How to Fill Out and Submit the NPR Car Donation Form

The NPR car donation form lives at careasy.org, run by the program’s national processing partner CARS (Charitable Adult Rides & Services), and you can also complete it by phone at 855-500-7433 seven days a week.¹² The form itself takes a few minutes. What takes longer is having the right paperwork ready and understanding that your tax deduction will almost certainly be tied to what your vehicle sells for at auction, not what you think it’s worth.

What to Have Ready Before You Start

Pull these together before you open the form:

A clear vehicle title in your name with no active liens. If a lender is still listed, get a written lien release first. If the title is lost, call the CARS donation specialists — they can often still process the donation.³⁴
Year, make, model, body type, current odometer reading, and the 17-character VIN. The VIN is usually stamped at the base of the windshield or on the driver’s-side door jamb.
The vehicle’s condition and the date it was last driven. Non-running vehicles are accepted, but the towing company needs to know so it sends the right truck.⁴
Your name, mailing address, and phone number. The program also collects your Social Security number for IRS reporting when the vehicle’s claimed value exceeds $500. It’s encrypted and shared only with the IRS.⁵

You don’t need the title in hand to fill out the form. You do need it when the tow driver arrives.⁴

Filling Out and Submitting the Form

Most NPR stations route donors to the CARS platform at careasy.org, where the form is the same regardless of which station you’re supporting.¹ A handful of stations host the form on their own websites, but the processing behind it is identical.

The screens are short. Enter the vehicle details and condition, then pick the NPR member station you want to receive the proceeds from a drop-down. Add your contact information, review, and submit. A confirmation screen appears with a reference number. Save or print it. That number is your proof the donation entered the system and the fastest way to look up your case if you need to call back.

Prefer the phone? Call 855-500-7433 and a donor support representative will take the same information over the line.²

What Happens After You Submit

A licensed towing company will contact you within one to two business days to schedule a free pickup at a time that works for you.⁶ Some stations can arrange same-day pickup if the vehicle and title are both ready.³

When the driver arrives, hand over the signed title and the keys. Sign on the seller or owner line, not the buyer line. Signing the wrong line can invalidate the transfer and force you to apply for a duplicate title. The driver will give you a tow receipt showing the date, the vehicle description, and the towing company’s name.⁷ Keep it. That receipt is your proof the vehicle left your possession on a specific date, which matters for both liability and insurance.

What You Can Actually Deduct

Your deduction depends on what the charity does with the vehicle. In the NPR program, the standard path is auction. That means your deduction is generally capped at the gross sale price, not your own estimate of fair market value, whenever the claimed value is more than $500.⁸⁹

If the Vehicle Sells for More Than $500

Your deduction equals the gross proceeds. You cannot claim a higher amount based on Blue Book or your own valuation.

If the Vehicle Sells for $500 or Less

You can deduct the smaller of $500 or the vehicle’s fair market value on the date you donated it.⁹ This is the one scenario where your own valuation matters. Use a reputable used-car pricing guide like Kelley Blue Book and adjust for the vehicle’s actual condition.

Form 1098-C

After the sale, the charity must send you Form 1098-C within 30 days.¹⁰ That form is your written acknowledgment and reports the gross sale price to you and the IRS. Without it, you cannot claim a deduction above $500.⁸ Attach it to your return for the year you made the donation. For donations where the claimed value is $500 or less, the charity is not required to issue a 1098-C. Your tow receipt and any written acknowledgment from the station serve as documentation instead.

Form 8283

If you claim more than $500 for any noncash charitable contribution, you must file Form 8283 (Section A) with your return.¹¹ Since NPR donations go to auction and the deduction is capped at the sale price, Section A is what you’ll need.

Protecting Yourself After the Car Is Gone

Handing over the keys and title doesn’t automatically remove you from your state’s vehicle records. Until the transfer is officially recorded, you could still be tagged for parking tickets, toll violations, or accidents involving the vehicle.

File a Notice With Your State DMV

Most states require or strongly recommend that sellers file a notice of transfer or release of liability after giving up a vehicle. The exact form and deadline vary by state. Check your DMV’s website, file the form (many states allow online filing), and save the confirmation.

Then Cancel Your Insurance

Don’t cancel auto coverage until after you’ve filed that state notice. If anything happens to the car between pickup and DMV notification, your policy is still your protection. Once the state filing is done, call your insurer and remove the vehicle from your policy.

Mistakes That Stall Donations

Unresolved liens. If a bank still shows on the title, the donation is stuck. Get a written lien release before you start the form.
Signing the wrong line on the title. Sign as the seller, not the buyer.
Mismatched names. If the name on the title doesn’t match your current legal name because of marriage, divorce, or a legal name change, some states require a corrected title before the transfer can go through.
No 1098-C. If it hasn’t arrived within a couple of months, contact CARS directly. Without it, any deduction above $500 will not survive an IRS review.

1
CARS. Donate Your Car to an NPR Station
2
NPR Illinois. NPR Illinois Vehicle Donation Program
3
WHYY. Vehicle Donation FAQs
4
Car Talk. NPR Car Donation
5
CapRadio Vehicle Donation Program. CapRadio Vehicle Donation Program Questions
6
Colorado Public Radio. Car Donations
7
LAist. Donate Your Vehicle to Power Southern California Public Radio
8
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 26 USC 170 – Charitable, Etc., Contributions and Gifts
9
Internal Revenue Service. Publication 526 – Charitable Contributions
10
Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for Form 1098-C
11
Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for Form 8283