Truck donations
Donate a truck that has finished the work it was bought for
Work trucks hold their value and sell to people who will use them, which makes them one of the most useful things you can give. A retired contractor's pickup, a delivery truck from a business that closed, a dump truck that outlived the company: each has a buyer waiting.
- Driven away if it is road-legal, hauled if it is not, at our expense.
- Business and fleet donations receipted to the company, several units in one pickup.
- Lien payoff and title guidance before anything is scheduled.
Have the mileage and GVWR handy and call (888) 228-7320.
Find your truck and get answers specific to it
A one-ton pickup and a 26-foot box truck have different buyers, different transport and different paperwork.
Not on the list? We also accept roll-off and hooklift trucks, water and vacuum trucks, spray and lube trucks, chip trucks, mixers, snow plows and spreaders, and any chassis with an unusual body on it. Use the form above and describe the body as well as the chassis. Related: commercial fleet donations, construction equipment, trailer donations.
Where donated trucks come from
More trucks reach us from businesses than from individuals. A contractor retires and the last truck on the lot is not worth the trouble of selling. A fleet turns over and the oldest units are replaced. A company closes and the delivery truck is the final asset to clear. A farm or ranch replaces a work truck that still runs but is no longer needed.
From individuals, the pattern is different: an inherited pickup, a truck bought for a project that never happened, or one that is simply too much vehicle for the life someone now leads. In both cases the truck keeps costing insurance, registration and space while it waits for a buyer who is in no hurry.
How your truck leaves, whatever shape it is in
A road-legal truck is usually driven by a transport driver. One that runs but is not legal to drive goes on a flatbed or is towed. A non-running truck is winched onto a rollback, and a heavy unit goes on a lowboy. Trucks over 26,000 pounds GVWR require a CDL driver, which we account for when scheduling. Giving Center arranges and pays for whichever applies.
Leave the box or bed empty and unlocked for inspection, and tell us about a failed liftgate, a dead battery or a flat. For fleet disposals we will pick up several trucks from one lot in a single visit, with each unit receiving its own Form 1098-C.
Chassis and body, and we need both names
On a work truck the body maker matters as much as the chassis. A Knapheide service body on a Ford F-550 is two names to a buyer, and both belong on the form.
- Pickups and light trucks: Ford F-150 through F-600 and Super Duty, Chevrolet Silverado and Colorado, GMC Sierra and Canyon, Ram 1500 through 5500, Toyota Tundra and Tacoma, Nissan Titan and Frontier, Honda Ridgeline.
- Medium and heavy chassis: Freightliner, International, Peterbilt, Kenworth, Mack, Volvo, Western Star, Hino, Isuzu NPR and NQR, Mitsubishi Fuso, UD, Ford F-650 and F-750, Chevrolet and GMC medium duty.
- Bodies and equipment: Knapheide, Reading, Stahl, Rugby, Godwin, Galion, Morgan, Supreme, Utilimaster, Rockport, Thermo King and Carrier Transicold refrigeration, Jerr-Dan, Century, Vulcan, Chevron and Miller Industries wreckers, Altec and Versalift aerial units.
Manufacturer names appear here so you can find your own vehicle. No manufacturer sponsors, endorses or is affiliated with this program.
What you can deduct for a donated truck
Work trucks more often clear the $5,000 threshold than cars do, so the appraisal question comes up more.
| Your situation | What you deduct | Paperwork |
|---|---|---|
| Giving Center sells the truck, as is typical | The gross sale proceeds | Form 1098-C from Giving Center |
| Proceeds exceed $5,000, common for late-model and specialty trucks | Gross proceeds, and the IRS requires a qualified appraisal you obtain | Form 1098-C plus Form 8283 Section B, signed by your appraiser and by Giving Center |
| Proceeds are $500 to $5,000 | Gross proceeds | Form 1098-C plus Form 8283 Section A |
| The truck sells for under $500 | The lesser of fair market value or $500 | Written acknowledgment from Giving Center |
| The donation is made by a business | Follows your entity's treatment of charitable contributions | Form 1098-C issued in the business name; ask your accountant |
Giving Center does not provide tax, legal or financial advice. Donations are deductible to the extent allowed by law. See IRS Publication 526, Publication 561 and Publication 4303, and consult a tax professional.
Title, lien and business ownership
Trucks are titled like cars. If the title is in a company name, an authorized officer signs and we may ask for a letter on company letterhead or a corporate resolution. A financed truck needs a payoff letter and lien release before sale. A leased truck cannot be donated until it is bought out and titled in your name.
Apportioned and IRP-registered trucks can be donated; you cancel the plates and registration after pickup. If the title is missing, see state title rules for the duplicate process in your state.
What decides what a work truck brings
- Mileage and engine hours. Diesel trucks routinely sell well past 200,000 miles.
- Body or bed. A service body, dump bed, liftgate or crane adds value; rust through the frame does not.
- GVWR. Under 26,001 pounds means a non-CDL buyer can drive it, which widens the market.
- Maintenance records. A DOT inspection history and service records raise the price.
- Tires, brakes and suspension. Expensive on a truck and priced in immediately.
- Emissions year. Some states restrict older diesels from commercial use, which changes where it sells best.
Truck donation questions
More in the full FAQ.
Can a business donate its truck and take the deduction?
Yes. The receipt and Form 1098-C are issued in the business name, and the deduction follows your entity's tax treatment. Your accountant can tell you how it applies to a corporation, partnership or sole proprietorship.
Do you take trucks that do not run?
Usually. A late-model truck with a blown engine still sells to rebuilders. An older truck needing a long tow may return little after costs, and we will say so rather than move it at a loss.
Can you pick up several trucks at once?
Yes. Fleet disposals are scheduled as one visit where possible, and each truck gets its own 1098-C.
What about a truck with a salvage or rebuilt title?
Accepted. It sells for less than a clean-title truck, but the process is identical.
Is a cargo van a truck for your purposes?
Yes, use this page and the form above. Shuttle buses, ambulances and municipal vehicles belong on commercial and fleet donations.
Do I need a CDL to hand the truck over?
No. If the truck requires a CDL to drive, we send a driver who has one.
Tell us about the truck
Year, make, GVWR, mileage and where it is parked. We will come back with a transport plan and a realistic value range.
Part of vehicle donations. Related: commercial and fleet · construction equipment · trailers