California Car Donations

Are you looking to donate a car in California? Congratulations! You’ve come to the right place. Donating your car in California is a simple process that can significantly benefit the charity of your choosing. On top of donating to your favorite cause, Cars2Charities also provides free towing to donors, and maximizes the value of your car donation- which benefits both our donors and our charities. 

Why Donate a Car in California 

According to the U.S Department of Transportation, there are 17,977,605 private, commercial, and publicly owned vehicles in the state of California.

Some of these cars are drivable while others are not. Some of these cars are parked in a back lot or stuck sitting in your driveway. And some require way more work than their actually worth. In any of these cases, we can clear your driveway and turn an non-running car into a donation for charity!

In most cases, we accept donations of all types of vehicles, whether they are running or not. We process all makes and models of: cars, trucks, motorcycles, vans, RVs, boats, golf carts, and more!

How to Donate a Car in California

With more than 30 years of experience, Cars2Charities has the expertise in making vehicle donations easier than ever. Cars2Charities is designed to provide donors with a simple, fast, and secure way to donate their vehicles to nonprofit organizations. 

Step by Step

1. You’ll start the process of donating your car by collecting both your California car registration and title. If you have misplaced your title or registration, don’t worry! We can help. Please find your vehicle’s identification number (VIN) and together we can determine which supplementary paperwork you will need to complete at the time of pick up. 

2. Next, you can either give us a phone call, or complete an online donation request form. Both will collect information regarding your car donation- the vehicle’s color, mileage, VIN, and location.   

3. After, we collect your vehicle’s donation, we will assess if this car qualifies for our California car donation program. Don’t let this scare you! We typically take most vehicles unless the car has substantial damage (there’s no value in these cars)! Once we determine that your vehicle qualifies, we will agree on a pick-up date, time, and location- this is usually 24-72hrs after the initial contact. 

4. Once we confirm the pick-up date and time, we will send you an email that gives you step by step instructions, including how to sign a California car title, how to submit the release of liability, and how to file for a charitable tax deduction. In California the license plate stays with the vehicle, so don’t worry about remove it before the pick-up. 

5. Before arriving, our tow truck driver will call you one hour before arriving. This will give you time to collect paperwork and prepare the vehicle for towing.  At the time of the pick-up, make sure your title is signed and clear of any lien holdings. You will hand over the title and registration to the tow truck driver. 

6. At this point, we will handle the rest! Once you car donation is complete, the charity will recieve the procceds, and you will recieve proper forms and instructions to claim your tax deduction. 

California Charities 

When you donate your car to charity, you have control over deciding which charity benefits from your donation. Cars2Charities works with hundreds of California based animal rescues, veterans’ charities, environmental causes, children’s charities, and human services. 

Animal Rescues 

Kitten Rescue (L.A.) is a non-profit, volunteer-run organization devoted to finding loving homes for unwanted, homeless cats and kittens. They rescue cats and kittens from the streets of Los Angeles and from City Shelter euthanasia. Since their start in 1997, they have grown into one of the largest, most well-respected animal welfare groups in Los Angeles.

It’s The Pits is a 501c3 canine rescue that coordinates the fostering and adoption of dogs that haven’t yet found their permanent home. They are located in San Diego county, as are all of their foster homes. They rescue dogs from various shelters, evaluate them, ensure they are healthy, and then match them with the appropriate family.

Veterans Charities 

Support the Enlisted Project (STEP) aims to build financial self-sufficiency among junior active duty enlisted service members and recently discharged enlisted Veterans and their families in Southern California facing financial crisis through counseling, education and grants. STEP’s vision is to change the lives of military families and Veterans that we serve by helping them achieve financial self-sufficiency.

USO San Diego strengthens America’s military service members by keeping them connected to family, home and country, throughout their service to the nation. 

Environmental Causes 

The Living Desert’s mission is desert conservation through preservation, education and appreciation. 

Oceanic Society aims to increase the number of people taking action for ocean conservation in the following focus areas. Their current target audience is the nature-based tourism industry and the tens of millions of travelers that it serves each year, and they are simultaneously working to expand their programs and partnerships to reach a broader range of consumer audiences.

Founded at its grassroots in the United States in 1951, The Nature Conservancy has grown to become one of the most effective and wide-reaching environmental organizations in the world. Thanks to more than a million members and the dedicated efforts of our diverse staff and more than 400 scientists, we impact conservation in 79 countries and territories across six continents. Their mission is to conserve the land and waters on which all life depends. Our vision is a world where the diversity of life thrives, and people act to conserve nature for its own sake and its ability to fulfill our needs and enrich our lives.

Children’s Charities 

A Place Called Home provides a safe, nurturing environment with proven programs in arts, education and wellness for the young people in South Central Los Angeles to help them improve their economic conditions and develop healthy, fulfilling and purposeful lives. 

Los Angeles Children’s Hospital is a powerful institution treating pediatric pain, an experience that impacts everyone involved. The support of seasoned experts with a bounty of tenderness is vital. That’s what families have come to expect from this incredible institution. It’s ironic to think that a hundred-year-old hospital – where doctors used to visit on horseback – can be supported by something as modern as your car donation. But it can.

Human Services 

Alzheimer’s Los Angeles mission is to improve the lives of local families affected by Alzheimer’s and dementia by increasing awareness, delivering effective programs and services, providing compassionate support, and advocating for quality care and a cure. This non-profit provides free care and support in Los Angeles County & the Inland Empire by constructing personalized care plans for clients and providing programs that benefit both the person living with the disease and their loved ones.

Homeboy Industries provides hope, training, and support to formerly gang-involved and previously incarcerated men and women allowing them to redirect their lives and become contributing members of our community.

To check out more chairities to donate to, view our complete list. Not seeing the one your interested in? Give us a call, we’ll take care of it.