In California, the IRS donation date is the day your vehicle is physically picked up—not the day you schedule. To claim your car donation as a deduction for this tax year, your car must be picked up on or before December 31. That means if you want a 2024 deduction, your pickup has to happen by 11:59 PM on December 31, 2024. Rev Up Hope, benefiting Heritage for the Blind (a registered 501(c)(3), EIN 58-2164446), recommends scheduling 3–5 business days before year-end to secure a pickup slot in time.
We make it easy for California donors from San Diego, Orange County, and Los Angeles up through the Bay Area, Sacramento, Fresno, and the Inland Empire. Our team operates Monday through Saturday throughout the holiday season, with free towing for running and non-running vehicles—no smog check, inspection, or repairs required. You’ll receive a written acknowledgment after your vehicle sells (IRS Form 1098-C for vehicles valued over $500), but your deduction year is locked in by the pickup date. Take two minutes now to schedule your California pickup and help fund vital services for people who are blind or visually impaired.
Your year-end donation timeline
Start your 2-minute California donation form or call
2 minutesEnter your contact details, vehicle information, and preferred pickup window, or call to donate by phone. This holds your place in our California pickup schedule and lets us aim for pickup by December 31 if you contact us early enough.
Choose a pickup day before December 31
5 minutesOur team checks local tow availability from San Diego to Sacramento and offers you the earliest open slots. To protect your 2024 deduction, select a date on or before December 31 and schedule 3–5 business days ahead whenever possible.
Confirm your appointment and access details
5 minutesWe confirm your California address, vehicle location (driveway, street, or garage), and whether you’ll be present or leaving keys and title in a safe place. Once confirmed, you’re on our dispatch calendar for a year-end pickup attempt.
Vehicle is towed free anywhere in California
Day of pickupA professional towing partner arrives within the agreed window, anywhere from Los Angeles and the Inland Empire to the Bay Area and Central Valley. The actual pickup date is what the IRS uses for your deduction year, not the request date.
Receive your tax acknowledgment after sale
Within weeks of saleAfter your car sells, Rev Up Hope mails you a written acknowledgment; for vehicles over $500, this includes IRS Form 1098-C. This document shows the gross sale price and supports your itemized deduction for the tax year of pickup.
Year-end tax deduction facts
Pickup date controls your tax year
For IRS purposes, your donation date is when the vehicle is physically picked up, not when you call or submit the form. A car collected on or before December 31 counts for that calendar year’s potential deduction.
You generally deduct the sale price
In most cases, your charitable deduction is limited to the vehicle’s gross sale price. Once your donated car sells, Rev Up Hope sends you documentation showing that price so you can accurately report it on your federal tax return.
Form 1098-C for vehicles over $500
If your donated vehicle sells for more than $500, you’ll receive IRS Form 1098-C from Heritage for the Blind. This form lists key details, including the sale price, and is used to substantiate your deduction when you file.
You must itemize to claim the deduction
Car donations are claimed as charitable contributions on Schedule A of your federal return. You only benefit from the deduction if you itemize rather than take the standard deduction. Consult your tax advisor about your situation.
IRS 30-day written acknowledgment rule
The charity generally must send a written acknowledgment, including Form 1098-C if applicable, within 30 days of the sale or certain transfers. Even if this arrives later, the deductible year is still based on the pickup date.