Selling a dead or junk car in Waipahu

Honolulu's county code

Waipahu has no town government. The local rules come from Honolulu's county code, and section 15-13.8 is the one for cars left on streets or highways. Its first line reads: "No person may abandon any vehicle, including a trailer, on a public street or highway."

The section puts a number on abandonment. A car left with nobody attending it for "more than 24 hours" meets it. For a car that died at the curb, that's not much time. The rule covers trailers too, so a broken trailer counts the same way.

Police and the customer services director both have the power to tow it away. The person who left it then owes the city its reasonable removal costs.

If your car stopped running on a Waipahu street, get it into a driveway or a legal private spot within the day, or arrange a pickup.

A dead car at the curb

Hawaii law sets the steps after a tow.

Once a car fits the HRS 290-1 test, the county must impound it within ten business days. HRS 290-2 then sets the owner's window. A registered or certified letter goes to the legal and registered owner, and the statute deems it received on the fifth day after mailing. Leave the car unreclaimed for ten days past the mailing date and the county may dispose of it. For an owner with an out-of-state address the window is 20 business days.

On Oahu, the city auctions towed cars still unclaimed after the date set in its Notification of Unclaimed Vehicle in Custody letter. Service members on active duty have 60 days. If your car has already been towed, start with towed or impounded.

A free city tow from a legal parking spot

Honolulu's Junk Vehicle Program does not require a driveway. A curbside car qualifies for the free tow if it is parked legally on a public street, holds no debris, sits where a tow truck can get at it, and has a pair of inflated tires at the end the truck will hook. Residents get all back registration and fees waived. Paperwork: complete the junk form, take off the plates, then book an AlohaQ visit to a satellite city hall to turn in the form, the plates and your title papers. Debts, citations and criminal charges stay. Other removal options are in junk car removal.

Title office

For Waipahu sellers, the nearest office we found is 1041 Nuuanu Ave. Ste. A in Honolulu. Its phone is (808) 768-4325. It sits around 11 miles southeast of central Waipahu as the crow flies.

Paperwork for a sale

• Complete the seller part of the certificate, Section A: mileage if it is a 2011 model or newer, the date, your printed name and your signature. Joint owners add theirs, and a lender with a lien fills Section B.
• Skip the notary if you like. Hawaii makes it optional.
• Hand the buyer the signed title together with the most recent registration and a valid safety certificate. Hawaii does no emissions testing, only the yearly safety check, and a transfer cannot finish without a current inspection.
• Waipahu sellers remove the strip along the top of the certificate. That strip, CS-L(MVR)53, is the "Notice of Transfer". It must be turned in within 10 days. Not filing can bring a fine reaching $100.

Nearby towns

Ewa Gentry is about 3.6 miles away, Pearl City 3.7, Mililani Town 4.3 and Kapolei 4.8. For statewide rules, see Hawaii.

Getting an offer

Call (877) 421-6008 or send the form about your Waipahu car. We collect at the curb, in a carport or at a Waipahu repair shop.