In Colorado, the IRS uses the pickup date as your official vehicle donation date. That means your car must be physically picked up on or before December 31 to claim a deduction on this tax year’s return. Scheduling alone is not enough. To lock in your deduction, Ride to Relief recommends booking your free pickup at least 3–5 business days before December 31, especially in the busy holiday rush. Heritage for the Blind, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, handles your donation processing and sends your written acknowledgment and IRS Form 1098‑C (for vehicles over $500) after the car sells – but your deduction year is based on the pickup day.
Ride to Relief and Heritage for the Blind provide fast, free towing throughout Colorado – from Denver, Aurora, Lakewood and Littleton to Colorado Springs, Pueblo, Fort Collins, Greeley, Boulder, Longmont, Grand Junction and mountain communities along the Front Range and Western Slope. We operate Monday through Saturday through the holiday season and accept running and non‑running vehicles with no inspection or repairs required. You can start the secure online form in about two minutes or call to reserve your year‑end time slot. Donate your car now, help people who are blind or visually impaired, and secure your Colorado tax deduction before the December 31 deadline.
Your year-end donation timeline
Start your donation (2-minute form or call)
2 minutesBegin online or by phone from anywhere in Colorado – Denver, Colorado Springs, Fort Collins, Boulder and beyond. Share basic vehicle details and your preferred pickup window. This quick step gets you into the year‑end schedule before the December 31 rush closes time slots.
Choose a pickup time before December 31
5 minutesOur team confirms your information and offers pickup options, Monday–Saturday. To safely meet the IRS cutoff, schedule your free tow at least 3–5 business days before December 31 so we can physically collect the vehicle this tax year.
Prepare your keys and title for pickup
10–15 minutesBefore the truck arrives, clear personal items from the car and locate your title and keys. In many Colorado cities and suburbs—like Aurora, Lakewood, Thornton and Pueblo—you don’t need emissions, repairs or an inspection. The tow driver handles the rest at the curb or driveway.
Vehicle is towed – your deduction year is locked in
Pickup dayOnce your car is physically picked up on or before December 31, the IRS treats that date as your donation date for this tax year. Even if the vehicle sells later, your deduction applies to the year the tow actually occurred in Colorado.
Receive your tax receipt and Form 1098‑C (if eligible)
Within weeks after saleAfter Heritage for the Blind sells your donated vehicle, you’ll receive written acknowledgment by mail. For vehicles over $500, you’ll get IRS Form 1098‑C showing the gross sales price to use when you itemize your deduction on Schedule A.
Year-end tax deduction facts
Pickup date sets your tax year
For the IRS, your vehicle donation date is the day it is actually picked up, not the day you schedule. If your Colorado car is towed on or before December 31, it applies to that tax year’s return.
Written acknowledgment is required
Heritage for the Blind will mail a written acknowledgment after your vehicle sells. Keep this with your tax records; it documents your donation and is required for claiming a charitable deduction for your car.
Form 1098‑C for vehicles over $500
If your donated vehicle sells for more than $500, you’ll receive IRS Form 1098‑C. This form shows the gross sale price, which you generally use as the maximum amount of your federal charitable deduction.
Itemize on Schedule A to claim
To benefit from your car donation, you must itemize deductions on Schedule A of your federal return. If you take the standard deduction, you won’t separately claim the vehicle donation, even if you receive a receipt.
Receipt may arrive after year-end
Your deduction year is based on the pickup date, not when you receive the tax form. It’s normal for the 1098‑C to arrive weeks later; you still claim the deduction for the year the tow occurred in Colorado.