How to Donate a Car With a Deceased Owner
When someone passes away and leaves a vehicle behind, donating it to charity is a kind and generous gesture. While it may sound like a paperwork nightmare, the process to transfer ownership of a deceased person's vehicle is actually not much more complicated than a typical transaction, provided you have the right paperwork at hand.
- Difficulty:
- Moderate
Instructions
Things You'll Need
- Certified copy of the probate document designating executor of the deceased person's estate
- Car
- Car title
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1
Only the executor of the dead person's estate can donate the car to charity. Usually, the executor of one's estate is determined by the deceased person's will; it is the executor's responsibility to see that all assets and property of the deceased is distributed properly and according to their wishes. If no executor has been appointed--perhaps because there was no will, or because the vehicle is the only asset left behind--you will need to contact an attorney to start the process of having an executor appointed by the state.
Once an executor is officially appointed, a legal document will be issued confirming that they have the legal ability to act on behalf of the deceased person. Request two additional certified copies from the courthouse (it usually costs around $5 each and takes a few days to process) specifically for transferring the vehicle to charity.
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2
Decide which charity should receive the car. If the deceased person specified a favored charity in their will, check to see if they accept donations in the form of cars. If not, research charities that support the same or a similar cause online to find one with a car donation program. If you have multiple options, choose one that handles their car donation program directly; charities that outsource their car donation programs typically receive less money, because they have to pay the outside company to collect and process the vehicle.
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3
Contact a DMV in the state where the car is registered, either over the phone or online, to see what their process is for transferring registration. Make sure you specify that the vehicle is currently registered to a deceased person. Usually they will ask the executor to fill out a form and include a copy of the title and one of the certified copies of the court document appointing the executor. Wait to fill out these forms until you have talked to the charity you intend to donate the car to.
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4
Contact the charity over the phone or their website to confirm their vehicle donation process. Usually, they will set a time to send a tow truck to collect the vehicle, keys, and car title. They will also need the certified copy of the document naming the executor of the estate, which they must have in order to register the car in their name.
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5
The car title should have a space to assign ownership to a new party. The executor of the estate must fill out and sign this section according to the charity's instructions, and make a photocopy for their records. Once you've filled out the title, make a photocopy for the DMV (if they require it), and send in the paperwork you determined was needed for the DMV in Step 3.
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Tips & Warnings
No reputable charity will ask you to send them a title with the new owner information left blank.
