Selling a junk car in Fairfield

California law on a Fairfield dead car

Vehicle Code 22660 leaves the private-property question to each city or county. Under that law, Fairfield can adopt an ordinance declaring abandoned, wrecked, dismantled or inoperative vehicles public nuisances, then remove them and charge the cost. In Fairfield, that makes the backyard rule a city matter. Check with Fairfield before you bank on any grace period.

Two statewide rules govern Fairfield's public streets whatever the city has written:

• Three days at the curb. Once a parked Fairfield car reaches the 72-hour mark and breaks a local ordinance, Vehicle Code 22651 permits a tow.
• No clock for a stripped shell. Under Vehicle Code 22669, a Fairfield peace officer, or a public employee assigned the task, may take away a car they think is abandoned. A Fairfield car on public right-of-way can be removed right then if it lacks its windshield, engine, doors, tires, wheels, transmission or other needed parts.

Already holding a notice? Read notice to remove a car. Thieves got there first? Missing parts explains selling the remains.

Abandoning it costs more

Leaving a car behind on a Fairfield street breaks Vehicle Code 22523. It also bans dumping one on someone's property without their permission. Fairfield fines start at $100, and the owner must also show the removal was paid for. A towed Fairfield car left unclaimed puts its last registered owner on the hook for an infraction, and that person owes whatever the lien sale fell short of. Filing a report of sale takes you out of that, even when a later buyer abandons the car.

Handing over the title

In Fairfield, sellers work with the state DMV, because California counties don't handle titles. Sign the title as seller; a lienholder on the record signs too. From there, the buyer has 10 days to tell DMV and pays its $15 transfer fee. No notary is listed in the California DMV's steps for sellers.

Fairfield sellers then have five days for REG 138. That is the "Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability", and it can go in by mail or be filed at dmv.ca.gov/nrl. A missing title calls for REG 227 before anything else. See California for the statewide picture.

Neighbors of Fairfield

Suisun City sits 1.5 miles off and Vacaville 7.5. American Canyon is 13.6, Benicia 14.7 and Napa 14.8, with Vallejo at 16.5.

Getting an offer

Fill in the form or dial (877) 421-6008. Send your car through the form. Our truck goes anywhere in Fairfield, from a cul-de-sac to an office lot to a garage that couldn't fix it.