You can still claim your car donation on this year’s taxes—even if it’s late December. With Bluegrass Auto Gift in Louisville, your deduction is locked in based on the actual pickup date. If our licensed tow truck collects your vehicle on or before December 31, the IRS treats it as a donation for this tax year. Start takes about two minutes: submit our simple online form or call, we call you back to schedule, and towing is free. You don’t need current registration, repairs, or an inspection. Non-running vehicles are welcome.
Bluegrass Auto Gift partners with Heritage for the Blind, a 501(c)(3) serving people who are blind or visually impaired (EIN 58-2164446). We know Louisville Metro—whether you’re in St. Matthews, Jeffersontown, Shively, Newburg, Fern Creek, Okolona, Pleasure Ridge Park, Prospect, or across the river in southern Indiana. In most metro areas, we can pick up the same day or the next business day, Monday through Saturday. If you’re ready to donate, you just want the fastest path from “I’m done with this car” to a scheduled tow and a tax receipt. Follow the steps below and lock in your deduction before December 31.
Your year-end donation timeline
Start your donation in 2 minutes
2 minutesFill out Bluegrass Auto Gift’s quick online form or call Heritage for the Blind to start your donation. You’ll share basic info: your contact details, vehicle location in the Louisville area, and the year/make/model. No smog check, no inspection, and the car does not have to run or be currently registered.
Get a callback and lock in a pickup slot
Within 1–2 business hoursA donation coordinator calls you back within 1–2 business hours on weekdays to confirm your details and schedule your free tow. This is where you choose the earliest available pickup date—aim for a date on or before December 31 to secure this year’s tax deduction.
Free towing at your Louisville address
Same day or next business day in most metro areasA licensed tow truck comes to the address you choose—your home in Highlands, your office downtown, a shop in Valley Station, or a driveway in Lyndon. In most Louisville Metro locations, we can tow the same day or the next business day, Monday–Saturday, at no cost to you.
Sign the title at pickup – that’s your donation date
5–10 minutes at the curbAt pickup, you sign your Kentucky title over to complete the donation. The physical pickup date—when the tow company accepts the vehicle—is what the IRS uses as your donation date. If that date is December 31 or earlier, your gift counts for this tax year.
Vehicle is sold, and you receive your tax paperwork
Within 30 days of saleYour vehicle is transported, processed, and sold. Heritage for the Blind mails you a written acknowledgment or IRS Form 1098‑C, depending on the sale price, within 30 days of the sale. Keep this with your records to claim your deduction when you file your taxes.
Year-end tax deduction facts
Your donation date is the pickup date
For IRS purposes, the donation happens when the charity (or its agent) takes possession of your car. That’s the tow truck pickup date. If your vehicle is picked up on or before December 31, you can generally claim the deduction for that tax year.
Form 1098‑C for higher-value vehicles
If your donated vehicle is sold for more than the IRS threshold, Heritage for the Blind issues Form 1098‑C. This form shows the gross sale price, which is usually the maximum amount you can deduct when you itemize on Schedule A.
Written acknowledgment within 30 days of sale
Within 30 days after your car is sold, you’ll receive a written acknowledgment or Form 1098‑C in the mail. This is your official tax documentation—keep it with your records for when you or your tax preparer files your return.
Deduction generally equals sale price
In most cases, the IRS allows you to deduct the actual gross sale price of the vehicle, not a price guide estimate. The amount on your Form 1098‑C or written acknowledgment is what you’ll typically use when completing Schedule A to itemize deductions.
You must itemize to claim the deduction
Car donations are usually claimed as charitable contributions on Schedule A. To benefit from the deduction, you must itemize instead of taking the standard deduction. A tax professional can help you decide which approach is better for your situation.