Is this a qualified appraisal?

No. This is a comparative market analysis sized for routine Form 8283 Section A substantiation. Donations over $5,000 where the charity uses the vehicle require a qualified appraiser under IRC §170(f)(11)(C) — Carriage's report doesn't replace one, but it gives the appraiser a starting-point document that shaves hours off the fee.

What if the charity sells my vehicle? Doesn't Form 1098-C cap my deduction?

Yes — when the charity sells the vehicle, the deduction is capped at Form 1098-C sale proceeds regardless of FMV. The report still matters: FMV gives ceiling context for donate-vs-sell-privately decisions, and IRC §170(f)(12) has narrow exceptions (charity uses, material improvements, transfer to a needy individual) where FMV applies even when the charity later sells. The defensibility section identifies which case applies.

When can I claim FMV instead of the 1098-C amount?

Per IRC §170(f)(12)(A)(ii), FMV applies when the charity (a) uses the vehicle in furtherance of its charitable purpose, (b) makes material improvements before selling, or (c) transfers it to a needy individual at a significant discount. Form 1098-C box 5 records which case — if 5(a) or 5(b) is checked, claim FMV; otherwise the deduction is capped at sale proceeds.

How is this different from a pricing-guide screenshot?

Consumer guides give a range; Form 8283 Section A asks for a single FMV with a specified "Method of valuation." This report supplies that methodology — comp set, mileage adjustment, depreciation schedule, condition/title multipliers — so an IRS examiner can audit the calculation, not just read a number off a webpage.

How long does it take?

About sixty seconds. The market data fetch and PDF generation happen synchronously after payment confirms.

Multiple vehicle donations?

One report per vehicle in v1. Multi-vehicle packets (single PDF for an entire Form 8283 filing) land in v2.

Can I see a sample before paying?

Yes. The "See a sample report" link in the hero downloads a complete report against a real VIN. The contents and formatting match what you receive.

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Charitable donation vehicle valuation

A defensible FMV for the vehicle on your Form 8283.

Sourced from live retail comparables, mileage-adjusted to your vehicle, backdated to the date of donation. Sized for Form 8283 Section A substantiation. Sixty seconds. From $29.

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The problem

Three options. None sized for the donation.

Consumer pricing-guide screenshot

Free

Thin substantiation.

Form 8283 Section A asks for a "Method of valuation." A single screenshot of a consumer-facing pricing range gives a number but not a sourced methodology — comp set, mileage adjustment, depreciation curve, condition/title multipliers. The IRS guidance for Section A is explicit that the method must be specified.

Independent USPAP appraiser

$200–500

Defensible, but mismatched to the donation size.

A licensed appraiser is required by IRC §170(f)(11)(C) for donations over $5,000 where the charity uses the vehicle. For Section A donations between $501 and $5,000, the appraiser fee can be a quarter of the deduction itself.

Charity-issued 1098-C alone

Free

Caps your deduction at the sale price.

When the charity sells your vehicle, Form 1098-C from the charity caps your deduction at the gross sale proceeds. That's a cap, not a substantiation — it doesn't help if you want to claim FMV under a §170(f)(12) exception.

What you get

Eight sections. One PDF. Sized for Form 8283 Section A.

01
Cover and executive summary
Donor, charity + EIN, valuation date, donation type (sells / uses / unknown), final FMV with defensible range.
02
Vehicle identification
VIN-decoded build, factory MSRP, body / drive / engine / transmission, optional photos.
03
Comparable sales
Up to 50 retail listings (same year / make / model) from live market data, mileage-adjusted to your odometer.
04
Mileage and depreciation methodology
Standard residual-curve method, shown explicitly so the math audits. Median backdated to the donation date via ZIP-localized depreciation.
05
Condition and title adjustments
Multipliers for self-reported condition and title status, methodology disclosed.
06
NHTSA recall history
Informational. No FMV adjustment.
07
Sources, methodology, and IRS defensibility disclosure
Plain-English methodology with IRC §170(f)(12) reference, Form 1098-C interaction, and the qualified-appraiser threshold disclosure.
08
Form 8283 Section A — suggested entries
Pre-formatted values keyed to Section A lines 1(b) description, 1(f) FMV, 1(g) method. Copy-paste into your filing — you complete your own 8283.

