Learning How to Donate my Car

Donating items like money or clothing is very simple, but there are no drop boxes for car donations. There is a slightly more involved procedure when donating these large items, but car charities try to make the process as easy as possible. Read on to learn the answer to the question: how do I donate my car?

How do I know if my vehicle can be donated?

To donate a vehicle, you need to be in possession of a vehicle that you no longer need. The good news is that your car donation does not need to be in good condition. Many car donation charities will take any car even if it does not run, or runs poorly. This means that even an old vehicle that to you seems worthless can still be used to help a charity.

Policies can vary for different vehicle donation charities, but many of them accept all types of vehicle donations including cars, trucks, vans, motorcycles, boats, RVs, go-karts, ATVs, farm equipment, snow mobiles, golf karts, jet skis and more. Contact local vehicle donation charities to learn if they accept the type of vehicle that you have to donate. Be aware that while cars, trucks, and vans are usually accepted in any condition, vehicle donation charities are often more discerning when in comes to other types of vehicles that they take in. They are not a service for disposing of vehicles, and will decline any vehicles that cannot be sold.

How do I donate my car?

Many car donation charities have an online form for donating vehicles. It will usually ask for your personal information such as name, address, and phone number. Your car donation charity will also need some information about the vehicle donation such as the year, make, model, VIN, and some details about the condition of the vehicle. Once you have submitted the form, the car donation charity will contact you to set up a time and place for them to collect the vehicle. Nearly all car donation charities offer free towing. Schedule your vehicle pickup for a time when you will be able to hand over the title and receive a receipt for your car donation. Keep this receipt in a safe place because it serves as proof of your car donation. You can get your car donation started at http://www.rawhide.org/. 

What else do I need to know about car donation?

There are a few things that you will want to do before you donate your car to charity:

• Remove personal items: It is unlikely that you will be able to retrieve anything left in the vehicle.
• Remove license plates: Some states require that you return license plates to the DMV.
• Cancel insurance on the vehicle: Because you will no longer be in possession of the vehicle, you no longer need to pay to have it insured.
• Transfer the vehicle’s title: If there is more than one owner listed on the title, both will need to sign. List the name of the car donation charity as the buyer on the title - do not leave this line blank. Make a copy of the transferred title and keep it for your records.
• After you donate your car to charity you can claim that donation as a tax deduction. The car charity will most likely sell your vehicle and you should receive a document stating the amount within 30 days of the sale.