Based in Greater Houston, Lone Star Wheels makes donating your car as simple as, “Where are you parked?” Whether you’re in Midtown, Katy, The Woodlands, Sugar Land, Pasadena, or up in Spring, we come to you with truly free towing. You don’t pay a pickup fee, fuel surcharge, or surprise bill later—ever. The cost of the tow is covered from the eventual sale of your vehicle to benefit Heritage for the Blind, a 501(c)(3) supporting people who are blind or visually impaired.
Here’s how it works in the Houston area: you call or submit our online form, we confirm your address and a pickup window, and a local flatbed or hook-and-chain truck arrives within a few business days in most neighborhoods. The vehicle can run or not run, be in a driveway, apartment lot, or curbside where legal. You simply sign the Texas title, remove your plates if you wish, leave the title and keys with the car as instructed, and our towing partner handles the rest. From downtown high-rises to more rural parts of Harris, Fort Bend, Montgomery, and surrounding counties, we coordinate the logistics so you don’t have to.
How to schedule your free local pickup
1. Tell us where in Greater Houston the car sits
Call Lone Star Wheels or use our secure online form to share your contact details, vehicle info, and exact location—whether that’s a Montrose townhome, Pearland driveway, Cypress subdivision, or a rural property outside Baytown. We’ll confirm that the car is accessible for a tow truck and note any special instructions like apartment gates, parking garages, or HOA rules before we schedule your free pickup.
2. Choose a pickup day and time window
We’ll offer you a pickup window based on your area—often just a few business days in central Houston neighborhoods like Heights, Westchase, or East End, and slightly longer for outlying rural addresses. You pick the date and a general time frame that works. We then assign a local towing partner who knows your part of town and can navigate Houston traffic, construction, and neighborhood restrictions.
3. Prepare your Texas title, keys, and vehicle location
Before pickup day, locate your Texas title and make sure the name on it matches the donor, if possible. Remove personal items from the car and any toll tags. Park the vehicle where a flatbed or hook-and-chain truck can reach it—like a driveway, open curb, or designated apartment spot—and have keys ready. We’ll explain exactly how to sign the title; we just can’t give legal advice.
4. Decide if you’ll be home or leave documents with the car
In many Houston pickups, you don’t need to be home. If that works best, we’ll confirm a safe, agreed spot to leave the signed title and keys with the vehicle—such as in an envelope under the floor mat or with a leasing office. If you prefer, you can meet the driver on-site and hand everything over in person when the tow truck arrives.
5. We tow the car for $0 and send your tax receipt
Your assigned local tow operator—often using a flatbed—will load your car and haul it away at no cost to you. There is never a pickup fee in Houston or surrounding areas. Once the vehicle is processed and sold, Lone Star Wheels mails you a tax receipt. For many cars, that will show at least a $500 value; if the sale exceeds $500, you’ll also receive IRS Form 1098-C for your records.
Local pickup gotchas
Tight access for flatbeds in dense Inner Loop streets
Tip: Older Houston neighborhoods like Montrose, Midtown, and parts of the Heights can have narrow streets, cars parked on both sides, and low trees. If a flatbed can’t safely maneuver, it slows everything down. When scheduling, mention one-way streets, dead ends, or tight alleys, and we’ll plan a smaller truck or alternative loading spot, such as a nearby cross street or open parking lot.
Gated communities, parking garages, and gate codes
Tip: In complexes around the Galleria, Medical Center, or Energy Corridor, our driver may need a gate code, call box instructions, or garage clearance height. If the tow truck can’t get in, pickup may be rescheduled. Share gate info, leasing office contacts, and parking-level details when you book. If your car is in a low-clearance garage, we’ll coordinate a suitable truck or ask you to move it to a surface lot if possible.
Permit-only or HOA-controlled street parking
Tip: Some areas in West University, Bellaire, and newer master-planned suburbs have HOA or permit rules for street parking and towing. To avoid tickets or conflicts, let us know if the spot is time-limited, guest-only, or requires permits. We can often work within those rules by choosing the right pickup time or suggesting you move the vehicle to a more accessible, compliant location before your scheduled day.
Very rural or outlying addresses beyond core Houston
Tip: If you’re outside the main metro—toward Waller, Dayton, Cleveland, or down past Angleton—our trucks still come to you, but routing can take longer. We often group rural pickups to keep it efficient. Expect slightly wider windows and a few extra business days. Clear directions and landmarks really help, especially where GPS is unreliable or road signs are limited, so our driver isn’t delayed finding your property.
If at-home pickup is tricky
If at-home pickup is tricky—maybe your car is buried behind others, locked in a tight garage, or your HOA won’t allow towing in front of your house—there are still options. In many cases around Houston, you can meet our driver at a nearby open location such as a grocery store lot, a friend’s driveway, or a wider side street that permits towing access. We’ll coordinate a time and spot that works for your schedule. If the vehicle is drivable, you can also drop it at a designated meeting point, hand over the keys and title, and head home while our towing partner takes it from there.
Houston pickup coverage
Lone Star Wheels serves the full Greater Houston region, from Downtown, EaDo, and Third Ward to outlying suburbs like Katy, Richmond, Tomball, League City, and Friendswood. Pickup in denser areas—Inner Loop, Galleria, and Greenway/Upper Kirby—often happens within a few business days, while more rural parts of Harris, Fort Bend, Brazoria, Liberty, and Montgomery Counties may take a bit longer. In Texas, you’ll usually sign over your title to complete the donation; plates can often be removed and returned or canceled with TxDMV if you choose. We’ll walk you through the paperwork details specific to your situation, while reminding you that we’re not providing legal or tax advice.