Donor FAQs

You will need a current and clear title. Any lien holder listed on the title must be cleared and/or released by the bank. This law varies by state.

When you are contacted by the towing/vendor company, you will most likely be given a time period to choose from for your pick-up window. These windows are based on your needs as a donor and what fits the realities of the traffic and volume in the geographic area of the vehicle.

The entire sale process can take approximately four to 12 weeks. The net cash proceeds from your generous vehicle donation are sent to your selected nonprofit within five business days upon the receipt of the sale proceeds from CARS auction or direct buy vendors.

Once you have provided us with all necessary information via the online vehicle donation form or over the phone with one of our Vehicle Donor Support Representatives, we will arrange to have a licensed tow company pick up your vehicle at a time convenient for you. The vehicle will be picked up and taken to one of our many sale locations where it will be sold—all at no cost to you.

In many cases, once the donation record has been created, we can arrange to have the vehicle be picked up on the initial call. In other cases, within two to three business days, our tow vendor representative for your donation will be calling/texting and/or emailing you using the information you provided on the donation form to schedule a convenient appointment time for your vehicle to be picked up. If you need your car picked up sooner, please let one of our Vehicle Donor Support Representatives know during your initial call. We will do our best to accommodate your time frame.

Yes! CARS can provide convenient pick-up and towing for vehicle donations just about anywhere in all 50 states. We provide vehicle donation processing in the contiguous 48 states as well as the District of Columbia, without limitation. In Alaska, we service the Fairbanks and Anchorage areas with a 50-mile service radius. In Hawaii, we service the island of Oahu and the island of Hawaii. If you are donating to a nonprofit outside of your state or if you have questions about donating, get started via our secure online vehicle donation form or call us toll-free at 855-500-RIDE (7433) seven days a week during regular hours of operation. We would be happy to help you.

In most states, you will need a current and clear (no liens) title for the nonprofit to accept your donation. Some states have exceptions. Any lien holder listed on the title must be cleared and/or released by the bank. Please refer to the motor vehicle division in your state for clear instructions. We are also available seven days a week during regular hours of operation. If you do not have it, or have problems with your title, please call us anyway at 855-500-RIDE (7433). It is possible that other arrangements may be made.

This requirement varies from state to state. Give us a call at 855-500-RIDE (7433), and we will confirm for you. Each Vehicle Donor Service Representative is equipped with a 50-state guide for the steps necessary in each state and will advise you of these steps during the donation process.

Yes! We can accept most vehicles, running or not. However, it must be in one piece and towable, have an engine, and be tow truck accessible. To find out if we can accept your vehicle, please choose a nonprofit, complete the secure online vehicle donation form, or call 855-500-RIDE (7433). Our Donor Support Team is available seven days a week during regular hours of operation.

Donated vehicles are sold through used car markets and provide crucial funding for nonprofit programs and services, making an impact in communities all over the world. We work with a very large network of nationwide and independent suppliers to sell the vehicle and maximize donation proceeds. This includes analyzing vendor pricing and performance regularly to improve the process and ensure the best possible return for our nonprofit partners and maximize their donors' tax benefits. For unique or specialty items that have been donated, we may use other means to sell the vehicle to help ensure the maximum funds are received for each donation.

No. Vehicle Donors do not pay for towing; it's free! The vehicles are picked up at no charge to you. All expenses are deducted from the gross sales price, and if the costs ever exceed the price, those costs are covered by CARS.

Our vendor representative for your donation will be calling/texting and/or emailing you using the information you provided on the donation form for scheduling. Please be aware you will very possibly receive a call from a phone number that you don’t recognize pertaining to your donation; this is the vendor.

Please remove all personal belongings from the vehicle and have the title ready at the time of the pick-up (unless otherwise directed). The tow operator will pick up the title, keys and vehicle. Please wait to mark the title; the tow vendor will assist you in signing the title. In most cases, the tow operator will also provide a donation receipt. Should you not receive a receipt, please give our Donor Support Team a call and we will get one out to you.