To claim a year-end tax deduction for your car donation, the key is your donation date and the actual sale price of your vehicle. When you donate through Cruz Fresno to benefit Heritage for the Blind (a 501(c)(3), EIN 58-2164446), your deduction is generally the gross sale price of your car – not Kelley Blue Book. If it sells for more than $500, you’ll receive IRS Form 1098-C within 30 days of the sale. If it sells for $500 or less, you’ll receive a written acknowledgment and you may deduct $500 or your car’s fair market value, whichever is lower. You must itemize on Schedule A to use this deduction. Donate by December 31, and as long as we’ve accepted the vehicle and you keep your pickup confirmation showing that date, your deduction applies to this tax year.
Cruz Fresno makes this easy for donors across the Fresno Metro – from the Tower District, Fig Garden, and Sunnyside to Clovis, Madera, and Sanger. We arrange free towing for running or non-running vehicles, with no smog check, inspection, or repairs required. Our Fresno-based team understands local schedules, traffic, and neighborhoods, so we can coordinate convenient pickups from your driveway, workplace, or apartment lot. You get clear instructions, timely tax paperwork from Heritage for the Blind after the vehicle sells, and the satisfaction of supporting people who are blind or visually impaired – all while taking advantage of your year-end tax benefit.
Your year-end donation timeline
1. Lock in your deduction date
2 minutesComplete our quick online form or call Cruz Fresno by December 31. As soon as your vehicle is accepted and scheduled, your donation date is locked in for this tax year. Save your confirmation email or text as proof of the donation date for your records.
2. Schedule free Fresno Metro pickup
5 minutesChoose a pickup window that works for you anywhere in the Fresno Metro – from Northwest Fresno and Woodward Park to Clovis or Selma. Dispatch runs Monday–Saturday in most areas. Your vehicle can be non-running, with flat tires, or expired registration; no repairs needed.
3. Hand off the keys and title
10–15 minutesOn pickup day, you’ll sign the title and hand the driver your keys. The tow company will give you a pickup confirmation or tow receipt—keep this as proof of the date you transferred the vehicle, which supports your year-end deduction if the pickup is on or before December 31.
4. Vehicle sells; you get your IRS paperwork
Within 30 days of saleCruz Fresno arranges for your donated car to be sold. Heritage for the Blind will mail you IRS Form 1098-C if your vehicle sells for more than $500, or a written acknowledgment if it sells for $500 or less. This shows the gross sale proceeds for your tax return.
5. Claim your deduction on your tax return
At tax timeAt filing time, give your tax preparer your 1098-C or written acknowledgment, along with your pickup confirmation. If you itemize deductions on Schedule A, you may generally deduct the reported sale price (or up to $500 for lower-value vehicles). Always confirm specifics with a tax professional.
Year-end tax deduction facts
Deduction equals sale price, not book value
For most car donations, the IRS requires you to use the actual gross sale price of your vehicle, not Kelley Blue Book or an estimate. Once your car sells, Heritage for the Blind reports this amount to you on IRS Form 1098-C if the sale is over $500.
Form 1098-C for vehicles over $500
If your donated vehicle sells for more than $500, Heritage for the Blind mails you IRS Form 1098-C within 30 days of the sale. This form lists the sale date and gross proceeds, and you use it to support your charitable deduction on your federal tax return.
Vehicles at $500 or below use acknowledgment
If your vehicle sells for $500 or less, you’ll receive a written acknowledgment instead of Form 1098-C. In that case, the IRS generally allows you to deduct either $500 or the vehicle’s fair market value, whichever is lower, as long as you itemize on Schedule A.
You must itemize on Schedule A
Car donations are charitable contributions. To benefit from the deduction, you must itemize deductions on Schedule A instead of taking the standard deduction. Many donors consult a tax professional to determine if itemizing with a vehicle donation makes sense for their situation.
Dec 31 controls which year you deduct
Your deduction applies to the tax year in which you donate the vehicle—generally the date we accept it and it’s picked up or transferred. Donate by December 31 in Fresno, keep your pickup confirmation, and the deduction is typically claimed on that year’s return.