Castle Rock: what to do with a dead or junk car

The town's abandonment clocks

Castle Rock's definitions set four clocks:

• 72 hours on a street, highway right-of-way or public parking lot. A dated note on the car, or a call to police, can stretch this, but "If the driver or the owner of the vehicle for which the notification was given does not remove the vehicle within seventy-two (72) hours of such notification, then the vehicle shall be deemed abandoned."
• 24 hours on private property when the owner or lessee has not agreed to it, or sooner if it breaks posted parking rules.
• 72 hours at an impound lot after police tell the owner the car is ready for release.
• The one thousand-foot radius above, which keeps a quick shuffle from resetting the clock.

The code also defines a junked vehicle: one "partially dismantled, wrecked or discarded," or one "found to be inoperable, without valid licensing tags."

Private property is not a safe spot

Section 10.20.030 makes it unlawful for an owner "to permit or allow any junked, discarded or partially wrecked, or abandoned vehicle, or any parts thereof, to remain on any private property within the municipal limits of the Town." The main exception is a car kept "in a lawful manner in an enclosed building," and the section lists others.

Colorado runs a separate decal program. Owners repairing or restoring a non-running car can keep it off the road on their own land by paying a yearly specific ownership tax and putting up the DR 2910 decal, and it still may not be driven on roads. That is a state tax and registration rule; the town code above still decides what may sit in a Castle Rock yard.

How a public tow happens

Under Section 10.20.040, a junked or wrecked car that blocks traffic, a fire lane or road maintenance can be removed right away. One that is on a street or public lot but not in the way gets logged and noticed first, and can be towed "no sooner than twenty-four (24) hours" after that. Police follow the state's procedures in Title 42, Article 4, Part 18, C.R.S.

There is also a trap for anyone tempted to drive a dead-registered car to a buyer. Section 10.04.060 says an officer "shall impound" a lawfully stopped car when there is probable cause the driver is breaking Colorado's registration laws and the section's other listed condition also applies. More in towed or impounded.

The title office is on Wilcox Street

The Douglas County motor vehicle office, 301 Wilcox Street, Castle Rock (303-660-7440), is under a mile southwest of downtown in a straight line. It's on the same street shown in the photo above. We checked that one; Douglas County may run others. Colorado has owners do title work in their home county, and a counter elsewhere will not take it.

Selling may not require a trip there. Find the Seller box on the title's reverse side, then sign and print the owner name just as the front of the Castle Rock title shows it; if the front lists two owners, both sign. Fill in the sale price, the date and the miles. The DMV's seller steps list no notary for this Douglas County sale or any other. A DR 2173 bill of sale is good practice, and you need one when the title itself does not show the price.

Plates and the report

Take the plates off; in Colorado they belong to the owner. The Wilcox Street office takes back ordinary plates, and so does any metal recycler. Then report the sale within 5 days, using "Report Release of Liability" online through myDMV or at a Douglas County counter. Bring the plate number, plus either the VIN or the verification code found on your registration.

Getting an offer

Selling a car in Castle Rock? Phone (877) 421-6008 or start with the form. Pickup works from a garage, a private lot or a driveway at the edge of town. Parker is about 10 miles away and Centennial about 15; for statewide rules, see Colorado. Parked for ages already? Read car sitting for years.