Nonprofit Vehicle Donation Program

• 5:00am – 7:00pm (PT), Mon – Fri
• 6:00am – 5:00pm (PT), Saturday
• 8:00am – 4:30pm (PT), Sunday

• Donating is easy and the pick-up is free.
• You skip the costs and hassles of selling a car, like advertising, insurance, or repairs to keep it running while you wait for a buyer.
• You avoid the ongoing costs of keeping a car, such as registration, insurance, and repairs.
• You free up space at home and/or stop paying for extra parking.
• It’s better than a low trade-in offer.
• Vehicle donations are tax-deductible and could reduce your taxable income when taxes are itemized.
• Donating to a nonprofit feels good and makes a difference.

All vehicles are considered! We strive to accept all types of donated vehicles (running or not) including cars, trucks, trailers, boats, RVs, motorcycles, campers, off-road vehicles, planes, heavy equipment, farm machinery, and most other motorized vehicles. To find out if we can accept your vehicle, please complete our secure online vehicle donation form or call us during regular hours of operation.

You will need a current and clear title. Any lien holder listed on the title must be cleared and/or released by the bank. This law varies by state.

There is no cost to the donor. All expenses are deducted from the gross sales price, and if the costs ever exceed the price, those costs are covered by our vehicle donation program provider, CARS (Charitable Adult Rides & Services).

When you are contacted by the towing/vendor company, you will most likely be given a time period to choose from for your pick-up window. These windows are based on your needs as a donor and what fits the realities of the traffic and volume in the geographic area of the vehicle.

The entire sale process can take approximately four to 12 weeks. The net cash proceeds from your generous vehicle donation are sent to our nonprofit within five business days upon receipt of the sale proceeds from the auction or direct-buy vendors.

Yes! We provide convenient pick-up and towing for vehicle donations just about anywhere in all 50 states, including the contiguous 48 states and the District of Columbia without limitation. In Alaska, we service the Fairbanks and Anchorage areas within a 50-mile service radius. In Hawaii, we service the islands of Oahu and Hawaii. If you have questions about donating, get started via our secure online form or call us seven days a week during regular hours of operation.

Yes! We can accept most vehicles, running or not. However, it must be in one piece and towable, have an engine, and be tow-truck accessible. To find out if we can accept your vehicle, please complete the secure online form or call us. Our Donor Support Team is available seven days a week during regular hours of operation.

Vehicles considered accessible for safe towing are typically parked in the front driveway, in front of the home or apartment building, or on the street without other vehicles or items blocking the intended donation. Tow operators typically cannot access areas without a direct path to the vehicle — such as backyards, back alleyways, or underground structures. Usually all four tires should be inflated as well. If you’re not sure whether your vehicle is accessible for safe towing, please let us know and we’ll do our best to support you.

No. Vehicle donors do not pay for towing — it’s free! Vehicles are picked up at no charge to you. All expenses are deducted from the gross sales price, and if the costs ever exceed the price, those costs are covered by CARS (Charitable Adult Rides & Services), our vehicle donation program provider.

Our vendor representative for your donation will call, text, and/or email you using the information you provided on the donation form. Please be aware you will very possibly receive a call from a phone number you don’t recognize pertaining to your donation — this is the vendor.

Please remove all personal belongings from the vehicle and have the title ready at the time of pick-up (unless otherwise directed). The tow operator will pick up the title, keys, and vehicle. Please wait to mark the title — the tow vendor will assist you in signing it. In most cases the tow operator will also provide a donation receipt. Should you not receive one, please give our Donor Support Team a call and we will get one out to you.

This depends on the state in which your vehicle is registered. In some states you are required to surrender or return the license plates after donating. If your state requires you to remove the plates before donating, please do what you can to remove your own plates — we cannot guarantee the driver will be able to assist you with plate removal. To find out what’s expected for your state, give our Vehicle Donor Support Team a call, or check your state’s requirements here.

You may ask the representative scheduling your vehicle pick-up with the vendor about this option.

Whether you need notarization depends on the state that holds your vehicle title. Our program is currently aware that notarization is a requirement for the following states: Arizona, Kentucky, Louisiana, Montana, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and Wyoming. However, each state’s requirements are subject to change. To confirm whether your state requires notarized title transfers, visit your state’s motor vehicle department website. Notarization helps deter fraud by ensuring proper identification is provided and approved before the title is signed over.

