Selling a dead car in New London

Who pays when the city hauls it away

The notice goes to the property owner's last known address, by hand or by certified mail with return receipt requested. If New London removes the car, the property owner pays for the removal, the storage and the notices. Where the property owner and the car owner are different people, the car's owner pays instead.

There is a rule for afterward, too. A removed car "may not be returned to the same property unless it has been made operable and has been registered."

The 15-day appeal

Anyone aggrieved by a removal notice, or by the removal itself, can appeal to the citation hearing officer "within fifteen (15) days of receipt of notice."

A second, slower rule

Section 20-31 reaches any abandoned, inoperable or unregistered car within city limits that "remains unmoved for thirty (30) days" after two notices from the building official: one to the property owner and one in a newspaper with wide circulation in the city. After that, the building official may remove and dispose of the car.

Parking a car that will not start

Section 20-20 bars motorhomes, campers, boat trailers, box trailers and other trailers from any public street in New London, with a narrow exception for working contractors. The city can also post temporary no-parking zones for snow removal, street repairs or parades. A dead car cannot be driven out of a posted zone, and parking in one is a violation.

The DMV office in Norwich

The state DMV handles New London titles. We checked the Norwich office at 173 Salem Turnpike, roughly 12 miles north of downtown New London on a map.

Connecticut title and plate rules

Sign the title on its back side. The buyer walks off with it and a bill of sale, and you keep copies of both. New London sellers will not find a notary step on the DMV's list, nor any release-of-liability form, because the registration cancellation receipt serves as the record. A New London car over 20 model years old carries no title, so Form Q-1 and your newest registration stand in for it. Keep the plates. Until you cancel, the car remains on New London's property-tax rolls. Any car required to have a title must come with it before a licensed recycler can receive it. Statewide detail is on the Connecticut page, and after you sell covers the last steps.

Nearby towns

Waterford is 2.9 miles away and Groton 3.5. Norwich is 14.9 miles north.

Getting an offer

Use the form or call (877) 421-6008. Describe the car, give a rough mileage, and say if it runs. If a city notice arrived, the date you got it matters. Pickup can be from a New London driveway or back yard.