Official-source lookup · no paid rankings

Check the charity before the tow truck.

Enter the receiving organization's EIN to see whether that exact number appears in our current snapshot of IRS Publication 78.

IRS snapshot date: loading… Open the live IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search

Search by EIN

An EIN has nine digits and is normally shown as 12-3456789. Use the legal organization's number from its receipt, solicitation, or website—not a tow vendor's number.

Private by design: this page has no advertising, analytics, or chat scripts. The full EIN is checked in your browser and is never sent to Cars Helping Kids; its first two digits select one public data shard.

What this result can—and cannot—tell you

A match confirms a listing in this snapshot. Publication 78 is the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible charitable contributions.

A match is not a rating. It says nothing about impact, fundraising costs, towing terms, complaints, or how vehicle-sale proceeds are used.

No match is inconclusive. The IRS says DBA names are omitted and some churches, group-ruling subordinates, and government units may be eligible without appearing in Publication 78.

Finish at the official source. Recheck the live IRS tool, review recent filings, confirm the legal recipient on the title, and ask how net vehicle proceeds support programs.

Verify with live IRS records See how Cars Helping Kids discloses its own process

Five checks before signing a title

The IRS legal name and EIN match the organization receiving the vehicle.A brand name alone is not enough.

The organization explains whether it or a contractor will tow and sell the vehicle.Ask who receives title and who can answer problems.

No one promises a deduction amount before disposition.Federal vehicle-donation rules generally depend on what happens to the vehicle.

Pickup instructions identify what to sign and what documents to keep.Never hand over a blank signed title.

You know when to expect a written acknowledgment and, when required, Form 1098-C.Keep the receipt with your tax records.

Source: IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search Publication 78 bulk data. U.S. government source data does not imply IRS endorsement of this tool or of Cars Helping Kids. This is general donor education, not tax or legal advice.