If your car is picked up on or before December 31 in Hawaii, the IRS treats your donation as this year’s gift—no matter when the vehicle is later sold. With Island Wheels, you can lock in your deduction fast: complete a simple 2‑minute form or call Island Wheels for Heritage for the Blind, get a call back in about an hour on weekdays, and schedule your free tow as soon as same-day in many areas. The pickup date is what matters for the IRS, and we send your written acknowledgment after the vehicle sells.
Island Wheels understands end‑of‑year crunch time in Hawaii—holiday traffic from Kapolei to Waikīkī, last‑minute shopping in Kahului, and family trips between Hilo and Kona. That’s why our process is built for speed and convenience on Oʻahu, Maui, Hawaiʻi Island, Kauaʻi, Lānaʻi, and Molokaʻi. Your car does not need to run, pass inspection, or have current registration. We coordinate a licensed tow truck to meet you at home, work, or even your condo parking in places like Kakaʻako, Mānoa, Pearl City, Kailua, Lahaina, or Līhuʻe. You sign the title at pickup, and your donation helps Heritage for the Blind provide services to people who are blind or visually impaired.
Your year-end donation timeline
Start the 2-minute form or call Island Wheels
2 minutesShare your contact info, vehicle details, and where in Hawaii the car is located—Honolulu, Kaneʻohe, Wailuku, Hilo, anywhere. It takes about two minutes. Prefer the phone? Call Island Wheels for Heritage for the Blind and we’ll gather the same info and note that you need pickup by December 31.
Get a quick confirmation call to schedule pickup
Within 1–2 business hours on weekdaysA donation coordinator calls you back—usually within 1–2 hours during weekday business hours—to confirm your details, answer tax-timing questions, and offer the earliest available pickup slots. Tell us you need pickup by Dec 31 and we prioritize your Hawaii location accordingly.
Free licensed tow truck arrives at your address
Same-day or next business day in most metro areasIn many metro areas like Honolulu, Pearl City, Aiea, Kailua-Kona, and Kahului, we can arrange same-day or next-business-day towing, Monday–Saturday. Pickups in more remote parts of the islands may take a bit longer, so contact us early in December if possible. Towing is always free to you.
Sign the title and hand over the keys at pickup
10–15 minutes at your curbAt your home, workplace, base housing, or condo, the driver helps you complete the title transfer and any simple Hawaii DMV paperwork. You remove personal items, sign the title over, and keep your plates if required. Once the truck leaves with your car on or before December 31, your donation date is locked for this tax year.
We sell the vehicle and mail your tax receipt
Within 30 days of saleIsland Wheels arranges transport and sale of your vehicle. After it sells, Heritage for the Blind mails you IRS Form 1098‑C or a written acknowledgment, typically within 30 days of the sale. This receipt shows the gross sale price, which you use to claim your potential deduction when you file.
Year-end tax deduction facts
Your IRS donation date is the pickup date
For vehicle donations, the IRS generally uses the date the charity (or its authorized agent) takes possession. When our tow truck picks your car up on or before December 31, your gift counts for that tax year—even if the sale and receipt happen later.
Form 1098-C documents your vehicle donation
After your car is sold, Heritage for the Blind issues IRS Form 1098‑C or a compliant acknowledgment. It lists key details like the sale price and vehicle ID. You should keep this with your records and use it when preparing your tax return or giving documents to your preparer.
Deduction usually equals the vehicle’s sale price
For most donated vehicles, the IRS limits your charitable deduction to the amount the charity receives from the sale. That sale price appears on your 1098‑C. There are some exceptions, but most donors simply use the reported sale price as the amount they may be able to deduct.
You must itemize on Schedule A to claim
To benefit from a vehicle donation tax deduction, you must itemize deductions on Schedule A of your federal income tax return. If you take the standard deduction instead, you generally cannot also claim a separate deduction for your car donation.
30-day window to send your written acknowledgment
Once your vehicle sells, Heritage for the Blind generally has 30 days to mail your 1098‑C or written acknowledgment. This timing does not affect which tax year your donation counts in—the pickup date does—but you’ll need the receipt when you file.