Do I need to notify DMV if I donate my car in California?

Yes, California requires you to notify the DMV when you donate a car, even though this is separate from the tax appraisal process.

What California Requires

The DMV requires a Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability (NRL) any time you sell, give away, or donate a vehicle. You must file it within 5 calendar days of the donation or pickup date. You can submit it online through the DMV's system, by mailing the REG 138 form to Sacramento, or in person at a field office.

This step protects you, not just the charity. Until the DMV processes your NRL, you can remain legally responsible for the vehicle, including tickets, tolls, or accidents that occur after it leaves your possession. Filing promptly releases that liability and lets the receiving charity register or resell the vehicle without complications tracing back to you.

How This Fits With Your Tax Deduction

Notifying the DMV has nothing to do with substantiating your charitable deduction to the IRS. Those are two separate obligations:

• The NRL protects you from liability under California vehicle law.
• A qualified appraisal (generally required once your claimed deduction exceeds $5,000) supports the value you report on IRS Form 8283.

If your donated vehicle, especially a classic, collector, or higher-value model, falls into that higher deduction bracket, a car donation appraisal establishes the fair market value the IRS expects to see documented. Handling the DMV notice and the appraisal as separate but parallel steps keeps both your liability and your deduction properly covered. Once you have the vehicle's details and the receiving charity's information ready, you can move forward on both fronts without one holding up the other.