Palm Bay junk cars: city rules and selling one

When the city tells you to move it

Two neighboring sections in Chapter 73 set the clock, and they do not use the same number.

• Section 73.24 says "any abandoned, junked or discarded motor vehicle shall be removed upon ten (10) days written notice" to whoever owns or occupies the land, or to the car's owner if the city can identify them.
• Section 73.25 says that if such a car "is not removed after five (5) days written notice, the Police Department shall remove and dispose of the same." The bill lands on the landowner or occupant, or on the car's owner.

Since the two sections differ, go by the date on the notice itself. Either way, the window is short, and the city can dispose of the car, not just tow it.

Driveway rules in residential areas

Section 74.25 governs vehicles at homes, and part (H) is the one that catches project cars: "No vehicle shall at any time be in a state of major disassembly, disrepair, or in the process of being stripped or dismantled, unless such work is being performed inside a garage or similarly enclosed area."

So pulling an engine on the driveway, or leaving a car on jack stands with the doors off, is a violation the moment it is visible. A car that is merely broken is still "in a state of disrepair" under the same line.

The same section has one rule for breakdowns. A disabled vehicle "shall be removed from the residential district within twenty-four (24) hours by wrecker towing or other available means regardless of the nature of the emergency."

Streets, lots and dead storage

Section 74.06 lists purposes no one may park for on any street. Item (4) is "storage or as junkage or dead storage for more than twenty-four (24) hours." The same limit covers private property and private or public parking areas unless you own the property or have the owner's written permission.

Once a car is ticketed under that section, it "is subject to towing when the vehicle is not removed from the area within twenty-four (24) hours from the issuance of the ticket." A car parked on private property with a for-sale sign cannot stay in one spot "for more than two (2) days during any thirty (30) day period of time."

Section 174.050 sets rules for repair businesses: no storage of junked or wrecked vehicles beyond temporary storage while awaiting repair, a current plate on every vehicle at all times, and parking on a paved surface. Any wrecked vehicle awaiting repair must be in an enclosed area, out of sight from outside the property. A shop holding a car you have given up on has its own reason to want it gone.

If the car was towed or impounded

Palm Bay keeps private-property tows inside the city. Under Section 74.53, a car hauled off private land without its owner agreeing "shall be stored at a site within the municipal boundaries of the city." The storage facility must post its on-call service and phone number.

A police impound under Section 76.02 is a separate process with a Special Magistrate. The city gives written notice that the car was seized; if the owner is not available, notice comes within five working days. If the magistrate finds the impound justified, the owner owes an administrative fee of no more than $100, plus towing and storage. "The seized vehicle shall remain impounded until the administrative penalty plus any towing or storage costs are satisfied." Our towed or impounded guide explains your options when the bill is more than the car.

The Viera title office

Palm Bay's nearest FLHSMV counter is up in Viera: Suite A108, 2725 Judge Fran Jamieson Blvd., (321) 264-6935. It is about 21 miles north of central Palm Bay, as the crow flies. You need it mainly for an electronic title, which seller and buyer reassign in person with photo ID, or to file a duplicate title application.

Florida title and plate rules

• Signing. The front of the title carries a block called "Transfer of Title by Seller." Enter your buyer, the buyer's address, the miles, the price and the date. FLHSMV asks for no notary.
• Lost title. HSMV 82101 is the duplicate application, and it comes before the sale. Fee: $75.25, with Fast Title another $10.00. A title the mail lost within 180 days of issue is replaced free.
• No title at all. Old and cheap is the test, by FLHSMV's numbers: 10 model years or more, under $1,000 in value. Such a car can go on derelict certificate HSMV 82137 to a salvage dealer holding a license, or to a registered secondary metals recycler, and nobody titles it again. More in selling with no title.
• Loans. Until the lender is paid and reports it, the title stays put.
• The tag. Palm Bay sellers keep their plates. Reuse yours, or turn it in when you leave the state or end the insurance on it.
• Notice of sale. You have 30 days to file HSMV 82050. It cuts your registration from the car; FLHSMV says it also helps you avoid civil liability later. See after you sell.

No state emissions check stands in the way either. Florida dropped its inspection program in 2000.

Nearby towns

West Melbourne is 6.6 miles away, Melbourne 10.8, Sebastian 16.5 and Rockledge 25.7. The Florida page covers the state rules.

Getting an offer

Start online or ring (877) 421-6008. Short questions: which car, the odometer reading, does it crank, title status. Pickup comes to the car, at a Palm Bay driveway, a repair bay or the tow yard.