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Texas vehicle donation

Donate a Car in Texas

From worn-out oil-field pickups in West Texas to hurricane-flooded cars on the Gulf Coast, Texas donors move some of the biggest and most hard-used vehicles in the country - and every one of them can fund a commissary grant. Free tow pickup anywhere in Texas - Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, San Antonio, Austin, El Paso, and every town between.

Start Your DonationCall 855-500-RIDE

Reference facilities in Texas: Huntsville Unit (Walls Unit), Huntsville · Allan B. Polunsky Unit, West Livingston

The need

Incarceration in Texas

Largest

state prison population in the nation - Texas holds more people behind bars than any other state

Source: Prison Policy Initiative

0¢

per hour - Texas is one of seven states where prison labor is unpaid for the vast majority of jobs

Source: ACLU

70%

of incarcerated workers say they cannot afford basic necessities like soap and phone calls on prison wages

Source: ACLU

How it works

Three steps, start to finish

  1. 1

    Start online or by phone

    Begin with the donation link or call 855-500-RIDE. You give the year, make, model, and condition — nothing more. There is no donation form on this site.

  2. 2

    Free tow pickup

    A licensed tow operator schedules pickup in Texas. You sign the title, the driver collects the keys, and the tow costs you nothing — running or not.

  3. 3

    Proceeds fund commissary grants

    The vehicle is sold at auction. Net proceeds fund commissary grants through Soul Tribes International Ministries, and the sale is processed by CARS (Charitable Adult Rides & Services).

Start Your DonationCall 855-500-RIDE

Texas paperwork

Title transfer in Texas

Sign the Texas title over to the donation recipient and complete Form 130-U (Application for Texas Title and/or Registration), which covers the donor signature section. File a Vehicle Transfer Notification with TxDMV (online or Form VTR-346) within 30 days of the transfer - this adds a remark to the vehicle record showing the date of transfer and makes the recipient the presumed owner for tolls, tickets, and other liability after that date. The tow driver collects the signed title at pickup.

Notarization
No - notarization is not required for a Texas title transfer.
Liens and paperwork
The donated vehicle must be lien-free at pickup. If a lien is listed on the title, the lender must sign a lien release on the title itself or provide a separate release letter before the donation can proceed. Consult your tax advisor about any tax questions; donations over $500 receive IRS Form 1098-C from the processor.

Consult your tax advisor. Vehicles over $500 receive IRS Form 1098-C from the processor.

Donor thank-you

A free hotel stay

Donors in Texas are eligible for a free hotel stay as a thank-you. The room rate is covered; the donor pays taxes and fees.

  • Room rate only — the donor pays all taxes and fees.
  • Activate the stay within 7 days of receiving it.
  • Travel must be completed within 18 months.
  • Recipient must be 21 or older.
  • One free hotel stay per household per 12 months.
Read the full free hotel stay terms →

All 100 Texas donation cities

Every city below has free tow pickup and its own Texas donation page.

Questions

Texas donation questions

How do I donate a car in Texas?

Start with the donation link or call 855-500-RIDE with the year, make, model, and condition of your vehicle. A licensed tow operator schedules free pickup. There is no donation form on this site — the process runs through CARS (Charitable Adult Rides & Services).

Where in Texas do you tow from?

Free tow pickup anywhere in Texas - Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, San Antonio, Austin, El Paso, and every town between.

What does the Texas title transfer require?

Sign the Texas title over to the donation recipient and complete Form 130-U (Application for Texas Title and/or Registration), which covers the donor signature section. File a Vehicle Transfer Notification with TxDMV (online or Form VTR-346) within 30 days of the transfer - this adds a remark to the vehicle record showing the date of transfer and makes the recipient the presumed owner for tolls, tickets, and other liability after that date. The tow driver collects the signed title at pickup.

Is a notary required in Texas?

No - notarization is not required for a Texas title transfer.

What if there is a lien on the title?

The donated vehicle must be lien-free at pickup. If a lien is listed on the title, the lender must sign a lien release on the title itself or provide a separate release letter before the donation can proceed. Consult your tax advisor about any tax questions; donations over $500 receive IRS Form 1098-C from the processor.

Who receives the proceeds?

Net proceeds from the auction sale fund commissary grants through Soul Tribes International Ministries. Impact figures are reported once verified.

Start Your DonationCall 855-500-RIDE

Start your Texas donation

Free tow pickup statewide, running or not. Net proceeds fund commissary grants.

Start Your DonationCall 855-500-RIDE