If you’re ready to donate your car and want your tax deduction to count for this year, here’s the bottom line: the IRS uses your vehicle pickup date as the official donation date. When RideRebirth schedules a free tow and your car is physically picked up on or before December 31, your donation applies to this tax year—even if the vehicle sells later. Start now with our secure, two-minute form or a quick call to Heritage for the Blind, and we’ll move fast to get you on the calendar.
RideRebirth coordinates free, licensed towing across Seattle and the broader Puget Sound—whether you’re in Ballard, Capitol Hill, West Seattle, Beacon Hill, Bellevue, Redmond, Kent, or Tacoma. Your car doesn’t need to run, pass emissions, or have current registration. We handle the paperwork, towing, and sale; Heritage for the Blind (a 501(c)(3)) sends your written acknowledgment after the sale for your records. December pickup slots fill quickly, especially the last week of the year. If you want your donation to count for this tax year, take two minutes now to lock in a pickup time that works for you.
Your year-end donation timeline
Start the 2-minute form or call Heritage for the Blind
2 minutesShare your contact info, vehicle details, and preferred pickup window through our simple online form, or call Heritage for the Blind directly. It’s fast, no obligation, and this is all we need to start arranging your free tow anywhere in the Seattle or Puget Sound area.
Get a quick callback to lock in your pickup date
Within 1–2 business hoursA donation coordinator calls you back on weekdays—often within an hour—to confirm your information and schedule your free tow. Tell us you need pickup by December 31 so we prioritize a date that locks in your deduction for this tax year.
Free tow truck arrives on your schedule
Same-day or next business day in most metrosA licensed tow truck comes to your home, work, or storage lot—whether that’s in Seattle, Bellevue, Shoreline, Renton, or Tacoma. In most metro Puget Sound locations we can offer same-day or next-business-day pickup, especially earlier in December.
Sign your title at pickup to complete the donation
5–10 minutesAt the curb, driveway, or garage, you hand over the keys (if available) and sign the title to Heritage for the Blind. The tow operator will guide you through where to sign. Once the vehicle is loaded, your pickup date becomes your IRS donation date.
We sell the vehicle and mail your tax documentation
Within 30 days of saleYour vehicle is transported, processed, and sold. After the sale, Heritage for the Blind mails you IRS-compliant paperwork (Form 1098-C or a written acknowledgment) within 30 days of the sale, documenting the amount you can claim as a charitable deduction.
Year-end tax deduction facts
Pickup date controls this year’s deduction
For vehicle donations, the IRS treats the date your car is picked up as the donation date. If your car is towed away on or before December 31, your charitable deduction applies to that tax year, even if the sale happens later.
Form 1098-C for larger vehicle deductions
If your donated vehicle sells for more than the IRS threshold, Heritage for the Blind issues Form 1098-C. This form shows the gross sale price, which generally determines the maximum amount you may deduct when you itemize on Schedule A.
Written acknowledgment within 30 days of sale
Within 30 days after your car is sold, Heritage for the Blind mails a written acknowledgment or Form 1098-C. Keep this with your tax records; your tax preparer will use it to document your charitable contribution to the IRS.
Deduction typically equals sale price
In most cases, the IRS limits your deduction to the amount the charity receives from selling your car, not its blue book value. Your tax receipt shows the sale price so you and your tax advisor can accurately report the deduction.
Itemizing and Schedule A required
To benefit from a vehicle donation tax deduction, you must itemize deductions on Schedule A of your federal return. If you don’t itemize, you can still donate your car—it just won’t reduce your federal taxable income.