Selling a junk or dead car in Greeley

A garage or nothing on private lots

Off the street, Section 12-410 makes it a code violation for an owner, tenant or occupant to park or store "an inoperable vehicle or unlicensed vehicle unless it is in a garage or other building." Note the second word: an unlicensed car is covered even if it runs. The section opens with "Except as provided in section 12-412," and that section holds the exceptions, which this page does not cover.

Greeley's parking chapter spells out what inoperable means. Section 16-669 counts a vehicle that is "junked; wrecked; wholly or partially dismantled; missing essential parts," that cannot do what it was built to do, or that a mechanical failure or damage has left unable to drive itself.

How the abandoned-vehicle clocks run

Section 16-669 lists the situations that make a car abandoned:

• unattended on someone's private lot a full day or more, with no okay from the owner or lessee
• left on public property, a street included, for 72 hours or longer
• left on public property without registration or a current sticker on its plate
• left on public property in a disabled or inoperable condition
• booted with an immobilization device on public property for 72 hours or longer

Section 14-283 adds its own timing. On private property, a car still there more than 24 hours after the owner or lessee puts a notice of removal on it is presumed abandoned. Commercial lots must post a sign warning that abandoned vehicles will be towed. In a city park or on other city property the presumption also starts 24 hours after a notice goes on the car.

The 72-hour notice under the wiper

When an officer finds a car that is abandoned, inoperable, unlawful or improperly stored, Section 16-685 calls for notice "conspicuously affixed to the vehicle by leaving it under the windshield wiper." The notice orders the car moved "after 72 hours of notice," and warns that after that it can be towed or impounded with the owner paying. During or after a snow storm, the public works director can also have cars towed off a signed snow removal or sweeping route. Section 16-391 separately lets the city impound any car it finds abandoned under Section 16-669.

The emissions sticker counts on a parked car

Another Greeley provision bars letting a car that must show proof of an emissions test "be parked on public property or on private property available for public use, without such vehicle displaying a valid verification of emissions test."

At sale, Colorado asks more. Is the Greeley car past 7 model years, and does the buyer live in an emissions testing county in the Denver metro area or the North Front Range? You owe that buyer a passing emissions result. It can't already have been used for a registration or renewal. A gas test runs $35. Some non-running cars may still change hands inside the program area if they meet the DMV's criteria, and the number to ask is 303-205-5603. See failed emissions.

Weld County title work

For most services, Greeley sellers file with Weld County; other counties' offices cannot help. Weld sets its own hours, local taxes and fees.

What a Greeley seller does on the title:

1. Back of the title, Seller section: your signature plus your printed name, copied from the front.
2. Any co-owner printed on the front adds theirs.
3. Price and sale date go in, and the mileage too if it is a 2011 or later model still under 20 years old.
4. Greeley sellers should hand over a bill of sale, and form DR 2173 works fine. Without a price on the title, it is mandatory.

The DMV's seller steps for Greeley owners list no notary. A replacement for a lost title is $8.20 on form DR 2539A. Only the listed owner, a lienholder or an authorized agent may apply, and if a lien is on record only the lienholder can. See selling with no title.

Plates and the 5-day report

In Colorado the plates leave with the seller, never on the buyer's bumper. Five days is the window for "Report Release of Liability," done on myDMV or at a Weld office; have your plate and VIN handy, or the code off your registration card. Regular plates can be handed back to the county, or a metal recycler will take them.

Towns around Greeley

Evans sits 4.6 miles off as the crow flies, Windsor 8.8, Johnstown 10.4 and Loveland 15.4. Each one handles a stalled car its own way, so look at the page for the town it's parked in.

Getting an offer

Phone (877) 421-6008 or send the form. Selling a car in Greeley? Our offer form takes it from here. We buy whole non-running and junk cars with free pickup anywhere in the US. Statewide rules are on the Colorado page.