Donate your car in Maryland by December 31 at 11:59 pm, and you may claim a 2024 tax deduction if you itemize on Schedule A. With Chesapeake Chariots, vehicles that sell for over $500 generate IRS Form 1098-C after the sale; your allowable deduction generally equals the actual gross sale price, not the Kelley Blue Book value. If your vehicle sells for $500 or less, you’ll receive a written acknowledgment and may usually deduct up to $500 or the fair market value, whichever is lower. Keep your pickup confirmation as proof of your donation date, and always consult a tax professional about your specific situation.
Chesapeake Chariots partners with Heritage for the Blind, a real 501(c)(3) serving people who are blind or visually impaired (EIN 58-2164446). We provide free towing statewide—from Baltimore, Columbia, and Towson to Silver Spring, Bethesda, Annapolis, Waldorf, Frederick, Hagerstown, Salisbury, and the Eastern Shore. No inspection or repairs needed; non-running vehicles are welcome. Our online donation form takes about two minutes, and Monday–Saturday dispatch makes scheduling easy before year-end. You focus on choosing to give; we handle the title guidance, pickup logistics, and IRS-required acknowledgments so you can donate confidently before the Maryland year-end tax deadline.
Your year-end donation timeline
Start the 2-minute online form
2 minutesEnter your contact, basic vehicle details, and preferred pickup window. The time-stamped submission plus your later pickup confirmation help document that you initiated your Maryland car donation before the December 31 IRS deadline for a 2024 deduction.
Confirm pickup date and location
5 minutesOur Maryland dispatch team (Monday–Saturday) calls to schedule free towing at your home, work, or storage lot—whether you’re in Baltimore City, Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, or on the Eastern Shore. Non-running cars are fine; no emissions or safety inspection is required.
Prepare your title and hand off the keys
10 minutesWe’ll walk you through signing your Maryland title correctly. On pickup day, the tow driver provides a pickup confirmation or tow receipt—keep this as proof of donation date for your records and potential 2024 Schedule A documentation.
We sell the vehicle and send your tax paperwork
Timing variesAfter your car sells, Chesapeake Chariots sends either IRS Form 1098-C (for vehicles over $500) or a written acknowledgment (for $500 or under). By law, this generally goes out within 30 days of the sale date, not the pickup date.
Claim your deduction on your tax return
15 minutesGive your acknowledgment or Form 1098-C to your tax professional. If you itemize on Schedule A, you may generally deduct the gross sale proceeds (or up to $500/fair market value for lower-value vehicles), subject to IRS rules and your specific tax situation.
Year-end tax deduction facts
Deduction equals sale price, not book value
For Maryland donors whose vehicles sell for more than $500, your federal charitable deduction usually equals the actual gross sale price Chesapeake Chariots receives, not the Kelley Blue Book or an estimated private-party value.
IRS Form 1098-C for vehicles over $500
If your donated vehicle sells for more than $500, Chesapeake Chariots mails you IRS Form 1098-C after the sale. This form shows the sale date and gross proceeds, which your preparer uses to support your Schedule A deduction.
$500-or-less donations use written acknowledgment
If your vehicle sells for $500 or less, you’ll receive a written acknowledgment instead of Form 1098-C. In many cases, you may deduct up to $500 or the vehicle’s fair market value, whichever is lower, if you itemize.
You must itemize on Schedule A
To benefit from a federal tax deduction for your Maryland car donation, you must itemize deductions using Schedule A. If you claim the standard deduction, the vehicle donation generally will not reduce your taxable income.
Dec 31 controls which tax year it counts for
As long as you complete your donation (transfer of the vehicle) by 11:59 pm on December 31, it normally counts for that tax year, even if your 1098-C or acknowledgment arrives early the following year. Keep your pickup confirmation as proof.