In Kansas, remove your license plates before the donated vehicle is towed. The plates stay with you, not with the car. After removal, either transfer the plates to your next eligible vehicle through the motor vehicle office or surrender them if you will not use them.
Keep the surrender receipt. It is your proof for cancelling the registration and may be needed by your insurer before penalty-free cancellation.
What to do with your plates
Confirm the current rule
Use the quick answer as your working rule, then verify it if anything about your situation is unusual: specialty plate, leased vehicle, dealer plate, fleet plate, or a title problem. Call the Kansas DMV or your county treasurer's motor vehicle office before the tow. Ask whether your exact plate type should be removed, transferred, surrendered, or handled another way.
Remove plates before towing
Take both plates off before the tow driver arrives. Do this even if the vehicle is not running, has a dead battery, or is being picked up from a repair shop. Bring a screwdriver or wrench if the screws are rusted. Do not leave plates in the glove box, trunk, or back seat. Keep them with your donation paperwork.
Surrender or transfer plates
If you are replacing the donated vehicle, ask the motor vehicle office about transferring the plates to your next eligible vehicle. If you are not using them again, surrender the plates through the proper local office. Bring identification and the registration items the office asks for. Do not throw plates away unless the motor vehicle office tells you that is acceptable for your plate type.
Keep the surrender receipt
Ask for a receipt or written confirmation when you surrender plates. Keep it with your title copy, donation receipt, and pickup paperwork. The surrender receipt is your proof for cancelling the registration. Some insurance companies also ask for it before they cancel coverage without a penalty. If you transfer the plates instead, keep the transfer paperwork in the same file.
File the transfer notice
Plate handling does not replace the separate ownership notice task. After the donation paperwork is signed, file the notice of transfer / release of liability. Use our Release of Liability Guide for that separate step. Keep a copy or confirmation with your plate receipt. This keeps your records in one place if questions come up later.
If plates left with the car
If the vehicle has already been towed with plates attached, contact Sunflower Autos and the motor vehicle office right away. Have the vehicle year, make, model, VIN, plate number, and pickup paperwork ready. Ask whether the plates can be retrieved or whether the office wants a different record of what happened. Do not assume the donation itself cancels your registration or insurance. Keep notes showing who you spoke with and what they told you to do next.
Common questions
Can I leave the plates on the donated car?
No. For a standard donation, remove the plates before the vehicle is towed. The plates are tied to you and your registration record. Leaving them on can create cleanup work later, especially if you need proof to cancel registration or make an insurance change.
What if I want to use the plates on another vehicle?
Do not surrender plates you plan to transfer. Take them off the donated car and ask the motor vehicle office how to transfer them to your next eligible vehicle. Keep the transfer paperwork with your donation records so you can show what happened to the old registration.
Should I cancel insurance before surrendering the plates?
Ask your insurance company before cancelling. Many donors keep coverage in place until the vehicle is picked up, plates are removed, and registration steps are handled. Your surrender receipt is often the clean proof insurers want before they cancel coverage without a penalty.
Do I still need a release of liability if I removed the plates?
Yes. Removing plates and filing a notice of transfer / release of liability are separate tasks. Handle the plate step first so the vehicle can leave without your plates. Then use our Release of Liability Guide and keep that confirmation with your donation paperwork.
More donation prep guides
Before your vehicle leaves, make the plate step part of your pickup checklist: remove the plates, decide whether to transfer or surrender them, save the receipt, and file the separate transfer notice. Sunflower Autos helps donors keep these records organized while donated vehicles support Heritage for the Blind (EIN 58-2164446). When you are ready, continue with Sunflower Autos.