Selling a dead or junk car in Wilmington

The tow clocks in Section 37-123

The section covers wrecked or abandoned vehicles "wherever the same may be found." Its time limits differ by where the car is parked:

• 12 hours on any road or city property, for a car that is "inoperable, dismantled, wrecked, or which displays expired registration plates which are at least 30 days expired," or has no plates.
• 24 hours in a posted "No Parking" area.
• 36 hours in a limited parking area.
• Seven consecutive days anywhere else on a street, highway or alley, even for a car that runs.

It also reaches private property: a car in that condition that is "situated on private property appearing to have been abandoned" is covered. A car blocking a private driveway is handled only after police have a complaint on file.

Snow, boots and sweeping days

During a snow, sleet or freezing rain emergency, Section 37-158 lets the city tow any vehicle that breaks the snow rules and gets in the way of traffic. Section 37-132 sets a 24-hour limit on a boot: a car still immobilized after that is towed and impounded. On posted street cleaning days, Section 37-230 says a car left in the cleaning area during the sweep is ticketed.

The city's zoning rules call a business that keeps or sells wrecked cars an "automobile graveyard." That's a use the zoning code controls, and a house lot can't turn into one. If a tow already happened, see towed or impounded.

The DMV for Wilmington

Delaware titles are state-issued. You can reach the Greater Wilmington office at 2230 Hessler Boulevard, New Castle, DE 19720. It's about 2 miles southwest of central Wilmington in a straight line. Call (302) 434-3200.

Delaware rules when you sell

No notary is needed. Turn the Wilmington title over and complete Section 1 with who bought it, their address, the day of sale, the price and the odometer reading. State law also asks you to certify any liens.

Report the sale immediately, as the statute puts it. Tear off the Seller's Report of Sale at the bottom of the title, or fill in the back of the registration card. Wilmington sellers write in who bought the car plus the exact sale date and time. The next Wilmington step is sending it by mail to P.O. Box 698, Dover, DE 19903.

Then pull the plates. Keeping the number means retaining the plate at the DMV for $35 without a lien or $55 with one; it is held for 365 days past expiration. When the buyer is from out of state, return the plate to any DMV office. The DMV warns that an unreturned plate can bring red-light, toll or parking violations. After you sell has the full list.

Nearby towns

Measured straight across the map, Newark sits 12.6 miles off, Middletown 22.5 and Dover 39.7. For the state as a whole, see Delaware.

Getting an offer

Call (877) 421-6008 or use the form. Tell us about the Wilmington car on the form. We can pick up from a city curb, a spot in a rowhouse alley, or the garage it's in now.