Selling a junk car in Marietta

The registered letter and what follows

When the director of development services or the police chief finds a violation, Section 9-12-060 has the city send "a notice in writing" by registered mail to the occupant or property owner. It asks for "the vehicle's removal within five calendar days of the receipt of the notice." Miss that, and an enforcement agency serves a code violation citation.

Section 9-12-070 puts the job on the owner or occupant of the land, or both. If they refuse or fail to act after notice, "the city may have the vehicle removed at the owner's and/or occupant's expense." When nobody can be identified, the city can tag the car itself with the removal notice. When Marietta tows a car, its owner can ask for a hearing under the chapter's procedures to test the removal and settle who pays towing and storage.

One more rule for anyone planning a repair first: Section 716.09 says vehicle repair "may not be conducted on vehicles located on any public street."

Towed from a street or public lot

Under Section 9-12-020, officers can remove wrecked or illegally parked cars from streets, rights-of-way and public property, including a car left overnight in a closed city park. If you are with the car, you can ask for your own towing service. An unattended car goes with the city's contract tow firm, which Section 9-12-120 requires to keep a fenced impound area inside Marietta city limits.

In Marietta, Section 9-12-050 lets the owner get it back "at any time after its removal but prior to the sale and destruction thereof." They prove ownership, and pay tow and storage costs when the hearing finds them due. See towed or impounded.

Wrecked, flooded or totaled

Georgia calls a car salvage when restoring it would take replacing two or more major component parts, or when an insurer pays a total loss. Plates on salvage and total-loss cars must be turned in by the owner or the insurer. Water damage gets its own brand: those titles read "Flood Damaged." Our wrecked or totaled page covers selling one.

Cobb title office and Georgia steps

We checked Cobb's tax commissioner office on Lower Roswell Rd (No. 4400, (770) 528-8600). It has a Marietta address, but in a straight line it is roughly 7 miles east of downtown. Cobb may have other locations.

At the sale, the seller signs on the back of the title and keeps the plate. Registration gets cancelled next, online in DRIVES or with paper Form MV-18J, and insurance comes off last.

Getting an offer

Marietta sellers can send the form or ring (877) 421-6008. We collect from a driveway, a shop, or an impound lot once it is released. Neighbors: Smyrna and Kennesaw. Statewide: Georgia.