Before the Donation

• Verify that the organization to which you want to donate your car qualifies as a charity, according to the Internal Revenue Service. You can do this by visiting the IRS website (see Resources). This way, you can be sure your car will qualify as a tax-deductible donation.
  
  

During the Donation

• When donating the car, you'll need to have your car's title. If you've lost it, you can apply for a duplicate through the Iowa Motor Vehicle Division (see Resources).
  
  

After the Donation

• Make sure the charity gives you a receipt. Also, the charity will need to visit the county treasurer's office to transfer the title of the car. You will need the charity to send you a copy of this transfer in order to get the deduction on your car come tax time.