Car Donation IL Programs

Non-running vehicles often accepted.

Some charities offer same day pickup.

You may qualify for a nice tax deduction.

Illinois car donation programs make it a cinch to donate your vehicle to a worthy
charity in the ”Prairie State.”

Your Illinois car donation can be done in a jiffy with the following easy steps:

Note that numbers 1 & 2 below are for your own protection.  Make sure the charity is authentic before donating your vehicle.  There are lots of fraudulent car donation ‘charities’ everywhere.  They often seem trustworthy until you look closer.  Fortunately, ‘looking closer’ is easy:

1.  Make sure the Illinois car donation charity is genuine. Charities are required to register with the Illinois Attorney General. (link is below – with listing of registered Illinois charities)

2. Make sure the Illinois charity is registered with the IRS.  It should be listed on IRS Publication 78 (link below) for you to be able to get your car donation tax deduction.

3. Have the vehicle title in your possession.  Replacement titles can be gotten at the Illinois Drivers Services Department (website is called “CyberDriveIllinois” -links below). There you will sign the vehicle’s title over to the charity.

(Note that some charities will offer to do the title transfer for you. But you may want to consider doing it yourself: This will guarantee you aren’t responsible for any future liabilities connected with the vehicle.)

4. Arrange for the charity to come get the vehicle.  You shouldn’t have to pay for having the vehicle towed in Illinois – the charity should cover the towing fee. (If they won’t, find another charity.)  Remove the license plates from the vehicle before it is towed away.

5. Save your receipts for when you file your taxes.  You must itemize your taxes to get a tax deduction.

Important links for your Illinois car donation:

Illinois Attorney General - The charity must be registered here.  (There’s a list of registered Illinois charities on that page.

IRS Publication 78 – List of charities that are eligible for you to apply for a tax deduction.

Illinois Drivers Services Department - Here’s where you will sign over your title to your selected charity.

Car donation charity watchdog organizations (scroll towards bottom of that page).

Make an Illinois vehicle donation here in ”The Prairie State.”  You will be a good deed-doer and may get a nice vehicle donation tax deduction at the same time.  (But regardless, you’ll be ridding your lot of a vehicle you probably didn’t like parked there – without having to go thru the hassle of marketing and selling it!)