Selling a dead car in Seaside

The notice and the city manager

Once Seaside's city manager hears about an abandoned, wrecked, dismantled or inoperative car, Section 8.20.040 allows the city to tow it from public or private land. The landowner gets a letter to move the car "within 10 days from the date of mailing of this notice." If it's still there, the city takes it and bills the property owner, "together with administrative costs."

Within those ten days, either the Seaside landowner or the car's owner can ask for a hearing. Seaside gives that job to the city manager, who can order the car taken away and decide the costs. Five days after the order, a Seaside car may go to a scrapyard or dismantler.

Seaside's property maintenance code also uses a wide definition of an inoperable car. Seaside's rule reaches any car barred from public streets for being "unlicensed, wrecked, abandoned, in a state of disrepair," or one unable to move under its own power.

Empty it before anyone else does

Section 8.20.080 is unusual: "Personal property, including boats, found within or upon an abandoned vehicle may be disposed of as part of the proceedings." At the hearing the city manager orders those things "destroyed, junked, sold or other proper disposition." Tools, car seats, paperwork in the glove box: take them out first.

Lost title? Start here

No title in the drawer? In California, one form covers both jobs. REG 227 gets you a new title for a lost one and can also move ownership to someone else. In Seaside you file in person or by mail and pay a $28 fee; a title usually shows up by mail in 15 to 30 days. The only part of REG 227 that needs a notary is section 5, and only if DMV records list a lienholder.

If a Seaside car lacks the usual ownership proof, its value decides the route. Seaside cars valued at $5,000 or more require a motor vehicle bond. In Seaside, a car valued under $5,000 doesn't need a bond. In Seaside, send the DMV your ownership papers along with a REG 256 Statement of Facts. That form shows who sold the Seaside car, what it's worth, and that it's free of any lien. See selling with no title.

The rest of the paperwork

When you have the title again, signing is easy. On a Seaside sale, you and any listed lienholder sign the title, and no notary is part of the DMV's seller steps. Monterey County doesn't run its own title office, so you use a state DMV field office or the mail. A Seaside seller must get REG 138, the release of liability, to the DMV within 5 days of the sale. Regular plates usually remain on the car.

Up and down the bay

Monterey and Marina are each about 4 miles off as the crow flies (4.0 and 4.1); Salinas is 11.1. See California for statewide rules.

Getting an offer

Dial (877) 421-6008 or write in through the form, and mention what paperwork you have, since that decides the title route above. You sell the whole car as it sits; the truck can load it from a side street, an apartment lot, or a garage.