How To Donate A Car In California: 3 Simple Steps
With Cars Helping Charities, donating a car has never been easier. Do you live in California? If you’ve ever wondered: How do I donate a car? You’re not alone! The process might not always seem clear-cut but there are just three simple steps you need to follow to donate a car in California.
- The first step to car donation is to make sure your vehicle or car has a clean title. A clean title, free of all liens, is required for 99% of all car donations. There are some instances when junk cars can be accepted with a bill of sale, but please inquire with our staff before donating.
2. Once you’ve confirmed you have all the documentation you need, you can simply fill out our vehicle donation form or call our toll-free number (866) 701-2277 and speak with one of our staff members. Whether you choose to call in or fill out the online form, you will need the following information, so make sure to have it handy:
- Vehicle Year
- Vehicle Make & Model
- Vehicle VIN
- Vehicle Mileage
- Vehicle Condition (various interior and exterior questions)
- Vehicle Location For Pickup
- Which Charity You’d Like to Donate to
- Your contact information for tow scheduling and follow-up questions
3. Once we have all of your information in our vehicle donation system, we will contact our towing companies to schedule a pickup from you. We strive to tow within 24 hours, but sometimes it isn’t feasible. We do our best to give the best estimation of time and only work with quality tow companies nationally. Once your vehicle is towed and the paperwork is in good order, we send the vehicles to either auction or the scrap yard. Most running vehicles go to auction and we receive multiple competing bids for them.
And just like that, you’ve donated your car! Once the vehicle is sold, we then send a tax receipt with the amount you can deduct from your taxes. The process is that simple! How to donate a car in California has never been easier.
Check out our car donation programs for nonprofits to partner organizations with us. Stay up to date on all car charity donation news with Cars Helping Charities.
