Selling a dead or junk car in Stamford

From ticket to tow

Once the car is deemed abandoned, the city can remove it under Section 231-16. A Stamford police officer who finds a car that looks abandoned, or one without proper registration, puts a notification sticker on it "whether situated within or without any highway of this city." So a car in a driveway with no valid plates can get one too.

Getting a towed car back means proof of who you are, plus all towing and storage fees and "all penalties for all outstanding parking violations." Every old ticket on that car comes due at the lot.

Old tickets can boot a car on its own

Section 231-8 reaches cars whose owner has fallen behind. If the last registered owner owes "two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00) or greater" in late parking fines, or has three or more late citations, the car cannot be parked on a city street, in a public garage, on public property or on Stamford Housing Authority property. The city may tow it or clamp a boot on it, and must tell the owner within one business day. Removing a boot without settling up costs a $500 replacement fee and a $250 fine. If you are selling a car with tickets on file, see tickets or registration hold.

What a stored car turns into

When a car towed under 231-16 sits at a garage unclaimed for 30 days, the garage must write to the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles within 40 days of storage. After that, the value decides the pace. A car worth $500 or less may be sold once it has been stored for at least 15 days. A car worth more waits 90 days. Either way, the owner is mailed notice of the sale by registered or certified letter "at least five (5) days before the day of sale." Towed or impounded covers what you can still do.

On your own property: blight

Stamford's blight article, Section 146-45, lists "the parking of inoperable motor vehicles, boats, motorcycles or other inoperable machinery on the property or the public right of way." A dead car on the lawn can feed a blight finding even if it never touches the street.

Snow routes are published every October

Stamford's snow emergency routes are set by the Director of Operations. Under 231-54, the full list is printed each October in a newspaper and posted on the city website. A new street is not a snow route until 10 days after notice. If a car that cannot move sits on a listed street, check the list before the first storm.

Title and plates from Stamford

We checked one DMV office for Stamford sellers: 2 Lee Mac Avenue in Danbury, about 22 miles north as the crow flies. The state site lists other offices, and few steps in a sale call for one anyway. Sign the back of the title. Stamford sellers need a bill of sale too. Form H-31 works, or a handwritten one. Take the plates off, since they stay with you. Then cancel the registration online. The receipt is your only proof of the sale, because the state has no release form.

A licensed recycler cannot accept a car that needs a title unless it gets the title, and it must stamp it "JUNKED". In Stamford, cars more than 20 model years old don't get titles. A Stamford seller swaps in Form Q-1 along with the latest registration.

Nearby

Darien is 3.9 miles away, Greenwich 5.2, New Canaan 6.1 and Norwalk 6.6. State rules are on the Connecticut page.

Getting an offer

Use the form or call (877) 421-6008. Fill in the form for your Stamford car. We collect from a curb, a parking garage or a lot.