Donate your car to PrairieAuto Gifts in South Dakota by 11:59 p.m. on December 31 and it can count as a 2024 charitable tax deduction. The IRS bases your deduction on what your vehicle actually sells for, not Kelley Blue Book. After your donated car, truck, SUV, or van is sold, you’ll receive IRS Form 1098‑C (for vehicles over $500) or a written acknowledgment (for $500 or less). You’ll use that document to claim your deduction when you itemize on Schedule A of your federal return. Keep your pickup confirmation as proof of your donation date, and always consult a tax professional for your specific situation.
PrairieAuto Gifts makes year‑end donating fast for South Dakotans from Sioux Falls, Rapid City, Aberdeen, Brookings, Watertown, Mitchell, Pierre, and across the Black Hills and Missouri River towns. We offer free towing statewide, Monday–Saturday dispatch, and accept most vehicles—even if they don’t run and need no inspection or repairs. In just a 2‑minute phone call or online form, you can schedule a pickup, support services for people who are blind or visually impaired through Heritage for the Blind, and secure your year‑end tax paperwork with no hassle.
Your year-end donation timeline
Start your 2‑minute donation in South Dakota
2 minutesCall or complete our secure online form in about two minutes. Tell us your vehicle location anywhere in South Dakota—from Sioux Falls or Rapid City to smaller communities—and we’ll start your donation record immediately with the correct IRS tax language attached.
Lock in your tax year with a pickup date
5 minutesChoose a convenient free pickup time. As long as you submit your donation and schedule before December 31, your deduction is generally treated as a donation in that tax year. Keep your email or text confirmation as proof of the donation date for your files.
Free towing from your driveway or farm
1 day–1 weekOur towing partner comes right to your home, work, farm, or storage lot—no inspection or repairs needed, non‑running vehicles welcome. This applies statewide, from the Black Hills to the I‑29 corridor. The driver issues a pickup confirmation you should keep with your tax records.
We sell your vehicle to set your deduction
2–8 weeksPrairieAuto Gifts arranges the sale of your vehicle to obtain the best reasonable price. The actual gross sale price, not Kelley Blue Book, generally determines your maximum deduction, subject to IRS rules. Proceeds support Heritage for the Blind’s work for people who are blind or visually impaired.
Receive IRS‑ready paperwork by mail
Within 30 days of saleWithin 30 days after the sale, we mail you either IRS Form 1098‑C (if your vehicle sells for more than $500) or a written acknowledgment (for $500 or less). File this with your records to claim your deduction when you itemize on Schedule A.
Year-end tax deduction facts
Deduction equals actual sale price
For vehicles that sell for more than $500, the IRS generally lets you deduct the gross sale proceeds, not Kelley Blue Book or a private‑party estimate. Your Form 1098‑C from us will show that sale price.
Special rule for $500 and under vehicles
If your donated vehicle sells for $500 or less, your deduction is usually the lower of $500 or the vehicle’s fair market value. We’ll send you a written acknowledgment containing the details you’ll need for your tax records.
IRS Form 1098‑C mailed after sale
When your donated vehicle sells for more than $500, PrairieAuto Gifts, benefiting Heritage for the Blind, will mail you IRS Form 1098‑C within 30 days of the sale. This form is your proof of the donation amount for your return.
You must itemize on Schedule A
To claim a charitable car donation deduction, you generally must itemize deductions on IRS Schedule A. If you take the standard deduction, you typically can’t add a separate vehicle donation write‑off. Ask your tax professional which approach benefits you most.
Donation date is locked in by Dec 31
For federal tax purposes, your donation year is tied to when you transfer the vehicle—typically the date we accept the donation and you sign over the title, not when it sells. Donate by December 31 to count it for that tax year.