If you have additional questions, please contact our Donor Support Line at: 855-2PRADIO (855-277-2346).
Mon-Fri: 7:00am - 9:00pm (CST)
Saturday: 8:00am - 7:00pm (CST)
Sunday: 10:00am - 6:30pm (CST)
It's easy, free, and secure! We convert your vehicle into a cash donation to Wisconsin Public Radio. Your gift may qualify for a tax deduction, and you can avoid the cost and hassle of repairing a car you no longer want.
No. All expenses are deducted from the gross sales price, and if the costs exceed the price, they are covered by CARS, WPR's vehicle donation program provider.
In most states, you'll need the clear title to the vehicle. But if you don't have it, call us anyway. It's possible that other arrangements can be made. Any lien holder listed on the title must be cleared and/or have an accompanying release by the bank. We are available seven days a week, toll-free, at 855-2PRADIO (855-277-2346) during regular hours of operation (see above).
No. For states with this requirement, you may donate your vehicle without a smog certificate or safety inspection.
All vehicles are considered! We strive to accept all types of donated vehicles, running or not, including cars, trucks, trailers, boats, RVs, motorcycles, campers, off-road vehicles, planes, heavy equipment, farm machinery, and most other motorized vehicles. To find out if we can accept your vehicle, complete our secure online vehicle donation form or call us toll-free at 855-2PRADIO (855-277-2346) seven days a week during regular hours of operation (see above).
This varies from state to state. Each Vehicle Donor Service Representative is equipped with a 50-state guide for the steps necessary in each state and will advise you during the donation process.
Yes! We can accept most vehicles, running or not. However, it must be in one piece, towable, have an engine, and be tow truck accessible. To find out if we can accept your vehicle, complete our secure online vehicle donation form or call us toll-free at 855-2PRADIO (855-277-2346) seven days a week during regular hours of operation (see above).
It varies, so wait to mark the title until after you have discussed it with the vendor picking up your vehicle, as they are experts in your local area. If you have questions, you can call our toll-free number 855-2PRADIO (855-277-2346) to speak to a representative.
Yes! We can provide quick and convenient vehicle pick-up and towing just about anywhere in all 50 of the United States. If you are outside of Wisconsin and have questions about donating to Wisconsin Public Radio, please contact us via our secure online vehicle donation form or call us toll-free at 855-2PRADIO (855-277-2346) seven days a week during regular hours of operation (see above).
Once you have provided us with all necessary information via the online vehicle donation form or over the phone with one of our Donor Support Representatives, we will arrange to have a licensed tow company pick up your vehicle at a time convenient for you. Your vehicle will be picked up and taken to one of our many sale locations where it will be sold—all at no cost to you.
In most cases, once the donation record has been created, we can schedule the vehicle to be picked up on the initial call. In other cases, we will contact you within two to three business days to schedule a convenient appointment time with one of our preferred vendors. If you need your car picked up sooner, please let one of our Donor Support Representatives know during your initial call. We will do our best to accommodate your time frame. For more specific information pertaining to your vehicle donation, please call us at 855-2PRADIO (855-277-2346) during regular hours of operation (see above).
Donated vehicles are sold through the used car markets, mostly via auction, and provide crucial funding for Wisconsin Public Radio's programs. We work with an extensive network of nationwide and independent vendors to sell the vehicle and maximize donation proceeds. We regularly analyze vendor pricing and performance to improve the process, ensure the best possible return for Wisconsin Public Radio, and maximize the donor's tax benefit. For unique or specialty vehicles, we may use other means to sell the vehicle to help ensure the maximum funds are received for each donation.
We have multiple sales outlets and work hard to find the best buyer for each vehicle. The entire sale process may take four to 12 weeks. The net cash proceeds from your generous vehicle donation are sent to Wisconsin Public Radio within five business days of receiving the sale proceeds from CARS' auction or direct buyer providers.
Yes. Once your vehicle sells, we will email or mail a thank-you letter on behalf of Wisconsin Public Radio, which serves as a tax receipt. Please note that if your vehicle sells for more than $500 and your tax identification number has been provided, an IRS Form 1098-C, "Contributions of Motor Vehicles, Boats, and Airplanes," will be mailed to you within 30 days of the sale stating the amount of gross proceeds received from your donation.
