Are you looking to upgrade your vehicle? Do you have a car you no longer use? Trying to get rid of an older vehicle? Instead of selling your car for a small profit, why not donate a vehicle to charity instead? Thousands of charities across America use vehicle donation programs to raise funds for their missions. However, when donating a vehicle, there are a variety of steps and procedures to follow to make sure it is done properly and with a legitimate charity. At Eggleston, we have run a vehicle donation program for over 20 years, so we understand the multi-step process and benefits of donating your vehicle.
Steps to Donate a Car
To donate a vehicle to charity, there are a few steps you need to follow, but our knowledgeable staff can walk you through the process to make sure all the necessary paperwork is completed so the donation is done correctly.
1. Sign Title Over to Charity
On your vehicle’s title, there is a section where you can “sell” the vehicle to someone. In this section (Section A), you will sign your name and then put the name and address of the charity you are donating the vehicle to, as well as the odometer reading. Within this area, there is also a line that has “sales price” on it; fill it in with the words “charitable gift.”
2. Give Title to Charity
Once you have signed and filled out the necessary information in Section A, you will hand over the title and the vehicle to the charity. They will then complete the donation by filling out their name, address, and signature.
3. Remove License Plates
The license plates on the vehicle are registered to your name. To ensure there are no issues, you will want to remove the license plates and take them with you. This also allows the charity to register the vehicle in their name.
4. Notify the DMV
Once you have completed the donation process, you will need to notify the Department of Motor Vehicles that you no longer own the car and that you have donated it. This allows them to fill out the necessary paperwork in a timely manner.
5. Notify Your Insurance Company
In addition to notifying the DMV, you will want to notify your insurance company that you have donated the vehicle as well. Since you no longer own the car, you will no longer need insurance on the vehicle.
Bonus: Receiving a Vehicle Donation Tax Deduction
While not part of the multiple steps for donating a vehicle, a nice bonus for donating your vehicle is that you can receive a vehicle donation tax deduction. Once your vehicle sells or is auctioned off, you qualify for a $500 vehicle donation tax deduction. If the vehicle sells for more than $500, you will receive an IRS Form 1098-C in the mail. This can be used for a tax deduction on that year’s tax returns. Again, the helpful staff at Eggleston can walk you through the process and ensure that all paperwork is properly filed.
Donate Your Car to Eggleston
Are you interested in donating a car in Virginia? Why not donate your vehicle to Eggleston? Eggleston is a charity specializing in education, training, and employment for persons with disabilities. In addition to raising funds that support our programs, our car donation program also helps provide important training, job experience, and people skills for adults with disabilities.
Eggleston’s auto donation program is run and managed 100% in-house—from the first phone call, inspecting the cars, detailing them, preparing them for auction, and the auction itself. We handle all of this in-house, allowing us to create job opportunities for adults with disabilities. While other non-profits use third-party companies that take a percentage of the proceeds, 100% of the proceeds from our auctions go towards supporting our mission and programs.
Are you ready to make a difference in your community? Donate your car to Eggleston today!