Selling a dead car in Bryant

The seven-day order

Bryant groups junk cars with weeds, garbage, stagnant water and "non-working appliances" as conditions the city can order cleaned up. The owner, the occupant or a lien holder gets "seven days to do so by written notice." The notice has to describe the problem and the time allowed before the city acts on its own under state law.

If the seven days pass, the city "may do whatever is necessary to correct the condition" and charge the cost to the owner of the lot.

How the cost follows the land

The bill does not stay a bill. The code says the city "shall file a lien with the circuit clerk no later than one hundred twenty days (120) days" after it finishes the cleanup. That means a junk car you never sold can become a charge against your property.

Parking it on a Bryant street

Section 8.20.09 requires a parked car to be parallel to the curb, with the right-hand wheels "within eighteen (18) inches" of the curb or street edge. No part of it may hang over a sidewalk, and it may not block anyone's driveway. Section 8.28.10 adds that unattended vehicles breaking the parking chapter "may be impounded at a cost to the owner thereof." A dead car left on a city street is held to the same rules.

Scrapping it the Arkansas way

The Arkansas DFA has a route built for cars that will never drive again. If the car is sold for scrap or parts, the owner signs the title to the buyer. A Bryant seller mails the title and DFA's "Notice of Intent to Dismantle a Motor Vehicle" to the Office of Motor Vehicle. Arkansas then cancels the title and lists the Bryant car as dismantled. No new title is issued unless the filer certifies within 90 days that the notice was a mistake.

Old cars get one break. A Bryant car that is 25 or more years old and has no title can be sent with a bill of sale instead, as long as it shows the year, make, model and VIN. In Bryant, a newer car with no title and nothing else to fall back on may need a bonded title. On this route, Bryant owners hand in a bill of sale along with Form 10-345. In Bryant, the VIN must also be inspected. In Bryant, that check falls to the State Police. A certified law-enforcement officer may also handle it. Expect 10 to 25 business days for review.

In a regular Bryant sale, you sign the title to the buyer, then the two of you complete Form 10-313 together. No notary shows up in DFA's steps for sellers. Unscrew the plates first; $1.00 transfers them later.

Nearby

Benton lies 5.3 miles from Bryant as the crow flies; Little Rock, 10.7. See Arkansas for the statewide rules, or old project car for older cars with gaps in the paperwork.

Getting an offer

Got the seven-day letter? Note its date before you reach out at (877) 421-6008 or through the offer box, and say whether you hold a title, a bill of sale or neither. A Saline County shoulder, a backyard or a garage bay all work as pickup spots.