Looking for reputable car donation charities? Read on.

Giving to charity isn't simply an act of generosity — information technology can exist a healthy tax break , as well.

While you can donate gifts and cash to charities, donating your car is a lesser-known way to give. Non merely tin donating your car give you a good for you tax deduction, but it'due south as well a dandy mode to give back because charities supporting at-risk youth to animals in need all accept vehicles as donations.

Notwithstanding, there are some boxes you demand to tick before y'all hand over the keys, such as getting your paperwork in gild and making sure your chosen clemency is legitimate.

In this mail, we'll intermission down the best auto donation charities by cause and cover the things y'all should be looking for in a legitimate charity.

Let's swoop in!

Things to Know Before Altruistic Your Car to Charity

Before you hand over the keys to your car, there are some boxes you need to check to make certain the charity is legitimate and meets regime guidelines.

First, there are strict IRS guidelines y'all demand to meet to write off your car equally a deduction. For example, the total donation can't exist more than 50% of your adjusted gross income, and if you leave the sale of the car up to the charity—the gross proceeds of the auction can be deducted.

The taxation guidelines are extensive, so yous should check them out yourself on the IRS website .

You as well need to selection your charity wisely and make sure it is legitimate. Non but should your chosen charity be tax-exempt and registered every bit a 501(c)(three) organization, you should cross-check it on the IRS website to confirm it has tax-exempt condition .

It's also wise to donate your car to a charity that has a good reputation and runway record of showing how donations really help their cause. You can use a website like Clemency Watch to research a charity's revenue enhancement status, affiliation, and stated mission.

A quick search for PETA shows that the charity has a certified 501(c)iii status, every bit well as a host of affiliated names:

Reputable Charities Accepting Automobile Donations to Support At-Hazard Youth

Looking to donate your automobile to help at-run a risk youth?

There are many registered charities on the IRS website y'all can choose from that provide services like counseling , therapy, and residential treatment for at-risk youth. Better yet, almost of the charities have gratis pick-up services and can assistance you maximize your tax deduction.

one. Rawhide Youth Services

The Rawhide Youth Services has processed over 200,00 charitable vehicle donations in the state of Wisconsin since 1965, and has streamlined the process to brand it equally easy as possible to donate and help people go the almost from their donations.

Rawhide arranges for free selection-upwards or transportation for any donated vehicle using a nationwide network of carriers. All you have to do is fill up out the donation form on our website, and a fellow member of our team will contact yous to schedule a pickup time and provide a tax receipt.

Nosotros ensure the majority of your donation volition directly fund our at-gamble treatment programs. On boilerplate, 83% of every vehicle donated is put direct back into the charity to help change the lives of at-run a risk teens and families.

Rawhide doesn't simply accept car donations. You tin can donate your gunkhole, motorcycle, RV, motorhome, camper, or even a jet ski!

Several other charities help vulnerable and at-risk youth, including:

  • One laptop per child
  • Children's wishes
  • Songs of love
  • Mind-Body Sensation Project
  • Adoption Rhode Island
  • NPH USA
  • UNICEF
  • Bert'southward big adventure
  • D.A.R.E. Massachusetts
  • Toys for Tots
  • Child Find of America
  • St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

Reputable Charities Accepting Automobile Donations to Support Animals in Demand

Animate being charities go beyond but looking after cute puppies.

They play a big role in conservation, reducing beast cruelty, solving animal homelessness, and boosting vaccinations.

Here are some of the top organizations you tin can donate your car to.

PETA

PETA… and car donations?

Yes, PETA is one of the big-name creature charities that accept cars, boat, truck, motorcycle, motorhome, jet ski, and even plane donations.

In America, PETA accepts vehicle donations in any condition from all fifty states. All you take to practice is fill up out the vehicle donation course , and a PETA representative will contact you and organize for your vehicle to be towed when it's user-friendly for you.

Later on it has been picked upwards, you'll receive an IRS taxation receipt for your records.

Fauna Rescue, Inc

Like PETA, Beast Rescue, Inc . accepts donations of cars, trucks, motorcycles, motorhomes, and boats.

The not-profit volition come and pick up the vehicle you're donating within 72 hours of yous contacting them. Later on they collect your vehicle, you'll get an initial car donation receipt, and then Animal Rescue, Inc will piece of work to sell your vehicle. After it'due south sold, the clemency will provide you with the tax forms you need to make the proper deduction when it comes time to file your taxes.

