Selling a junk car in Benton

What Arkansas law says about a car left sitting

We found no statewide Arkansas rule for junk cars on private land. Cities handle that as a nuisance. Ark. Code 27-50-1202 does define abandonment: 30 days unattended, with nothing to show the owner plans to retake the car.

After a tow, state law lays out the dates:

• The letter. The tow and storage firm mails owners and lienholders a certified letter no sooner than 2 and no later than 8 business days after the car comes in (27-50-1208).
• Contesting. That letter has to mention a 30-day right to fight the original tow (27-50-1207).
• The deadline. Reclaim within 45 days of the letter. After day 45 the owner's rights are waived, and a nonjudicial public sale for cash can follow (27-50-1209).

Repair shops follow a 45-day rule too. Under 27-50-1101 a car there is abandoned when nobody has claimed it for 45 days, or when the bill has sat unpaid 45 days past completion of the work.

The Saline County tax a parked car still carries

In Arkansas, the county handles just one piece of car paperwork: property tax. No renewal goes through until the assessor has assessed the car and the collector has every dollar of personal property tax. A car that sat parked in a Benton yard still carries that Saline County tax.

Late registration adds $3.00 for every 10 days, topping out at one year's registration fee. A car that was not driven in Arkansas during the gap is exempt, which DFA's non-use affidavit, form 10-300, establishes. Our car property tax guide goes further.

Paperwork for the sale

DFA's State Revenue Offices handle titles; Saline County does not. Sign the title over and give it to your buyer. Then the two of you fill out Form 10-313 with the VIN, buyer, date, car description, mileage, full price and both signatures. DFA's seller instructions never call for a notary. Its list of registration documents does not ask for an inspection certificate either.

Remove the plates at the sale. They remain yours, and $1.00 moves them onto another vehicle. You may file DFA's Notice of Transfer of Ownership at no cost, but you do not have to. Apart from that, Ark. Code 27-14-911 clears a good-faith seller who delivered the car of liability for what a careless buyer does on the road.

No title. At 25 years or older, a car can go for scrap with a bill of sale giving year, make, model and VIN, filed alongside the Notice of Intent to Dismantle. A newer car with no title and no other option goes the bonded title way with DFA. Send Form 10-345 with a bill of sale and a VIN inspection done by a certified law-enforcement officer or Arkansas State Police. DFA takes 10 to 25 business days to look it over. See bonded title.

Nearby towns

Bryant is 5.3 miles away in a straight line, Little Rock 15.9, North Little Rock 23.8 and Hot Springs 27.9. The Arkansas page has statewide rules.

Getting an offer

For a Benton car, phone (877) 421-6008 or fill in the offer form. Pickup can be at a Benton home, a Saline County pasture, or the shop that has it.