Donating a Car in Michigan – A Comprehensive Guide

If you’re considering donating your old car to a charity and you live in the state of Michigan, there are a few things you’ll want to know before doing so. Most charities do not accept vehicle donations for the purpose of reselling them. Your car donation is more likely to end up at a car auction or the junkyard for salvage value only. However, you can still feel good about your donation, as all funds raised are used to fund that charity’s mission.

When choosing your charity to receive your donation, you will want to make sure that they are licensed by the office of the Attorney General. You can check the list of licensed charities or fundraisers on the Attorney General’s website at www.michigan.gov/ag. Scroll down and click on Charities and then Lists of Charities and their Fundraisers. Or you can call 517-373-1152 for assistance.

It’s important to be cautious when donating an automobile in Michigan if you are not accompanying the recipient to the Secretary of State’s office to transfer the title. If the title is not reassigned to a charity or person who is receiving the donated vehicle, then it’s presumed that you are the owner of the vehicle. This means you may be liable for tickets, towing, and storage fees. If the transaction will not be completed at the Secretary of State’s office, you will need to have a “record of the sale” in addition to signing over the title. Michigan law requires a person who has donated a vehicle to keep a photocopy of the reassigned title or record of the “sale” for 18 months. The record of sale is a form or document that includes the name, address, driver license number, and signature of the person to whom the vehicle is sold and the purchase price and date of sale of the vehicle.

When you donate your car, always remember to ask for a federal Form 1098-C (Contributions of Motor Vehicles, Boats, and Airplanes) from the charity. If you do not attach the Form 1098-C with your tax return when you file your taxes, your donation will not be deductible. Now that you’re informed of what to do and consider when donating your vehicle, let’s take a look at some local Michigan charities that accept vehicle donations.

The Saint Vincent de Paul vehicle car donation program. Saint Vincent de Paul sells donated vehicles to the poor at significantly lower prices than standard blue book value. The donor is able to take fair market value for their donation of their automobile donation on their tax return. In addition to cars, they accept trucks, boats, houses, motor homes and RV’s. If you would like to donate a vehicle, you can reach them at 1-877-788-4623.

Another charity that has a similar program is Charity Motors®. Charity Motors® is located in Detroit offers Retail Sales and a weekly Auction of donations. Donated vehicles are sold to those in need at prices that generally range from $100 to $1000. You can call 888.908.CARS for more information on their operating hours and policies. Often, they have more than 500 vehicles to choose from. Proceeds from the sale of the vehicles benefit a wide variety of charitable organizations, including:

Another well known charity in the Detroit area is Mother Waddles. Mother Waddles will accept any vehicle, running or not, to assist less fortunate individuals and families. This is done through discounted sales of vehicles to needy families as well as use of proceeds from sales to maintain the soup kitchen, which is dedicated to feeding the hungry in Detroit. Mother Waddles is located at : 12330 Joseph Campau St , Detroit, Michigan 48212. They can be reached at: 313-891-4475.

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