Selling a junk or dead car in Plant City

What Section 30-151 bans, and where

Section 30-151 says no person shall park, store or leave "any wrecked motor vehicle or inoperable motor vehicle of any kind, whether attended or not, upon any private property within the City or upon any portion of the public right-of-way." The code calls the presence of such a car, "or parts thereof," a public nuisance.

"Wrecked" has its own wide definition in 30-150. It covers a car that is dismantled or partly dismantled, one "incapable of operation by its own power on a public street," and one missing "the wheels, engine, transmission or any substantial part thereof."

An inoperable car gets a short allowance on private property, worded "for a period of time not to exceed 72" in the section; read the full clause on Municode for its exact terms. A wrecked car gets no such allowance.

Three exceptions apply:

• a car kept inside a building or an enclosed carport
• a car at a repair business licensed by the city and zoned for it
• one antique motor vehicle kept for collecting, on a paved driveway or carport

Two-hour streets and the impound sale

On certain signed streets, Section 70-93 sets a two-hour limit "between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on any day except Sundays and public holidays." The list includes Collins Street from Renfro to Baker, North Drane Street from Palmer to Evers, and the city lot at Haines and Evers. A dead car left there runs into that clock fast.

If the city impounds a car, Section 42-67 sets the end point. Property not claimed "within 90 days from the date of impoundment" is sold by the chief of police at public sale. Before that, a notice of sale runs in a local paper twice: the first at least 30 days ahead, the second no more than ten days before the sale. See towed or impounded for getting a car back first.

The Hillsborough title office we checked

FLHSMV lists a Hillsborough County location at 601 E. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa, phone (813) 635-5200. It sits about 21 miles west of the middle of Plant City, as the crow flies. Hillsborough could have other counters too; look at FLHSMV's county page before driving there.

Florida title, notice and plate rules

On the face of the title, the block FLHSMV calls "Transfer of Title by Seller" takes who is buying and where they live, the odometer reading, the price, and the sale date. Florida asks for no notary there. Then file a Notice of Sale, form HSMV 82050, within 30 days; Florida says this removes your registration from the car and helps you avoid civil liability.

Your plate is yours to keep, not the buyer's. If you are cancelling the insurance tied to it, surrender it at a service center. A lien has to be paid off and reported by the lender before the title can move. Lost the title? Apply for a duplicate first, or, if the car is 10 or more model years old and worth under $1,000, look at the derelict certificate route in selling with no title.

Getting an offer

Plant City owners can call (877) 421-6008 or send our offer form. The truck meets the car in place, be it a yard off US 92, a shop lot in town, or a shoulder where it quit. Close by, see Lakeland, Zephyrhills or the Florida page for statewide rules.