San Luis junk cars: the city's rules and Arizona's

San Luis Chapter 8.25 and inoperable cars

Chapter 8.25 sits in Title 8, "Nuisances, Health and Safety." It names "any inoperable vehicles" among the things that can make up a public nuisance. It also sets out exceptions for an "inoperable vehicle stored on private property within the city," including one that is:

• "completely covered with an opaque car cover specifically designed" for it, or
• a car whose time spent inoperable "did not exceed 15 days"

Read the chapter for the full conditions before relying on either exception.

Section 8.25.080 covers lost, abandoned and unclaimed motor vehicles. For San Luis, the state timer is in ARS 28-4801. A car left alone 72 hours on public or private land is prima facie evidence of abandonment, and 48 hours is enough in a roadside right-of-way. ARS 28-4831 also bans abandonment on private land.

Title and plates from San Luis

No Yuma County office issues titles. MVD offices and ADOT-authorized Third Party offices handle that job, and AZ MVD Now covers much of it online. Because Arizona keeps titles as electronic records, a San Luis seller can finish online through eTitle Transfer. If the San Luis title is on paper, sign the back and give it over with the car. ADOT's seller steps say nothing about a notary. Expect an odometer disclosure on most 2011 and later cars.

Unbolt the plate before loading. Within 30 days, put it on a different car, give it back to MVD, or fill out an affidavit that it was destroyed. Registration fees you did not use can return as a credit, less a $12 processing fee.

After a San Luis sale, send in the free Sold Notice within 10 days. Use form 46-8502 or file it online through AZMVDNow.gov. If it goes unfiled, MVD records may still name you. See after you sell.

Older car, no paper title? San Luis owners can sell a car with 12 model years or more on the clock, valued at $1,200 or less, to an Arizona licensed automotive recycler or scrap metal dealer. Payment comes by check. Details are in junk car with no title.

No emissions testing here

San Luis has no emissions test. Arizona does its testing only near Phoenix and Tucson, in parts of the Maricopa, Pinal, Yavapai and Pima county areas. San Luis sits in Yuma County, outside those zones, so its cars skip the test.

Getting an offer

Online or at (877) 421-6008, send the model year, make, mileage, running condition and title status. A truck can meet the car in San Luis or in Yuma, 11.9 miles away. The Arizona page has statewide rules.