There is no single Goodwill tax ID number for California. Goodwill is a network of independently incorporated regional nonprofits, and each California chapter has its own Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS. The number that belongs on your tax return is the EIN of the specific chapter that physically received your donation.
California Goodwill Chapter EINs
California has at least eight separately incorporated Goodwill chapters. The most commonly needed EINs, taken from public IRS filings, are below. Confirm yours through the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search before filing, because chapters occasionally restructure or merge.
- Goodwill Industries of Southern California (Los Angeles area): 95-1641441
- Goodwill of Orange County: 95-1644018
- Goodwill Industries of San Diego County: 95-1652910
- Goodwill of the San Francisco Bay (San Francisco, San Mateo, Marin): 94-1156540
- Goodwill Industries of the Greater East Bay (Oakland area): 94-1186175
- Goodwill of Silicon Valley: 94-1212132
- Goodwill Industries of Sacramento Valley & Northern Nevada: 94-1201202
- Goodwill Central Coast (Salinas/Monterey area): 94-1254638
These are not the only Goodwill entities operating in the state. Smaller or newer chapters may serve areas not on this list. If your donation location doesn’t clearly fall within one of these regions, check your receipt or use the IRS lookup tool.
Why the National Goodwill EIN Doesn’t Work
Goodwill Industries International is the national umbrella organization, and its EIN is 53-0196517. It does not operate the stores and donation centers you visit. Each regional chapter is a separate 501(c)(3) with its own board, its own budget, and its own EIN.1Internal Revenue Service. Employer Identification Number Putting the national EIN on your return for a donation made at a local store names an organization that never received your property.
The distinction matters at the entity level. A receipt from a Goodwill store in San Diego belongs to a different legal organization than one from Sacramento. Naming the wrong chapter on Form 8283 can produce a mismatch, because the organization you listed has no record of your donation.
How to Verify the Correct EIN
The most reliable source is the donation receipt itself. When you drop items off, staff should give you a written receipt with the chapter’s full legal name and, often, its EIN. Keep it regardless of the dollar amount.
If the receipt is missing or doesn’t show the number, use the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search at apps.irs.gov/app/eos.2Internal Revenue Service. Tax Exempt Organization Search Search the chapter’s full legal name rather than just “Goodwill.” Typing “Goodwill Industries of Southern California” takes you to a single record; typing “Goodwill” returns hundreds of results from every state.
Many California chapters also publish their EIN on their own website, usually on an About Us or Financials page. Cross-checking the site against the IRS record confirms you have the right number.
When You Actually Need the EIN
Schedule A asks for the charity’s name and donation details but does not have a dedicated EIN field. The EIN becomes required on Form 8283 (Noncash Charitable Contributions), which applies once your total noncash donations for the year exceed $500.3Internal Revenue Service. About Form 8283, Noncash Charitable Contributions Most Goodwill donations are noncash by nature, and a couch, a few boxes of clothes, and some kitchen appliances can clear that threshold without much trouble.
Form 8283 splits into two sections by donation size:
- Section A covers donations over $500 but not more than $5,000. You provide the charity’s name, address, and EIN, along with a description of the property and how you determined its value.
- Section B covers donations over $5,000. Everything in Section A applies, plus a qualified appraisal from a credentialed appraiser. The appraisal must be completed no earlier than 60 days before the donation date and received before you file.4Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for Form 8283
Section A is where the typical Goodwill donor lands. Qualified appraisals for used household goods over $5,000 are uncommon, though they can come up with large furniture sets or higher-value collections.
Documentation to Keep With the EIN
Federal recordkeeping requirements scale with the size of the donation. For any single contribution of $250 or more, you must have a contemporaneous written acknowledgment from the charity before you file.5Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 26 U.S. Code 170 – Charitable, Etc., Contributions and Gifts “Contemporaneous” means you receive the document by the earlier of your actual filing date or the return’s due date, including extensions.
The acknowledgment must describe the donated property and state whether the organization gave you anything in return.6Internal Revenue Service. Topic No. 506, Charitable Contributions A standard Goodwill receipt usually satisfies this, since the charity doesn’t provide goods or services in exchange for your bags of clothing.
For donations under $250, you still need a receipt showing the organization’s name, the date, the location, and a description of what you gave. The Goodwill attendant’s slip covers this, but fill in the item descriptions before you leave. Many locations hand you a blank form.
Two Boundaries Worth Knowing
Having the right EIN doesn’t answer two related questions that trip donors up. First, clothing and household items must be in good used condition or better to be deductible at all.7Internal Revenue Service. Publication 526 (2025), Charitable Contributions Stained shirts, broken appliances, and significantly damaged furniture don’t qualify, and you are responsible for assigning a fair market value based on each item’s condition at the time of donation.
Second, if you donate a vehicle, the deduction rules change. When the charity sells the vehicle, which is what happens in most cases, your deduction is generally limited to the actual sale price rather than the vehicle’s fair market value.8Internal Revenue Service. IRS Guidance Explains Rules for Vehicle Donations The charity reports the sale price to you on Form 1098-C, and you must attach that form to your return if the claimed value exceeds $500.9Internal Revenue Service. About Form 1098-C, Contributions of Motor Vehicles, Boats, and Airplanes Full fair market value applies only in narrow situations, such as when the charity uses the vehicle in a significant way, makes major repairs that substantially increase its value, or gives or sells it at a deep discount to a low-income individual as part of its charitable mission. The charity certifies which exception applies on Form 1098-C.