If you need help during the process, the charity'southward squad is bachelor 24/7 to help out. You tin can donate to the charity here.

Canine Companions for Independence

Canine Companions for Independence is primarily focused on providing aid dogs to those in demand.

Like the other animate being charities on the list, you can donate unwanted vehicles like cars, trucks, boats, places, and motorcycles to the charity, whether they're working or even if they're broken down!

Once you arrive touch with the charity ( you can do so here ), their team will pick up your vehicle for complimentary and provide y'all with the revenue enhancement forms you lot need to receive the deduction on your return.

Other reputable beast charities accepting car donations to assistance support animals in need:

  • WildCare
  • Golden Gate Labrador Retriever Rescue
  • Search Dog Foundation, National Disaster
  • The Washington Fauna Rescue League
  • Days End Farm Horse Rescue
  • Greyhound Welfare
  • Alley Cat Allies
  • Save the Manatee Club, Inc.
  • NEADS Inc

Reputable Charities Accepting Car Donations to Fight Community Hunger

Feeding communities is ane of the most worthwhile ways to donate your car to charity. Depending on the charity you choose, these organizations work to combat hunger on local, state, nationwide, and global levels.

Feed The Children

Feed The Children 's mission is simple. One in five children go hungry, and they want to solve the crisis.

Y'all can donate your automobile, truck, boat, or RV. The charity volition be in bear on within three days to organize pickup, and they have a team on manus to help y'all with any questions yous might have in regards to your taxation receipt.

The charity has glowing reviews of their car donation efforts, like this one:

"Information technology has been a pleasure altruistic a auto to Feed The Children. I appreciated the fast responses to my emails, and the quick pickup of the car." – Elton D. New Bedford, MA

Other reputable charities accepting car donations to assist fight hunger:

  • Toys for Tots
  • Child Find of America
  • One laptop per child
  • Children's wishes
  • Songs of love
  • UNICEF
  • NPH USA
  • Bert'due south big take chances
  • D.A.R.E. Massachusetts
  • St. Jude Children's Research Infirmary

Reputable Charities Accepting Car Donations to Support Veterans

Vets Vehicles

Vets Vehicles is the leading charity for machine donations supporting veterans.

The process is simple. All y'all demand to do is:

  • Fill out the donation grade or phone call 888-VETS-VEHicles (888-838-7834) and go your vehicle'southward information candy
  • Schedule a choice-upwards time that suits you (for free)
  • Organize your paperwork to receive your tax benefit

The charity accepts donations of cars, trucks, motorcycles, trailers, boats, and many more than.

Disabled American Veterans (DAV)

Disabled American Veterans (DAV) specifically supports wounded combat veterans.

They accept vehicle donations from all 50 states, and they've fifty-fifty adapted their pickup policies and then they're safety during COVID-19. Every vehicle pickup adheres to strict policies, and so drivers practice safety and secure interactions when they come up to tow the vehicle, and you tin even request no-contact pickup of your vehicle!

Equally well as accepting cars, trucks, and boats, you can also donate farm machinery and heavy equipment to DAV by calling 833-CAR-4DAV (833-227-4328) or filling out their secure online vehicle donation form .

Other reputable charities accepting car donations to support veterans:

  • Veterans of Foreign Wars Foundation
  • AMVETS Charities
  • Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund
  • Fisher House Foundation
  • Special Operations Warrior Foundation

Reputable Charities Accepting Automobile Donations to Medical Research

Finally, yous can donate your vehicle to medical research.

Charities vary from fighting diseases like cancer to researching cures for Alzheimers, food allergens, and Down syndrome.

American Cancer Guild

Car donations to the American Cancer Guild assist the charity fund cancer enquiry, advocacy, teaching, and gratuitous patient service programs.

The charity says car donations can also allow them to give cancer patients complimentary rides to treatment, provide back up calls, and provide free lodging for patients. Like other charities on the list, the society accepts vehicles whether they're running or not.

You can donate trucks, motorcycles, boats, snowmobiles, trailers, and recreational vehicles to the society online or by calling 1-888-227-5500.

Alzheimer's Foundation of America

The Alzheimer's Foundation of America has joined forces with 5-Dac and so you can donate your automobile quickly and easily online.

If you accept an unwanted motorcar, truck, boat, or RV, yous merely need to fill out the online course or call 877-999-8322 to arrange for a free pickup anywhere in the United states. The money raised from your vehicle donation will become towards giving support, services, and instruction to those affected by Alzheimer's illness and related dementias, likewise as funding inquiry for better treatment and a cure.

