If you want your car donation to count for this tax year, the key date is your pickup. Under IRS rules, the day your vehicle is physically picked up is treated as the donation date. That means when your car is towed on or before December 31, your gift can be claimed as a deduction for this year’s taxes. With Revive Wheels and our nonprofit partner Heritage for the Blind, you can start in two minutes, set a fast, free pickup, and get the written acknowledgment you need for your return.
Revive Wheels coordinates convenient, no-cost towing across Greater Cincinnati—from Hyde Park, Oakley, and Mt. Lookout to Westwood, Price Hill, Norwood, and Bond Hill, plus suburbs like Florence, Covington, Hamilton, Fairfield, Mason, and West Chester. Your vehicle doesn’t need to run, pass inspection, or have a current registration. Just complete the quick online form or call, confirm your pickup window with our coordinator, and hand over the signed title when the licensed tow truck arrives. Your car is then sold to benefit Heritage for the Blind, supporting services for people who are blind or visually impaired—and you receive IRS-ready documentation after the sale.
Your year-end donation timeline
Start the 2-minute form or call Revive Wheels
2 minutesFill out our simple online form with your contact, vehicle location, and basic car details, or call Revive Wheels for immediate help. Either way takes about two minutes and securely sends your information to Heritage for the Blind to start your donation today.
Get a fast call-back to schedule pickup
Within 1–2 business hoursOn weekdays, a Heritage for the Blind coordinator calls you back within 1–2 hours to confirm your information and offer pickup time options. In December, have a few windows ready so we can lock in a slot that gets you picked up by December 31 in Greater Cincinnati.
Confirm a free tow time before the Dec 31 cutoff
Same-day or next business day in most metrosIn most metro areas, including Greater Cincinnati, we can schedule a free licensed tow truck for same-day or next-business-day pickup, Monday through Saturday. Once your date and time are booked, you’re on the calendar to be picked up on or before December 31, subject to availability.
Sign your title at pickup and hand over the keys
10–15 minutes at your curb or drivewayWhen the tow truck arrives at your Cincinnati-area address, you sign the title over to the charity and hand over the keys (if you have them). The driver completes a quick condition check and loads the vehicle. The pickup date becomes your official donation date for IRS purposes.
Vehicle is sold and your tax paperwork is mailed
Receipt within 30 days of saleHeritage for the Blind arranges sale of your donated vehicle. Within 30 days of the sale, you’ll receive Form 1098-C or a written acknowledgment by mail. Keep this with your tax records to claim your charitable deduction when you file using Schedule A.
Year-end tax deduction facts
Dec 31 pickup = this year’s deduction
For vehicle donations, the IRS treats the day your car is picked up as the donation date, not the day you call or fill out the form. If your car is physically towed away on or before December 31, you can generally claim the deduction for this tax year.
Form 1098-C for donations over certain amounts
When your donated vehicle is sold, Heritage for the Blind issues IRS Form 1098-C or a written acknowledgment. For larger deductions, this form may need to be attached to your tax return, so keep it with your records when filing your itemized return.
Deduction usually equals the sale price
In most cases, your allowable federal tax deduction is based on the gross sale price of the vehicle, not a price guide estimate. The sale amount appears on your 1098-C or acknowledgment and is what you use when you complete Schedule A for itemized deductions.
You’ll file on Schedule A if you itemize
Vehicle donations are charitable contributions. To benefit from the deduction, you must itemize deductions on Schedule A instead of taking the standard deduction. Your acknowledgment from Heritage for the Blind supports the amount you list as a charitable gift.
30-day written acknowledgment deadline
After your donated car is sold, Heritage for the Blind mails your Form 1098-C or written acknowledgment within 30 days of the sale. This timing follows IRS rules and ensures you receive official documentation before or during tax filing season.