Salvation Army Donation Pickup: How to Schedule a Free Pickup
✍️ LargestCharities Editorial Team|📅 Last updated: June 2026
The Salvation Army offers free home pickup for large donations like furniture, which is the easiest way to give when you cannot haul items to a Family Store yourself. You schedule online at satruck.org or by phone at 1-800-SA-TRUCK, and a truck comes to collect. This guide walks through how to book a pickup, what they will and will not take from your home, and why availability and wait times vary so much from place to place.
How to schedule a Salvation Army pickup
There are three ways to arrange a pickup, and the online option is usually fastest:
Online: go to satruck.org, enter your ZIP code, list your items, and choose an available date.
By phone: call 1-800-SA-TRUCK (1-800-728-7825) and a representative will check availability and book the pickup.
Through your local Family Store: some areas route pickups through the nearest store, which you can call directly.
When you enter your ZIP code, the system tells you whether home pickup is offered where you live. If it is, you select a date, describe the items, and confirm. On pickup day, place the items somewhere the crew can reach easily, such as a garage, porch, or just inside the front door, and ask the driver for a tax receipt.
Availability varies a lot. Pickup is run by local Salvation Army commands, not one national service. Many areas have waits of two to four weeks, and some have paused in-home pickups entirely. The ZIP-code check at satruck.org is the only reliable way to see what is offered near you.
What the Salvation Army will pick up
Home pickup is meant for large, heavy items that are hard to transport, above all furniture. In general the Salvation Army will collect:
Furniture in clean, structurally sound condition: sofas, chairs, tables, dressers, bed frames, bookcases.
Working appliances that are not built-in, such as refrigerators, washers, and dryers, where the local command accepts them.
Large household goods bundled with the furniture pickup, sometimes including boxes of clothing, kitchenware, books, and similar items.
Smaller donations like a few bags of clothes usually are not worth a truck visit, and most commands ask you to drop those at a store or donation bin instead.
What they will not pick up
Crews turn away items they cannot resell or that raise safety and liability concerns. Commonly refused at pickup:
Appliances that do not work, are missing the power cord, or are rusty or dirty
Gas appliances
Large console televisions and stereos, and televisions more than about five years old
Mattresses and box springs (most locations, due to health rules)
Damaged, stained, or heavily worn furniture and clothing
Hazardous materials, including paint, solvents, and chemicals
Call ahead for anything unusual. Because local ordinances and store capacity differ, the safest move is to confirm your specific items when you book, or call 1-800-SA-TRUCK. A two-minute call saves a wasted pickup slot and a return trip for the crew. For a full breakdown of accepted and refused items, see what the Salvation Army accepts.
Getting your tax receipt
The driver can leave a donation receipt at pickup. The Salvation Army provides a blank receipt: you list the items and estimate their fair market value yourself, since they do not appraise donations. Keep your own list or photos of what you gave. If a single donation is worth $250 or more, the IRS requires a written acknowledgment, and noncash gifts over $500 in a year require IRS Form 8283. Our Salvation Army donation value guide has fair-market-value ranges to help you fill out the receipt.
Frequently asked questions
How do I schedule a Salvation Army donation pickup?
Go to satruck.org or call 1-800-SA-TRUCK (1-800-728-7825), enter your ZIP code, list your items, and choose an available date. Availability is set locally, so the ZIP check shows whether pickup is offered near you.
Is Salvation Army pickup free?
Yes. Home pickup of donated goods is free. The Salvation Army funds it through the resale of donated items at its Family Stores.
Does the Salvation Army pick up furniture?
Yes, furniture is the main reason for home pickup. It must be clean and structurally sound. Call ahead to confirm space and that your specific pieces are acceptable. Most locations do not take mattresses or box springs.
Why is there a long wait for pickup?
Pickups are run by local Salvation Army commands with limited trucks and crews, so demand often outpaces capacity. Waits of two to four weeks are common, and some areas have paused in-home pickup.
What will the crew not take?
Non-working, rusty, or cordless appliances; gas appliances; old or console TVs; mattresses; damaged or stained items; and hazardous materials like paint and chemicals.
Sources: The Salvation Army pickup service (satruck.org and 1-800-SA-TRUCK), Salvation Army Family Store and Adult Rehabilitation Center donation policies, and IRS Publication 526 on documenting noncash gifts. We are not affiliated with the Salvation Army. Errors: [email protected]