Selling a dead or junk car in Daly City

The ten-day letter under Chapter 10.64

The city council used the power California gives cities under Vehicle Code 22660 and declared that an "abandoned, wrecked, dismantled or inoperative vehicle or parts thereof, on private or public property, including highways" is a public nuisance (Section 10.64.020). Section 10.64.080 gives the Chief of Police the authority to have such a car removed.

Here is how the clock runs:

1. Notice. Under Section 10.64.090, Daly City sends "a ten-day notice of intention to abate and remove" through registered mail, addressed to both the landowner and the vehicle's owner. A car with no readable identification numbers is the one exception.
2. Ten days to act. The notice tells you to remove the car "within ten (10) days from the date of mailing of this notice."
3. Hearing. Under Section 10.64.100, your request has to land with the city manager or assistant city manager inside ten days of mailing. A landowner can also send "a sworn written statement denying responsibility," which the code treats as a hearing request that needs no appearance. The city mails the hearing date, by registered mail, ten or more days in advance.
4. No request, no hearing. Miss that window and the car can be hauled off "without holding a public hearing."

Note that the clock starts on the mailing date, not the day the letter reaches you.

The street is not a storage lot

Section 8.16.030 lists among public nuisances any attempt to "use the public street or sidewalk to store inoperable, wrecked or abandoned vehicles." The same section covers dead cars on private land. The only exception is lawful storage tied to a licensed dismantler, a licensed dealer, a junk dealer or another lawful business.

State law adds two tow triggers. Under Vehicle Code 22651, three straight days parked against a local ordinance is enough for a tow. Under Vehicle Code 22669, Daly City can haul a car at once from a public right-of-way if it has lost its windshield, tires, doors, wheels, transmission or engine. Daly City's Section 10.32.250 also lets police remove a car left "in an unusual position" that blocks traffic. If yours is already at a tow yard, see towed or impounded.

California title, smog and plates

For Daly City, title papers are handled by the state DMV. You can mail them or visit a field office. In Daly City, a private sale begins when you sign the California Certificate of Title. Any lender whose loan was never released must sign as well. The buyer files it and covers the $15 transfer fee. DMV lists no notary for that signature. No title in the house? Begin with REG 227 ($28); see junk car with no title.

Then, inside 5 days, send DMV your REG 138 release, using the dmv.ca.gov/nrl site or the mail. When DMV records it, Vehicle Code 5602 makes later parking tickets and lawsuits the buyer's problem. Regular plates normally remain on the car. And since a car sold for dismantling is exempt, no smog certificate is needed.

Nearby

San Bruno is 5.6 miles away as the crow flies, South San Francisco is 5.8 and Pacifica is 6.6. Statewide rules are on the California page.

Getting an offer

Call (877) 421-6008 or send the form. Send us your Daly City car through the form. We pick up on your lot, from a garage under the house, or behind a repair shop.