurer, county office, or tax preparer may ask for different documents for different reasons.
More donation prep guides
Handle plates before the vehicle leaves if you can. Confirm the state rule, remove the plates, surrender or transfer them as instructed, keep the receipt, and file your transfer notice. Magnolia Motors Gift helps donors complete vehicle donations benefiting Heritage for the Blind (EIN 58-2164446). If your tow is coming up, gather your plates, title, and records when you are ready.