Cars for Schools

The Bureau of Automotive Repair’s (BAR) Cars for Schools program provides retired vehicles to public high schools, community colleges, and regional occupation programs across California. The program supports hands-on training for students while also improving California's air quality.

How the program works

  • The Cars for School program provides up to 350 retired vehicles to schools each year. The vehicles are retired through BAR’s Consumer Assistance Program (CAP).

  • Schools can request certain vehicle makes, models, or model years. They can also request ranges of model years or other specific features.

  • Schools receive vehicles at no charge. They are responsible for the cost of transporting vehicles from the dismantler to the school and back.

  • Schools must sign a memorandum of understanding with BAR. This agreement includes specific terms for participation such as:

    • Not operating the vehicles on public roads

    • Returning the vehicles back to the dismantler by a specified date

Benefits for schools

  • Access to vehicles for teaching principles of operation and repair techniques

  • Hands-on experience for students in assembling, disassembling, and troubleshooting vehicles

How to participate

Contact the Cars for Schools program coordinator at carsforschools@dca.ca.gov.

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