How it works

Five fields. One page. Sixty seconds.

01
Enter the required fields
VIN, donation date, mileage, ZIP, state, and email. Donation type, condition, title status, and charity / donor metadata are optional and improve the report.
02
We pull live market data
We decode the VIN, pull 30–50 comparable retail listings, and fetch the per-VIN depreciation schedule and recall history.
03
Download the PDF
A Form 8283-shaped report ready to attach to your filing. Email delivery and CPA-branded variants on the higher tier.

Pricing

Per report. No subscription.

Self-serve

$29/ report

Donor

Eight-section PDF
Form 8283 Section A pre-fill
Email delivery
Carriage default branding
Same-VIN re-runs free for 24 hours

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CPA-branded

$99/ report

CPA / tax-prep firm or charity

Everything in Self-serve
Firm logo on every page
Custom signature block and report ID
Donor name and charity name on cover
Volume discounts available — contact us

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Defensibility

What this report is. What it isn't.

Suitable for

Form 8283 Section A donations between $501 and $5,000 where you want to claim FMV.
Form 8283 Section A donations over $5,000 where the charity sells the vehicle (your deduction is capped at sale proceeds via Form 1098-C anyway; this report provides ceiling context).
Section B input document for the qualified appraiser when your donation is over $5,000 and the charity uses the vehicle — a starting point that shaves hours off the appraiser fee.

Use a qualified appraiser for

Donations over $5,000 where the charity uses the vehicle. IRC §170(f)(11)(C) statutorily requires a qualified appraisal — this report is NOT one.
Specialty / classic / collector vehicles where FMV depends on physical inspection.
Contested or amended-return contexts where the IRS has already questioned a prior valuation.

This report is a comparative market analysis prepared from public retail listing data, suitable for substantiating the Fair Market Value of a vehicle donated to a §501(c)(3) charity for the purposes of Form 8283 Section A. It is NOT a USPAP-compliant appraisal and does NOT satisfy the qualified-appraisal requirement of IRC §170(f)(11)(C) that applies to donations claiming FMV over $5,000 where the charity uses the vehicle. The methodology is disclosed in full inside the report so any IRS examiner, donor, or tax preparer can audit the calculation.

Frequently asked

Questions worth answering up front.

Is this a qualified appraisal?: No. This is a comparative market analysis sized for routine Form 8283 Section A substantiation. Donations over $5,000 where the charity uses the vehicle require a qualified appraiser under IRC §170(f)(11)(C) — Carriage's report doesn't replace one, but it gives the appraiser a starting-point document that shaves hours off the fee.
What if the charity sells my vehicle? Doesn't Form 1098-C cap my deduction?: Yes — when the charity sells the vehicle, the deduction is capped at Form 1098-C sale proceeds regardless of FMV. The report still matters: FMV gives ceiling context for donate-vs-sell-privately decisions, and IRC §170(f)(12) has narrow exceptions (charity uses, material improvements, transfer to a needy individual) where FMV applies even when the charity later sells. The defensibility section identifies which case applies.
When can I claim FMV instead of the 1098-C amount?: Per IRC §170(f)(12)(A)(ii), FMV applies when the charity (a) uses the vehicle in furtherance of its charitable purpose, (b) makes material improvements before selling, or (c) transfers it to a needy individual at a significant discount. Form 1098-C box 5 records which case — if 5(a) or 5(b) is checked, claim FMV; otherwise the deduction is capped at sale proceeds.
How is this different from a pricing-guide screenshot?: Consumer guides give a range; Form 8283 Section A asks for a single FMV with a specified "Method of valuation." This report supplies that methodology — comp set, mileage adjustment, depreciation schedule, condition/title multipliers — so an IRS examiner can audit the calculation, not just read a number off a webpage.
How long does it take?: About sixty seconds. The market data fetch and PDF generation happen synchronously after payment confirms.
Multiple vehicle donations?: One report per vehicle in v1. Multi-vehicle packets (single PDF for an entire Form 8283 filing) land in v2.
Can I see a sample before paying?: Yes. The "See a sample report" link in the hero downloads a complete report against a real VIN. The contents and formatting match what you receive.

Ready when you are

A defensible FMV, in the time it takes to make coffee.

Start a report