If your vehicle is picked up on or before December 31 in North Dakota, the IRS treats your car donation as a deduction for this tax year. With Drive for Good and Heritage for the Blind, you can start in two minutes, schedule a free tow that fits your calendar, and still lock in your 2024 deduction as long as the licensed tow truck arrives by December 31. The pickup date — not the sale date — is what counts for the IRS donation year.
We understand year‑end in North Dakota moves fast. Whether you’re in Fargo, West Fargo or Moorhead, Bismarck–Mandan, Minot, Grand Forks, Williston, Dickinson, or in smaller communities from Devils Lake to Jamestown, our team knows the local roads and winter conditions. Your car doesn’t need to run, pass inspection, or have current registration. Just complete the quick online form or call, answer a few basic questions, and we’ll handle the rest — title transfer at pickup, towing, sale, and mailing your tax paperwork. December tow slots fill quickly, especially with snow and ice, so start now to reserve your pickup date before December 31.
Your year-end donation timeline
Start the 2-minute form or call Drive for Good
2 minutesEnter your contact details, North Dakota pickup address, and basic vehicle info, or give them over the phone. You do not need the title in hand to start. Submitting the form or calling today is what gets you into the year‑end pickup schedule before December 31.
Get a callback to lock in your pickup date
Within 1–2 business hoursA donation coordinator from Heritage for the Blind will call you back on weekdays, usually within 1–2 hours, to confirm your information and offer the earliest available free tow slot. This is where you choose a pickup date on or before December 31 in your North Dakota area.
Free towing at your North Dakota address
Same-day or next business day in most metrosIn and around Fargo, Bismarck, Grand Forks, Minot and other metro areas, a licensed tow truck can often arrive the same day or next business day. Rural pickups may take a bit longer, so schedule early in December if you’re outside town. The physical pickup date is your IRS donation date.
Sign the title at pickup to complete the donation
5–10 minutes at your curb or drivewayHave your title ready if possible. At pickup, you’ll sign the title over to Heritage for the Blind or its authorized agent. The driver gives you a towing receipt and takes the vehicle. Once the truck leaves on or before December 31, your donation is locked in for this tax year.
Vehicle sale and mailed IRS acknowledgment
Within 30 days of saleYour vehicle is transported, processed, and sold. Heritage for the Blind then mails you IRS Form 1098‑C or a written acknowledgment within 30 days of the sale. You’ll use this with your tax preparer to claim your deduction for the year that includes your December 31 pickup.
Year-end tax deduction facts
Dec 31 pickup = this year’s deduction
The IRS uses the date your car is picked up, not the date it’s sold, to determine which tax year your donation applies to. If the tow truck collects your vehicle on or before December 31, you can claim the deduction for that tax year.
Form 1098-C for most vehicle deductions
For vehicles the charity sells, Heritage for the Blind will send you IRS Form 1098‑C or a similar written acknowledgment. This document shows the vehicle details and sale amount, and you or your tax preparer use it as support for your charitable deduction.
Deduction usually equals actual sale price
In most cases, when a charity sells your donated vehicle, your allowable deduction is the gross sale price reported on Form 1098‑C. There are limited exceptions when the vehicle is used or improved by the charity; your tax advisor can help you apply the IRS rules.
Itemizing on Schedule A is required
To benefit from a car-donation tax deduction, you generally must itemize deductions on Schedule A of your federal tax return. If you take the standard deduction, you won’t separately deduct the vehicle, even though you still support Heritage for the Blind’s mission.
30-day acknowledgment rule after sale
The IRS requires the charity to send your Form 1098‑C or written acknowledgment within 30 days of selling your car. Keep this with your tax records. The sale may occur in the next year, but your deduction year is still based on the December 31 pickup date.