Depending on the registered state of the vehicle, your next step is to notify the state about your recent vehicle donation and that you are no longer in possession of the vehicle. Please only notify your state after the vehicle is picked up. Click here to learn the steps required for notifying your state that you’ve donated your vehicle.

State notification releases a donor from liability over the vehicle, including registration fees and the requirement to keep the vehicle insured. It is a way for the state to create a record that the owner is no longer in possession of the vehicle. The steps vary by state and may require surrendering your license plates, cancelling your registration, or submitting a report of sale or notice of transfer. State notification should be completed before cancelling your insurance. Click here to learn the steps required.

Only cancel your vehicle’s insurance AFTER you have notified the state that you’ve donated your vehicle. If your state requires notification, you should never cancel your insurance prior to reporting to the state that you are no longer in possession of the vehicle. This is a general rule for states and motor vehicle departments that require notification or the return of license plates.

After we have picked up the vehicle, we take full responsibility. In the rare event that you receive any notification of a lien sale, DMV actions, infractions, evasions, or other activity related to your donated vehicle, please contact us immediately for assistance. Please note that you are liable for all fines and fees related to your vehicle prior to the pickup. For specific DMV questions, please refer to the DMV in your state for clear instructions.

The title transfer is different in each state. Our vehicle donation program and our vendors/auction yards will help you take the correct steps to ensure your title paperwork is transferred correctly at the time of your vehicle pick-up.

Please wait to mark the title until after you have discussed it with the tow vendor, as they will assist you in showing you the correct location in which to sign the title.

The purchaser of your donated vehicle is not the charity. It will either be the vendor or Charitable Adult Rides & Services.

If the word “and/or” is not listed between the names of the parties/owners, then all parties will need to sign the title.

We are available seven days a week. Please call our donation number above or email donorsupport@careasy.org.

Once your vehicle sells, our Vehicle Donor Support Team will email and/or mail a thank-you letter on behalf of the nonprofit receiving your donation, which serves as a copy of your tax receipt. If your vehicle sells for more than $500 and your tax identification number has been provided, an IRS Form 1098-C (“Contributions of Motor Vehicles, Boats, and Airplanes”) will be mailed to you within 30 days of the sale stating the gross proceeds received from your donation.

Our vehicle donation program works with more than 400 vendors throughout the country to sell vehicles. Every donation is personally reviewed to determine the most effective sales process. In most markets we have the flexibility of multiple sales outlets to route vehicles to the right buyer. Vehicles may be sold through auction, to a private buyer, or to a salvage yard. Our expansive network of vendors allows us to be more competitive and to leverage our volume to increase prices, providing the nonprofit with maximum returns and maximizing the donor’s tax benefit.

The entire sale process can take approximately four to 12 weeks. However, there are times the process can exceed 12 weeks — for example, if we are holding onto the vehicle for a better sales price.

Yes; vehicle donations are tax-deductible. Individual tax situations vary. For specific tax-related questions, please consult your tax advisor or refer to IRS Publication 4303.

Most vehicles are sold through local wholesale auctions, and we work to get the highest return per vehicle for you and for our nonprofit. According to IRS guidelines, donors may claim fair market value for their vehicle donation up to the actual sale value. If a vehicle is sold for more than $500, the maximum amount of your deduction will be the sales price of the vehicle, which will be listed on your IRS Form 1098-C.

A special rule may apply if the donated vehicle sells for $500 or less. In this case, a deduction for the lesser of the vehicle’s fair market value on the date of the contribution may be claimed, or $500, provided you have written acknowledgment (such as the initial donation receipt or the thank-you letter you receive once the donation process is complete).

Please call during regular hours of operation, or email donorsupport@careasy.org, and we would be happy to help you.

In most cases, donors will receive an initial donation receipt from the tow driver at the time of the vehicle pick-up. This initial acknowledgment will indicate the donor’s name as well as the year, make, model, and condition of the donated vehicle. Should you not receive a receipt, please give our Donor Support Team a call and we will get one out to you.

Donors will also be mailed a thank-you letter on behalf of the receiving nonprofit within 30 days of the sale of the vehicle, which serves as a tax receipt. This will be the donor’s final tax document if their vehicle sells for $500 or less. If the vehicle sells for more than $500 and the donor has provided their tax identification number, CARS will also mail an IRS Form 1098-C within 30 days of the sale, stating the gross proceeds received from the donation.

We would be happy to help you. Please call us during regular hours of operation, or email donorsupport@careasy.org, and simply let us know you need a replacement.