Other reputable charities accepting automobile donations to support medical research:

  • Alzheimer's Foundation of America
  • ALS Clan
  • Arthritis Foundation
  • American Liver Foundation
  • March of Dimes
  • PKD Foundation
  • Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Resources Foundation
  • CaringBridge
  • Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network
  • Down's syndrome Congress, National
  • Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine

6 Steps to Choose a Legitimate Automobile Donation Charity

Pace #one: Check that the charity is legitimate

Before you hand over your keys to any charity, the start step is to make sure they are legitimate.

The nigh important element is to check the charity's registration status. You need to brand certain that the IRS has designated the organization equally a non-profit with a 501(c)(3) status. At present, if the charity mentions that they take this charitable status on their website or social media status, that'due south peachy—but it'southward not enough.

To double-check, blazon in the charity's name on the IRS website. Here are the results for a search on Vets Vehicles:

You should likewise catechize the charity using sites similar Clemency Navigator or Clemency Watch to see whether information technology has a practiced reputation for following through with its promises.

Footstep #2: Make certain at to the lowest degree 80% of gain go to clemency

It's not unusual to have anxiety about where charitable donations go. How can you exist sure that the charity tin maximize your donation, and it will actually go to those who need information technology?

Many car donations now run through third-party websites or organizations, and so you must brand sure at least eighty% of the motorcar's overall value is going to go to your chosen charity—not the third party.

Step #3: Check that all paperwork will be provided

Apart from contributing to a good cause, the most important part of your automobile donation is getting the paperwork correct.

After all, if the charity you lot cull to donate your auto to doesn't provide you with the paperwork yous need, yous won't be able to claim the donation every bit a tax deduction come up tax time.

Here are the most important points when it comes to motorcar donation paperwork:

  • The IRS requires you to admit, in writing , from your chosen charity if your vehicle donation is worth more than $250. At a minimum, the documentation must include your name, vehicle identification number, and the date of donation
  • If your vehicle is valued at more than $500 but under $5000, yous demand to fill out Section A of the IRS Grade 8283 and provide information technology with your tax return
  • If your vehicle is worth more than $five,000, y'all need to get an independent appraisal besides as completing Section B of Grade 8283

Information technology sounds similar a lot, but you can go help from the Hearst Black Book,  Kelley Blueish Book,  or National Automobile Dealers Clan if you need a rough marketplace value for your car.

CNBC's Andrew Osterland also recommends when the charity picks the car up or when y'all drop it off, that when you sign over the championship of the automobile to the arrangement, a representative signs it as well.

"If someone is picking the car up, have them sign the championship and have a photocopy of it," he says.

"People accept been on the hook for liabilities on donated cars that were non properly signed over to a new owner."


Step #iv: Choose charities that don't accuse removal or towing fees

Most of the charities on our listing offer to option your motorcar up for free—which is exactly what you should seek when thinking of donating your car.

Not simply is it more convenient than driving the auto to your chosen charity, but you'll as well salve coin as some charities accuse removal or towing fees.

Footstep #5: Choose charities that allow direct car donations

The easiest way to brand sure you make the most out of your car donation is by choosing a charity that you can deal with direct.

Although 3rd-party donation sites are convenient and promise that eighty% volition go directly to the charity, most organizations now offer online donations as well as defended customer service teams to arrange for direct donations.

Donating directly is also the best way to make certain the organization gets the best possible price for your car. While unpleasant, some tertiary-political party providers sell vehicles at lower prices considering they're not as incentivized every bit the charity to become the best possible cost for the car. In fact, reports take found some attorney general offices had even filed suits against car donation program operators to crack down on them for parading every bit charities when they were, in fact, for-turn a profit businesses.

The all-time advice nosotros can give is to exercise your homework and if possible—give directly to the charity of your choice.

Wrapping Up

Donating your car is a win-win for you and many worthwhile organizations out in that location.

Not only is it convenient (hey, you even get it picked upward from your driveway!), but it'south a great manner to get a deduction on your taxes. While donating your car is safe, you must research the clemency you're thinking of giving to and brand sure they are legitimate, have a expert reputation, and will provide you with the correct documentation you need when information technology comes time to file with the IRS.

If yous've done your research and found a worthy cause, all that'due south left to practise is mitt over your keys! 🔑