Selling a dead or junk car in Muncie

What a tow looks like here

Section 79.26 lets Muncie police move a car from a street or highway to a garage or other place of safety, including one the police department or city runs. When the officer can learn the owner's name and address from the registration in the car, the officer "shall immediately give or cause to be given notice in writing" of the removal, the reason and the place the car was taken. If it is stored in a public garage, the garage gets a copy.

Unknown owner? When the car is still unclaimed after three days, a written report is made. It describes the car fully and lists the date, time and place it was taken, why, and which garage has it.

If a Muncie car is ruled abandoned, Indiana law bills its owner for removal, storage and disposal, though storage tops out at $2,000. A sale by the tower or storer ends the former owner's storage debt. Towed or impounded covers the release process.

Downtown hours

Where signs are posted, Section 77.51 limits downtown business district parking to two hours on weekdays "between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m." It also bars parking "at any time between the hours of 3:30 a.m. and 6:30 a.m.," and cars left in that window "shall be subject to being towed."

Section 77.26 closes the obvious workaround. Once time runs out, it is unlawful to move the car "to another position on the same side of the street within the same block." A car that broke down downtown cannot be shuffled at all, so it has until the signs say otherwise.

Snow emergencies

Muncie's snow emergencies start with the mayor. Under Section 77.43, one begins by "executive order, determination, and proclamation by the mayor issued to local radio, TV, and news services," before, during or after a snowfall. If a dead car sits out front in winter, those local announcements are the ones to watch.

On private property

Muncie's sections above cover streets and city lots; private land falls to Indiana law. A car can sit on another person's property without consent for 48 hours before it counts as abandoned. The landowner may then bring in an officer, or tag the car and have it hauled off once 24 hours pass. If no VIN or other identification is available on a car, it can be disposed of without notice.

Title office on McGalliard Road

We checked the Delaware County branch at 2904 E McGalliard Rd, Muncie. It's roughly 3 miles northeast of downtown Muncie, measured directly. Phone 888-692-6841. Delaware County doesn't do titles. Muncie titles are handled by Indiana, through branches, Partial Service Providers and BMV Connect kiosks.

A Muncie seller's part:

• Every owner on the title signs the seller section and prints a name.
• Complete the Muncie title's odometer statement, then the sale date, price and buyer details.
• The plates come off.

Muncie sellers need no notary, either for the BMV's seller steps or for a bill of sale. The buyer confirms the seller and purchaser halves are complete, then has 45 days to apply before a late penalty.

Missing or branded titles

A duplicate runs $15.00 through State Form 205 with photo ID, plus $25 for speed. A Muncie car headed for scrap can go without a new title using Form 55018 for $4.00. A Muncie owner can have an automotive salvage recycler file it for them. Junk car with no title has more.

Branded cars: a Muncie car from the last seven model years needs an Indiana salvage certificate once an insurer settles it as economically impractical to repair. And any car another state designated JUNK, DISMANTLED, SCRAP or DESTROYED is barred from an Indiana title. See salvage title.

Plates

Keep the plates: they leave with you, the BMV won't ask for them, and another vehicle of yours can carry them. If you'd rather keep this car street-legal for now, a late renewal carries a flat $15 administrative penalty and no stated back-year fees; mail it postmarked by the expiration date and no late fee applies. No emissions test applies in Delaware County, since IDEM tests only Lake and Porter.

Nearby

Anderson is 17.3 miles away, Marion 28.0, Noblesville 34.1 and Richmond 36.8. Statewide rules are on the Indiana page.

Getting an offer

Muncie sellers can reach us at (877) 421-6008. The online form works too. Muncie pickups include driveways off University Avenue, east side garages, and shop lots where the repair quote came back too high.