Car Donation Paperwork — Complete Guide

What you need to provide

Required:

• Vehicle title — signed in the 'transfer of title by seller' section
• Your name and contact info (for the 1098-C delivery)
• Mailing address for IRS form

Optional but helpful:

• Vehicle keys (we tow without keys but it speeds up auction processing)
• Service records (raise auction value if vehicle is in decent shape)
• Photos (lets us estimate sale price more accurately for your planning)

If you lost the title, see our 'donate car lost title' page or call us for state-specific guidance.

What we provide back

1. Confirmation receipt (immediate, via email) — shows we received the donation, with the reference number 2. Pickup confirmation (immediate, via email or text) — shows tow driver collected the vehicle 3. IRS Form 1098-C (30-45 days after pickup, via email) — shows the actual sale price for your tax deduction 4. Receipt lookup at /receipt anytime with your reference number

We also file the Notice of Release of Liability with your state DMV (where required) — this removes the vehicle from your DMV record and protects you from any tickets/violations after we take possession.

Form 8283 — when you need it

If your tax deduction is more than $500, the IRS requires you to file Form 8283 with your tax return. The form has two sections; Section A applies to vehicle donations. You complete Form 8283 yourself (or your tax preparer does). It asks for: donee charity name (Cars Helping Kids / Fainting Goat Foundation), date of donation, vehicle description, and amount claimed. The 1098-C we send you has all the info you need to fill it out. For deductions over $5,000: Section B of Form 8283 applies, which requires more documentation. Vehicle donations rarely hit this threshold but it's possible for high-end donations.

Your tax preparer can handle Form 8283 in 5 minutes. We don't fill it out for you — it's a form you attach to your personal return.