Selling a dead car in Little Rock

Two ways the code describes a dead car

Little Rock defines the same problem in two chapters, and the wording differs.

• Nuisance chapter, 20-2. It bans "the open storage of an abandoned automobile," and defines that as "any motor vehicle or part thereof that is in a state of disrepair or incapable of being moved under its own power." Note the "or": a car can qualify by being in disrepair even if it still moves.
• Housing code, 8-407. For residential property, it bans "the open storage of any abandoned motor vehicle," and adds a test the nuisance chapter lacks. A car counts if it is in disrepair and cannot move "and/or does not have a current safety inspection and license plate."

The inspection half is murky. DFA's registration document list carries no inspection certificate, and no Arkansas testing program of either kind turned up. The license-plate half still matters. A car with expired tags sitting in a yard is the kind of thing 8-407 describes. Our guide to a car sitting for years covers what old tags and county tax add up to.

The exception is narrow. Section 20-2 allows open storage only "in connection with an automotive sales or repair business enterprise" that holds a privilege license and sits on a properly zoned parcel.

Notice, and why the second one may never come

Under 20-2, when a city employee designated by the city manager has "reasonable grounds to believe" a violation exists, he gives notice to the person responsible. The section does not set a number of days in the text we have, so read the notice itself.

The part that catches people is the follow-up. "No further notice, warning, or grace period is required to be given for any alleged repeat violation of the same subsection of this section for a period of three hundred and sixty-five (365) days after a notice has been issued." If you cleared a dead car last spring and another one shows up in the yard this winter, the city does not have to warn you again.

The street is not a parking spot for a dead car

Pushing the car out to the street changes which rule applies. Section 32-43 lets police tow "when any vehicle is left continuously and unattended upon any street for a period of more than forty-eight (48) hours," and also any vehicle parked in a signed no-parking area. After towing, the department must tell the owner in writing why the car was taken and where it now is. Where no owner can be found, and three days pass with the car unclaimed, the state gets a written report.

On blocks with posted signs, 32-375 limits parking to "one (1) hour at any time between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. of any day except Sundays and public holidays." The limit counts only where the signs are up. Under 32-73, a citation goes on any car an officer finds parked in breach of the chapter, once its registration number is noted.

When a tow company has it, Arkansas statute governs. Expect a certified letter sent 2 to 8 business days in, mentioning a 30-day window to dispute the tow. Reclaiming has to happen within 45 days of that letter; later, a public sale may follow. See towed or impounded.

Selling a car titled in Arkansas

Arkansas runs titles from the state, not the county: DFA's State Revenue Offices take them in person, and MyDMV takes title applications and plate transfers online.

On sale day, sign the title over to your buyer and give it to them. The two of you then complete DFA Form 10-313: VIN, buyer, date, description, mileage, total price, signatures. That form has no notary block, and no notary shows up in DFA's seller steps. Keeping your own written record still helps; our bill of sale guide shows what to include.

Little Rock is home base for the optional Notice of Transfer of Ownership. Little Rock filers hand it over in person at the Ragland Building, Room 1100. By mail, use P.O. Box 1272, Little Rock, AR 72203. No fee applies. Under Ark. Code 27-14-911, a bona fide seller who handed the car over is not on the hook for a buyer's careless driving.

Take off the plates and keep them. DFA charges $1.00 to move them to your next car.

Going to scrap. You sign the title to the buyer. From there, DFA's Notice of Intent to Dismantle and the title go to the Office of Motor Vehicle. In Little Rock, a car of 25 years or older with no title can be sold that way using a bill of sale with its year, make, model and VIN.

No title and no other option. A Little Rock owner can apply for a DFA bonded title with Form 10-345, plus a VIN check and a bill of sale. That Little Rock VIN check has to come from the Arkansas State Police. A certified law-enforcement officer can also perform it. The review runs 10 to 25 business days.

Pulaski County tax. Renewal requires a county assessor's assessment and every dollar of personal property tax paid. Years parked do not erase that bill.

Close by

In a straight line, North Little Rock is 8.0 miles away, Bryant 10.7, Sherwood 12.4 and Benton 15.9. State rules are on the Arkansas page.

Getting an offer

Got a car in Little Rock? The offer form works, or call (877) 421-6008. We can load it at any Little Rock house, a downtown garage, or the shop where it broke down.