Junk cars in Montebello: the rules and a way out

The nuisance rule, Section 8.16.010

The city's nuisance list includes "parking or allowing to stand any abandoned, wrecked, dismantled or inoperative vehicles." It then declares any such vehicle, or any part of one, on private property or public property other than highways "to be a public nuisance." The rule reaches whoever owns, leases, occupies or has charge of the lot, so tenants are covered as well as owners.

Two exceptions are written in:

• a car "completely enclosed within a building in a lawful manner," not visible from the street or other property
• a car kept lawfully at the business of a licensed dismantler, dealer or junkyard

The sections cited here set no grace period. The city gets the power to run its own removal process and charge for it from Vehicle Code 22660, a state law.

Business and industrial lots

Montebello's code also limits storage on some industrial land. In the district covered by Section 17.49.060, which uses M-2 heavy manufacturing standards, "no damaged or wrecked trucks or other vehicles shall be stored for purposes other than repair," and any vehicle "awaiting repair for more than thirty days shall be removed from the location or stored in an enclosed area." Inoperable vehicles may not be stored in the public right-of-way there. The zoning code's definition of an impound yard adds that "no junkyards, parts salvage or sale, or similar activities are permitted as impounding."

Smog rules when you sell

In a normal sale the seller gets the Smog Check and hands the buyer the report. In Montebello, a car from the four newest model years needs no smog test. In Montebello, the $8 smog transfer fee is the buyer's to pay. Gas cars from 1975 and older, diesels from 1997 and older, electric cars and motorcycles are also exempt.

Selling it for scrap removes the smog question. There's another reason in Vehicle Code 24007. Two buyers can take a Montebello car that fails Air Resources Board rules. One is a dealer. The other is someone wrecking or dismantling it lawfully. For a dead car that can't pass, wrecking or dismantling is one lawful way out. See failed inspection.

Title and plates

Ownership passes when you, plus any lender of record, sign the Certificate of Title over. The buyer pays DMV $15 to record the change. You won't find a notary among DMV's private-sale steps. Report the hand-off on REG 138 inside 5 days, so citations issued later land on the buyer's record and not yours. Most regular plates go with the car. If DMV records it as Junk, you hand them in. More on the California page.

Nearby

From Montebello as the crow flies, Pico Rivera is 2.2 miles, Monterey Park 2.6, Rosemead 4.0 and Bell Gardens 4.3.

Getting an offer

Use the form or dial (877) 421-6008. Send us the basics on the Montebello car through the form. Our truck can reach a driveway the code won't allow it in, a rented carport or a shop lot.