CARS (Charitable Adult Rides & Services) runs the Wisconsin Public Radio Vehicle Donation Program. CARS is an ISO 9001 certified 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in San Diego that operates under the governance of an independent board of directors and specializes in vehicle donation services for other nonprofits. CARS follows governmental compliance with all IRS and state regulations concerning vehicle donation programs, fundraising registrations, and charitable receipting requirements throughout all 50 states and Canada. CARS has also maintained an A+ Better Business Bureau rating for more than ten years.
If your vehicle sells for more than $500, we have to report the sale to the IRS in order for you to get your full tax deduction. To streamline the donation process, we ask all donors for their social security number during the initial intake process, so that we don’t have to get in touch again later, should that be necessary. Your information is kept confidential and safe and is only used for IRS tax purposes as required by law.
Yes! Vehicle donations are tax-deductible when donated to a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit like Wisconsin Public Radio. Individual tax situations vary. Please consult your tax advisor or refer to IRS Publication 4303 for specific tax-related questions.
We (the CARS vehicle donation service) work to get the highest return per vehicle, for you and Wisconsin Public Radio.
According to IRS Guidelines, if your vehicle is sold for more than $500, the maximum amount of your deduction will be the sales price of the vehicle, which will be listed on your IRS Form 1098-C that we will provide to you.
If your vehicle sells for $500 or less, you may claim up to $500, provided you have written acknowledgment (i.e. the initial donation receipt or the thank-you letter you receive once the donation process is complete).
Note, the “fair market value” of a vehicle is the price that you could sell it for in its current condition to another individual, willing seller and willing buyer, and it represents the cash that you give up to make the donation. A convenient source of this information is the private party sale value as shown in online valuation guides such as Kelley Blue Book.
Your tax deduction, described above, will likely be less than the fair market value of your vehicle, due to the way in which donated vehicles are sold.
Fair market value is the amount you could reasonably sell your vehicle for in its current condition to a willing buyer. It represents the cash value you're effectively giving up when you make the donation. A reliable source for determining this value is the private party sale price listed in online valuation guides like Kelley Blue Book (https://www.kbb.com/company/faq/new-cars/#whatIsFairMarketRange).
In most cases, you will receive an initial donation receipt from the tow truck driver at the time of your vehicle pick-up. This initial acknowledgment will indicate your name as well as the year, make, model and condition of the vehicle you are donating. Within 30 days of the sale of the vehicle, you will be e-mailed a thank-you letter on behalf of the Wisconsin Public Radio Association. This letter serves as a tax receipt. This will be your final tax document if your vehicle sold for less than $500.
If your vehicle sells for more than $500 and your social security number has been provided, an IRS Form 1098-C, "Contributions of Motor Vehicles, Boats, and Airplanes," will be mailed to you within 30 days of the sale, stating the amount of gross proceeds received from your donation.
Please call us at 855-2PRADIO (855-277-2346) during regular hours of operation (see above), or email donorsupport@careasy.org, and we will be happy to help you.
Effective January 1, 2005, you are no longer required to have your vehicle appraised. The value you may claim will be the amount of gross proceeds received from your vehicle. If your vehicle sells for more than $5,000, you will need to complete Section B of Form 8283 and obtain an acknowledgment signature from Wisconsin Public Radio on the form prior to claiming the deduction, and the completed form will need to be included with your income tax return.
There are many resources available to guide you through the vehicle donation process. Click the links below to access IRS publications and resources.
This vehicle donation program protects the privacy of every donor. Donor information is not given to any organization except the IRS, as required by law. Donor names and addresses are shared exclusively with the donor-designated organization. Social Security Numbers required under the current tax law for vehicle donations are only shared with the IRS. Social Security Numbers are encrypted with AES256 encryption. The encryption key is stored remotely from the data. Controls are in place to limit who can request access to the decrypted Social Security Numbers, with logs stored of each access.
If you still have questions, please contact us toll-free at 855-2PRADIO (855-277-2346) seven days a week during regular hours of operation (see above).
State Notification proves that you are no longer the registered owner of the donated vehicle. Depending on the registered state of the vehicle, your next step (after your vehicle has been picked up) is to notify the state about your recent vehicle donation. Please only notify your state after the vehicle is picked up. This step may be required by the state and may include surrendering the license plates.
The steps needed to release your liability for a donated vehicle vary by state. For more information, review our vehicle transfer support page here https://careasy.org/vehicletransfer/wisconsin.
Our Vehicle Donor Service Representatives can provide you with the steps necessary for each state. If you have questions about how to notify your state about your donated vehicle, contact us at 855-2PRADIO (855-277-2346) seven days a week during regular hours of operation or email donorsupport@careasy.org.