In Florida, license plates stay with the donor, not with the donated vehicle. Remove the plates before the tow. If you are getting another vehicle, ask the Florida DMV/FLHSMV or your motor vehicle office about transferring the plate. If you are not transferring it, surrender the plate and keep the surrender receipt. That receipt is your proof for cancelling the registration and may be needed before you cancel insurance without a penalty. Also file your notice of transfer or release of liability.
What to do with your plates
Confirm the Florida rule
Florida treats the plate as yours after the vehicle leaves your possession. The plate should not stay on the donated car. Before the tow, confirm any account-specific question with the Florida DMV/FLHSMV or a motor vehicle service office. This is especially important if the registration is still active, the insurance is about to be cancelled, or you plan to move the plate to another vehicle.
Remove plates before towing
Take the license plate off before the tow operator leaves with the vehicle. Check both the front and back of the vehicle if applicable, and remove any frame that blocks access to the screws. Put the plate in a safe place with your title paperwork, donation receipt, and insurance documents. Do not leave the plate in the trunk, glove box, or back seat.
Surrender or transfer it
If you are replacing the donated car, ask about transferring the plate to the next vehicle. If you are not transferring it, surrender it through the Florida DMV/FLHSMV process or a motor vehicle office that accepts surrendered plates. Do this before treating the registration as closed. Surrendering the plate is the clean way to show that the tag is no longer tied to a vehicle you no longer own.
Keep the surrender receipt
Ask for, save, and scan the surrender receipt or confirmation. This is your proof that the plate was turned in. It helps support registration cancellation and can matter when you cancel insurance. In some situations, an insurer or state office may want proof that the plate was surrendered before treating insurance cancellation as penalty-free. Keep the receipt with your donation records.
File the liability notice
After the plates are handled, file the notice of transfer or release of liability for the donated vehicle. Use our separate guide: Florida Release of Liability After Donating a Car. Keep that filing confirmation with your plate surrender receipt, title paperwork, and donation documents. These records work together to show when the vehicle left your control.
Why the receipt matters
The surrender receipt is not just a spare piece of paper. It is your proof that the plate was returned and that you took the step needed to close out the registration record. If you cancel insurance without proof that the plate was surrendered or transferred, you may be asked for documentation later. Keep the receipt even after your insurer confirms the policy change. Store a photo or scan in case the original is misplaced.
How state rules differ
Plate rules are state-specific. In most states, plates belong to the donor. The donor removes them before the tow, then either surrenders them or transfers them to the next vehicle. In a minority of states, plates stay with the vehicle. Florida follows the donor-keeps-the-plate approach. If anyone gives you a different instruction, pause and confirm directly with the Florida DMV/FLHSMV before the vehicle is picked up.
Common questions
Can I cancel insurance as soon as the car is towed?
Do not cancel insurance until you have handled the plate and checked what your insurer needs. The plate surrender receipt is sometimes required before cancellation can be treated as penalty-free. Keep the receipt and any confirmation from your insurer with your donation paperwork.
What if the tow already happened with the plates on the car?
Contact AutoLift Tampa right away and ask whether the plates can be retrieved. If the vehicle has already moved beyond easy access, contact the Florida DMV/FLHSMV for the next step. Do not assume the registration is closed just because the vehicle was towed.
Can I keep the plate as a souvenir?
If the plate is still tied to an active registration, treat it as an official item, not a souvenir. Ask the Florida DMV/FLHSMV whether it must be surrendered, transferred, or otherwise cleared from your record. Keep written confirmation of whatever action closes the plate record.
More donation prep guides
Before the donated vehicle leaves, remove the plate and decide whether you will transfer it or surrender it. Save the surrender receipt, then file your notice of transfer or release of liability. AutoLift Tampa helps donors complete the vehicle donation process benefiting Heritage for the Blind (EIN 58-2164446). If your tow is coming up, handle the plates first and keep your proof in one folder.