Selling a car under Fairhope's 72-hour junk car rule

Which cars Section 12-11 reaches

The section covers more than wrecks. Its list includes "any vehicle that does not bear a current license plate," "any vehicle that is not capable of being driven under its own power," and any car "in a wholly or partially rusted, wrecked, junked, dismantled or inoperative condition."

The 72-hour rule binds whoever controls the property, "whether as owner, tenant, occupant, lessee or otherwise." Renters are not off the hook because the landlord owns the lot. The section also forbids placing such a car "upon any property" in the city, so towing a dead car to a friend's place across town only moves the violation.

Parts count. Because of the words "or parts thereof," a stripped door or an engine on a stand falls under the rule just like the car it came off. The section also cross-references a zoning rule on "junked vehicles prohibited near dwellings," which we did not read.

Streets and public land

The limit drops to 24 hours on "any public land or public way" when a car is there "without written authorization." Public land is off limits entirely for a dismantled, nonoperating, wrecked or junked car.

For ordinary street parking, Section 20-46 sets a separate limit. Outside established public parking, no vehicle may sit in a street right-of-way "for a longer period of time than four hours on a recurring basis." Under Section 20-51, a police officer who finds a vehicle on a public street, in a park or in another public place and believes it is "lost, stolen or abandoned," or likely to block traffic, can act on it.

Title and plates in Fairhope

This page does not list a Baldwin County title office. Alabama issues titles through the Department of Revenue, and plates go through county license-issuing offices.

A Fairhope seller signs the title without a notary, since Alabama does not require one on the seller's assignment. Pull the plate before the car leaves; you may move it to a car you acquire later. Letting registration lapse costs money too. A Fairhope car with lapsed registration may owe escaped ad valorem tax for this year and up to two years back. Missing your renewal month adds a $15 plus interest penalty.

A missing title can be reissued for $15 on the Public Title Portal. An older, low-value car has another route. Missing the title for a Fairhope car? Once that Fairhope car reaches 12 model years and its value is $1,000 or less, a dismantler or scrap recycler may still take it. SCRAP is where the Fairhope buyer submits Notice form MVT 5-18. After you sell covers the last steps.

Nearby

Daphne is 7.1 miles away, Foley 15.2 miles and Mobile 17.0 miles. Statewide rules are on the Alabama page.

Getting an offer

Use the site or ring (877) 421-6008. We ask what you drive, the odometer figure, if the motor works, and how the paperwork looks. Our driver loads it from wherever it is parked: a side yard near the old wharf, a rental's driveway, or a garage that has held it for weeks.