If your vehicle is picked up on or before December 31 in West Virginia, the IRS counts your car donation for this tax year. With Appalachian Autos and Heritage for the Blind, it takes about two minutes to start. Fill out our simple online form or call, we schedule your free tow, you sign the title at pickup, and your deduction is based on the date the licensed tow truck collects your car — not when it’s sold. Your written acknowledgment and IRS Form 1098‑C follow by mail after the sale.
We know year‑end in West Virginia moves fast. That’s why our dispatch team works Monday through Saturday to arrange same‑day or next‑business‑day pickups in most metro areas, including Charleston, Huntington, Morgantown, Wheeling, Parkersburg, Beckley, Martinsburg, and surrounding communities like Teays Valley, South Charleston, Cross Lanes, Fairmont, and Saint Albans. Your car doesn’t need to run, pass inspection, or have current registration. If you’re ready to donate, we’re ready to move quickly so you can beat the December 31 deadline and support Heritage for the Blind’s work for people who are blind or visually impaired.
Your year-end donation timeline
Start the 2‑minute donation form or call
About 2 minutesProvide your contact info, West Virginia pickup address, and basic vehicle details (year, make, model, condition). Or call Appalachian Autos for Heritage for the Blind and we’ll take the info by phone. This locks in your place in our year‑end pickup schedule.
Get a scheduling call within hours
1–2 business hours on weekdaysA donation coordinator calls you back, usually within 1–2 business hours on weekdays, to confirm details and offer the earliest available tow time. Tell us you need a pickup by December 31 so we prioritize a qualifying date and time.
Free tow scheduled on your timeline
Same‑day or next business day in most metrosIn and around Charleston, Huntington, Morgantown, Wheeling, and other metro areas, we can often dispatch a licensed tow truck the same day or next business day. You choose a convenient window before December 31 to ensure this year’s deduction.
Hand over keys, sign the title at pickup
10–15 minutes at your curb or drivewayWhen the tow truck arrives, you sign the West Virginia title over to Heritage for the Blind and hand over the keys (if you have them). The physical pickup date is what the IRS uses as your official donation date for this tax year.
Vehicle sale and tax paperwork mailed
Within 30 days of saleYour vehicle is transported, processed, and sold. Heritage for the Blind mails you a written acknowledgment and, when required, IRS Form 1098‑C within 30 days of the sale so you have what you need to claim your deduction when you file.
Year-end tax deduction facts
Pickup date controls this year’s deduction
For car donations, the IRS treats the date your vehicle is picked up by the charity’s towing agent as the donation date. If the truck collects your car on or before December 31, you can generally claim the deduction for that tax year.
Written acknowledgment and Form 1098‑C
After your car is sold, Heritage for the Blind sends you a written acknowledgment and, when your deduction is above the IRS threshold, Form 1098‑C. This document shows the gross sale price and is used to substantiate your charitable deduction.
Deduction usually equals charity’s sale price
In most cases, your federal deduction is limited to the amount Heritage for the Blind receives from selling your vehicle. There are a few exceptions, but generally you can’t deduct more than the actual gross proceeds from the sale shown on Form 1098‑C.
Itemizing on Schedule A is required
To benefit from a car‑donation tax deduction, you must itemize deductions on your federal return using Schedule A instead of taking the standard deduction. If you don’t itemize, you won’t see a tax savings from the donation itself.
30‑day window for your tax receipt
Heritage for the Blind mails your acknowledgment and, if applicable, Form 1098‑C within 30 days after the vehicle is sold. This timing meets IRS rules and ensures you have written proof of your donation before or while preparing your return.