If your vehicle is picked up on or before December 31 in Arizona, the IRS counts your donation for this tax year – even if it’s sold and your Form 1098‑C arrives weeks later. With Desert Wheels, you can start in under two minutes: complete our simple online form or call Desert Wheels for Heritage for the Blind. We call you back fast to lock in your free tow time. Once your pickup is booked for December 31 or earlier, you’ve done what you need to secure this year’s charitable car-donation deduction.
Desert Wheels coordinates towing across Arizona – from Phoenix, Scottsdale, Mesa, Chandler, and Glendale to Tucson, Oro Valley, Vail, Flagstaff, Prescott, Yuma, and smaller communities in between. We work with licensed local tow partners who know Arizona roads, from downtown high-rises to cul‑de‑sacs in Gilbert and retirement communities in Sun City and Green Valley. Your car doesn’t need to run, pass emissions, or have current registration. Just tell us where it is, answer a few quick questions, and we’ll handle the rest – title transfer at pickup, sale of the vehicle, and your written tax acknowledgment. Year-end slots fill quickly, so if you’re aiming for a December 31 pickup, start now.
Your year-end donation timeline
Start the 2-minute form or call Desert Wheels
2 minutesEnter your contact info, Arizona pickup address, and basic vehicle details, or call Desert Wheels for Heritage for the Blind to give them over the phone. No VIN hunt, emissions, or registration proof needed to start. Just tell us where the car is in Arizona and how soon you’d like it gone.
Get a fast scheduling call-back
Within 1–2 business hoursA friendly donation coordinator calls you back on weekdays, often within an hour, to confirm your details and offer open tow times. This is where you request a pickup date on or before December 31 in your Arizona area so your deduction counts for this tax year.
Lock in your free Arizona pickup date
Same day or next business day in most metrosIn Phoenix, Tucson, and most metro areas, we can usually send a licensed tow truck the same day or next business day. Once we confirm a pickup window on or before December 31, your deduction is tied to that physical pickup date under IRS rules.
Sign your title at pickup and hand over keys
10–15 minutes at your curbThe tow driver meets you at home, work, or a repair shop. You sign the Arizona title over to Desert Wheels’ authorized agent and remove your personal items. The driver loads your vehicle, gives you a basic pickup receipt, and you’re done. No payments or fees.
Vehicle sold and tax paperwork mailed
Within 30 days of saleYour donated car is transported and sold. Within 30 days of the sale, Heritage for the Blind mails you IRS Form 1098‑C or a written acknowledgment showing the gross sale price or allowed value. You’ll use this with Schedule A when you file your federal return.
Year-end tax deduction facts
Your donation date is the pickup date
For vehicle donations, the IRS generally uses the date Desert Wheels (or its towing agent) takes possession of your car as your donation date. If we pick up your car by December 31 in Arizona, it counts for this tax year’s charitable deduction.
Form 1098‑C documents your deduction
After your car is sold, Heritage for the Blind sends IRS Form 1098‑C or a similar written acknowledgment. It lists identifying info and the gross sale price or other qualifying value. Keep it with your records and provide it to your tax preparer.
Deduction usually equals the sale price
For most donated vehicles that are sold, the IRS limits your charitable deduction to the gross sales proceeds shown on Form 1098‑C. There are some exceptions when a charity makes significant use or improvements, but most car donations follow the sale-price rule.
You’ll need to itemize on Schedule A
To claim a federal tax deduction for your Desert Wheels car donation, you must itemize deductions on Schedule A instead of taking the standard deduction. Consult your tax advisor to see whether itemizing with your Arizona return makes sense for you.
30-day window for your written acknowledgment
By IRS rules, your 1098‑C or written acknowledgment must be mailed within 30 days of the vehicle’s sale (or, in some cases, donation). That can be weeks after Dec 31, but your deduction year is still locked in by the actual pickup date.