Which Charity Is Best To Donate A Car?

The best charity to donate a car to is one that is a registered 501(c)(3), tows for free, sells at auction, and sends the proceeds to a cause you can name. Wheels For Wishes does all four, and the proceeds benefit your local Make-A-Wish chapter.

Wheels For Wishes is Car Donation Foundation's 501(c)(3) vehicle donation program (EIN 26-3408048) and a major funding partner of Make-A-Wish. It is not a Make-A-Wish program.

Wheels For Wishes benefits your local chapter of Make-A-Wish with proceeds from generous vehicle donations! Your donation helps local kids facing critical illness live their wildest dreams.

With a donated vehicle, you can raise funds for many charities. Why not support one whose mission is to grant wishes for local kids?

Plus, Wheels For Wishes makes it really easy to donate a car to charity! We handle the towing and the sale, and your donation may qualify you for a tax deduction if you itemize. We can't give tax advice, so talk to your own tax advisor about what you can claim.

Wheels For Wishes Helps Turn Donated Cars Into Wishes!

When it comes to donating your car, allow us to be your charity guide! With other organizations, donating your vehicle may not be as easy, and your local Make-A-Wish chapter won't see the proceeds.

Wheels For Wishes is a great resource for your local community, because we benefit your local community! The proceeds from your car donation benefit your local chapter of Make-A-Wish, helping to fund the dreams of local kids.

It's truly amazing that you can feel the impact of your donated car in your community with Wheels For Wishes. Donate your car to our worthy organization today!

We Get The Most Out Of Your Car Donation For Make-A-Wish Kids And You!

Our 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization benefits a truly worthy cause in Make-A-Wish kids. It's important to us that our charity sells your generous donated vehicles for as much as possible to make the biggest positive impact on Make-A-Wish!

Our experienced team is dedicated to getting your car sold for the most possible at auction, which brings the highest value to Make-A-Wish! In fact, we have helped grant over 14,673 wishes since 2010!

Plus, your generous vehicle donation may also qualify you for a tax deduction if you itemize. We can't give tax advice, so talk to your own tax advisor about what you can claim.

How Wheels For Wishes Car Donations Work

It can be difficult to determine which charity is most deserving of your generous car donation. For transparency's sake, we'll show you how Wheels For Wishes car donations work, so you have what you need to make your decision.

• You donate your car or other vehicle to Wheels For Wishes. You can do this by phone at 1-855-278-9474 or with our online donation form.
• Within 24 hours of the next business day, we schedule a convenient time to pick up your generous car donation for free. That's right, we come to you and pick up vehicle donations for free!
• We auction or work with licensed auto recyclers for your vehicle. We do not donate a car directly to Make-A-Wish. Wheels For Wishes is an independent program of Car Donation Foundation. We sell the vehicle and send the proceeds to Make-A-Wish as a funding partner. Our experienced team auctions your car donation to get the most possible value for Make-A-Wish.
• After the process of donating your car is complete, we send the proceeds to Make-A-Wish to support their mission with a significant contribution! Donating your car goes a long way to support Make-A-Wish.
• After your car donation is complete, we also send you a written receipt that reflects how much your car sold for! You can use this tax receipt to claim your tax deduction if you itemize. We can't give tax advice, so talk to your own tax advisor about what you can claim.
• That's it! You donate a car, we auction it. The proceeds benefit Make-A-Wish. The amount your car sold for is reflected on your tax receipt.

Ask What The Charity Does With The Vehicle

Before you donate, ask any charity what happens to your vehicle after pickup. At Wheels For Wishes, your vehicle is sold at auction or recycled, depending on its condition, and the proceeds benefit your local Make-A-Wish chapter.

We never give donated vehicles directly to Make-A-Wish, and you never need an appraisal. For a closer look at the process, read about how we handle the vehicles worth more.

Ask Who Your Donation Goes To

Make sure you know exactly which organization receives your vehicle. Wheels For Wishes is a program of Car Donation Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in St. Louis Park, Minnesota (EIN 26-3408048). After your vehicle sells, we send your tax form within 30 days, and you can read about the 1098-C the charity issues for what to expect.

Be cautious if a charity:

• Can't give you its legal name and EIN
• Is vague about which charity or cause actually benefits
• Can't tell you what tax paperwork you will receive and when

Our Easy Car Donation Process

In just three easy steps, you can donate your car to benefit local Make-A-Wish kids! Here's our three-step donation process:

Step One:

First, call us at 1-855-278-9474 or fill out our convenient online donation form. An authorized agent is here to answer your questions about license plates, title information, how your money helps your local Make-A-Wish charity organization, and much more!

We guide you through the paperwork, making car donation nice and easy!

Step Two:

Within 24 hours of the next business day, we contact you to schedule your complimentary towing. We come to you and pick up vehicle donations for free!

Step Three:

After your vehicle donation is complete, we send your tax form within 30 days of your vehicle selling. You can claim this only if you itemize deductions. We can't give tax advice, so talk to your own tax advisor.

We Accept Most Types Of Vehicles To Support Make-A-Wish

We accept many types of vehicles depending on where you are. We also accept most vehicles in most conditions on a case-by-case basis, including:

• Cars
• Trucks
• Motorcycles
• Boats
• Recreational vehicles
• Trailers
• Jet Skis
• and more!

Your Car Donation May Qualify You For A Tax Deduction

The amount your vehicle sells for is reflected on the tax receipt we send you, which you can use toward a tax deduction if you itemize. We can't give tax advice, so talk to your own tax advisor about what you can claim.

To learn more, see what you can deduct, or read about the best place to donate a car for tax purposes.

When Another Charity Is The Better Choice

The right charity is the one whose mission matches what you want your donation to do. Here is a simple way to decide:

• If you want to benefit local kids facing critical illness, Wheels For Wishes sells your vehicle and sends the proceeds to support your local Make-A-Wish chapter.
• If you want to support veterans, Vehicles For Veterans, another program of Car Donation Foundation, is the better fit.
• If you want to help animal rescues, Animal Car Donation, also a program of Car Donation Foundation, is the better fit.

Have a higher-value vehicle? See our guide to donating a vehicle worth more than $5,000.

Frequently Asked Questions

We're here to answer some of your common questions relating to choosing charity organizations for your car donation.

Is Donating A Car A Good Tax Write-Off?

With Wheels For Wishes, it can be, if you itemize your deductions. We can't give tax advice, so talk to your own tax advisor. What sets us apart is our experienced team, dedicated to getting the most value for your car donation at auction.

We get the most out of your donation for your local Make-A-Wish charity organization.

Is It Better To Sell Or Donate?

Selling your car can bring you a profit, but scheduling test drives, listing online, haggling for price, and dealing with the title can all be a hassle. Wheels For Wishes is hassle-free, and our guide explains whether to donate or sell in more detail.

What Is The Best Car Donation Charity?

Wheels For Wishes is the best car donation charity because of our experience, expertise, and because we fund your local chapter of Make-A-Wish! Most importantly, supporting a great cause like funding wishes for children facing critical illness sets us apart.

We make it easy to donate, we come to you with free towing, you may qualify for a tax deduction if you itemize, and your donation goes to a great cause. We can't give tax advice, so talk to your own tax advisor.

Since 2010, Car Donation Foundation d/b/a Wheels For Wishes has donated over $125 million. That's all from generous car donors like you!

If you are looking to benefit U.S. veterans with your car donation, we recommend Vehicles For Veterans.

If you want to support amazing animal rescues, we recommend Animal Car Donation.

Which charity is best for your car donation? Wheels For Wishes is a great option because we make it easy, we benefit a great cause, and you get great perks for your donation as well.