How car donation works step by step: free pickup, title transfer, auction, and the IRS tax receipt you receive afterward.
Free pickup nationwide — cars, trucks, SUVs, vans, and boats, running or not.
Call 888-579-5544Car donation is a charitable gift of a vehicle instead of cash. You sign the title over to a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the nonprofit sells the vehicle or puts it to program use, and the proceeds fund charitable work. In exchange you receive written acknowledgment you can use to claim a federal income tax deduction if you itemize.
Unlike selling privately, you never list the car, meet strangers, negotiate, or pay for towing. Most donors finish the entire process in under a week with two phone calls and a signature.
1. Call 888-579-5544 or submit the form with your name, phone, and email. 2. A coordinator confirms the year, make, model, running condition, title status, and pickup address. 3. A licensed tow operator schedules a pickup window, often within 24-72 hours. 4. You hand over the keys and signed title and receive a pickup receipt. 5. The vehicle is sold at a dealer auction or recycled. 6. Your tax documentation is mailed after the sale settles.
You do not need to be present for every pickup — many donors leave the keys and signed title in the vehicle after arranging details by phone.
In most states you need the title in your name, signed in the seller section. Do not fill in a buyer name unless the coordinator tells you to. Keep your license plates unless your state requires they stay with the car, and file a release of liability with your DMV the same day the car leaves.
If the title is lost, damaged, or in a deceased relative's name, call before assuming you cannot donate — most title problems are solvable, and our team walks you through the exact document your state requires.
You receive an initial pickup receipt immediately. If the vehicle sells for more than $500, IRS Form 1098-C follows within 30 days of the sale and lists the gross sale price, which becomes your deduction. If it sells for $500 or less, you may claim fair market value up to $500 with the written acknowledgment.
Attach Copy B of Form 1098-C to your return, and file Form 8283 Section B when the claimed value exceeds $500.
A trade-in on an older vehicle often nets a few hundred dollars. A private sale costs you time, ad fees, test drives, and liability risk. Donating removes all of it, eliminates ongoing insurance and registration costs, and turns a depreciating asset into funding for veteran programs.
Running or not, cars, trucks, SUVs, vans, and boats are accepted with free towing anywhere in the United States.
Ready to donate and support veterans?
Call 888-579-5544 NowDisclosure: Cars for Veterans is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. After operating costs (towing, processing, title transfer, and administration), a portion of the net proceeds from each donated vehicle benefits veteran programs. This article is general information, not tax advice.