Donate a pop-up camper the family has outgrown

Why pop-ups get donated

The family stage ends and the camper is too small to sell for much and too big to ignore. Many have sat with the roof down for five or ten years, which is hard on canvas and on the lift system. A private sale at a few hundred dollars is rarely worth the photographs and the messages.

We also see them from people who bought one to try camping, used it twice, and found it was not for them. Those are frequently in good condition and sell quickly.

The easiest pickup we do

A pop-up is light enough to tow behind almost anything, so pickup is usually simple: a driver hitches it and goes. Where the tires are flat or the bearings have seized, it rides on a flatbed instead. Giving Center arranges and pays for it.

Tell us whether the roof raises, whether the canvas is intact, and whether the trailer rolls. Latch the roof down and clear out the bedding and cookware, or tell us what is staying.

What decides what a pop-up brings

• Canvas condition, the single most important item; mildew and tears are expensive to replace.
• Lift system, since a seized or broken lift is a common and unappealing fault.
• Roof and floor soundness, with soft spots being the usual sign of long neglect.
• Box length and beds, with king-bed ends and a dinette widening the market.
• Appliances, if the unit has a stove, fridge or furnace that works.
• Tires and bearings, cheap to fix but the first thing a buyer looks at.

The paperwork, and what you can deduct

This is a titled vehicle, so you sign the title over at pickup. If it is missing, most states issue a duplicate to the registered owner in one to four weeks, and a few require your signature to be notarized; see state title rules. Any recorded lien must be released before sale. After pickup, cancel the registration and notify your insurer.

Your deduction is the gross sale proceeds once Giving Center sells it, on Form 1098-C. Items in this class often sell below $500, in which case you may deduct the lesser of fair market value or $500. Above $500 you file Form 8283 Section A; above $5,000 the IRS requires a qualified appraisal you obtain and pay for. We tell you which to expect before pickup. Full detail on the tax benefits page.