Selling a dead or junk car in Hammond

From the inspector's notice to the auction

The city's junk-car chapter runs in four steps.

1. The order. Under Section 98.22, "Any duly authorized city inspector may order any junk motor vehicle or parts thereof removed within 10 days." The notice goes on the car itself. Copies are served on any adult who lives there and on the junk's owner, "if known." When neither turns up, a notice stuck to a building on that lot is enough under 98.22.
2. The tow. If the order is ignored, Section 98.23 lets the Police, Health or Building Departments or the Code Enforcement Commissioner remove the car at the expense of the property owner or the car's owner. That expense becomes a lien.
3. The yard. The car is held "for a period of at least 60 days." To get it back, the owner shows "proof of a valid and current vehicle registration and license plates" and pays the towing, impoundment and storage.
4. The sale. If nobody repossesses it within 60 days, Section 98.24 lets the Chief of Police sell it to "the highest and best bidder at a public auction." The money pays the towing and the yard's rent.

Step 3 has a catch for a car that has sat for years: the code asks for a valid and current registration and plates, which a car with lapsed plates does not have.

Living here 60 days means Indiana registration

Section 72.017 says anyone "who has resided in Hammond for 60 days or more shall have their vehicle or vehicles registered" under Indiana law. Police or code enforcement officers put the notice on the car. A car that is not removed or brought into line, or that is "deemed abandoned or junked," can be impounded at the owner's expense with a citation. Getting it back takes towing and storage fees plus "proof of proper vehicle registration."

Street limits and snow days

Section 72.007 caps street parking at "96 consecutive hours." Going longer takes a permit from the Chief of Police, granted only when safety, need and the lack of another place all line up.

Snow rules are stricter. After 2 inches on main artery streets, or 4 inches on residential streets, the Mayor can declare a snow removal emergency under Section 72.008. On even dates, cars go on the even-numbered side. On odd dates, they go on the odd side. A car that cannot switch sides gets towed and held until the owner pays. If the owner does not pay and claim it "within 7 days of its removal," it is disposed of under state law.

Title, plates and emissions in Lake County

The state BMV issues Indiana titles; Lake County does not. We checked a branch at 1244 North Main Street in Crown Point. Measured directly, that's roughly 15 miles southeast of central Hammond (888-692-6841).

For a Hammond sale, the BMV asks every owner to "sign and print their names in the seller section," and the seller fills in the odometer, sale date, price and purchaser lines. The rest falls to the buyer within 45 days. Hammond sellers keep their plates: Indiana's BMV has no rule that sold plates go back, and they may go on another car in the same name. No title at all? To scrap it, use State Form 55018 for a $4.00 Certificate of Authority. More in junk car with no title.

Lake and Porter are the only Indiana counties with emissions testing, and Hammond is in Lake.

Nearby

East Chicago is about 3 miles away, Munster 5 and Highland 5.3, all as the crow flies. See the Indiana page for statewide rules.

Getting an offer

Call (877) 421-6008 or use the offer form. Has a Hammond inspector tagged the windshield? Mention it. In Hammond our truck takes cars from side yards, alley garages or the front curb.