Junk cars in Burlingame: the code and the title

Street or driveway, the rule is the same

Burlingame's findings in Section 13.65.010 cover a lot of ground. The presence of "an abandoned, wrecked, dismantled or inoperative vehicle or parts thereof, on private or public property, including highways" is declared a public nuisance. Some cities leave streets out of this chapter. Burlingame writes them in, so a car stalled at the curb on a side street is covered the same as one in a back driveway.

Section 13.65.040 lets the chief of police "cause the abatement and removal" once such a car is found.

The 10-day letter

Section 13.65.045 requires "a 10 day notice of intention to abate and remove the vehicle," sent "by registered mail to the owner of the land and to the owner of the vehicle, unless the vehicle is in such condition that identification numbers are not available to determine ownership." The landowner's copy says:

Leave the car there and Burlingame removes it, with "the costs thereof, assessed to you as owner of the land."

Asking for a hearing

Requests go to the commission inside those 10 days. Owners of land where somebody else dumped the car have a paper option: under 13.65.050, a sworn denial of responsibility "shall be construed as a request for a hearing which does not require his or her presence." The hearing notice itself must be mailed "at least 10 days before hearing."

Miss the window, and the city "shall have the authority to abate and remove the vehicle" with no hearing at all.

When it can go to the scrap yard

There are three moments when the code lets the car be sent "to a scrapyard or automobile dismantler's yard": "Five days after adoption of the order declaring the vehicle or parts thereof to be a public nuisance," five days after a required decision notice goes out by mail, or "15 days after such action of the governing body authorizing removal following appeal."

The DMV side of a sale

California handles titles at the state level, so Burlingame sellers deal with DMV directly, at a field office or by post. For a private sale, DMV asks only that the seller sign the title, with a lienholder's signature added when one is on record. Filing falls to the buyer, who pays VC 9255's $15 transfer fee and reports the change within ten days. Cars four model years old or newer skip the inspection and pay an $8 smog transfer fee.

You finish with REG 138 inside 5 days. No title? A REG 227 replacement costs $28, and DMV says to expect it in the mail in roughly 15 to 30 days. Regular plates stay on the car. See selling with no title.

Getting an offer

Use the form, or dial (877) 421-6008. Describe the vehicle by year and model, give the odometer number, say if it starts, and flag any title trouble. Whether it stalled off Burlingame Avenue or sits in a garage, the truck comes to it. Millbrae is 2.2 miles away and San Mateo 3.5; California covers the state rules.