Dead and junk cars in Waukee

Inoperable, by Waukee's definition

Waukee's zoning definitions set a low bar. Section 165.02 calls a vehicle inoperable when it "lacks current registration or two or more wheels or other component parts the absence of which renders the vehicle unfit for legal use on streets." Lapsed tags by themselves satisfy the first half.

Section 51.02 forbids letting any junk vehicle "remain on any private property within the corporate limits of the City." Section 51.03 declares it a nuisance as the Code of Iowa uses the word and puts "the owner of or person occupying the property" on the hook as "prima facie liable."

Gutted cars have a shortcut. When the engine or two or more wheels are missing, Section 80.07 allows a demolisher to take the car "without a title and without notification procedures," whether it is the city disposing of it, the property holder where it was found, or an owner whose title is lost or faulty.

Snow bans and trailer limits

Waukee's snow rule follows the weather. Under Section 68.14, a ban the Public Works Director proclaims lasts "through the duration of the snow or ice storm and the 24-hour period after cessation of such storm." Until then, streets, alleys and city lots are off limits for parked or unattended cars.

Section 68.13 limits trailers on residential streets. One has to stay hitched, for 48 consecutive hours at most, and "A new 48-hour period" cannot begin until the vehicle has spent 48 hours off the street. Nothing may sit beyond 48 hours in a 24-hour public off-street zone either. Section 70.06 lets police tow for a snow-ban or time-limit breach, with "the reasonable cost of towing and storage" charged to the owner or driver.

Dallas County paperwork for a scrap car

Waukee sits in Dallas County, whose treasurer issues titles and junking certificates. The seller's checklist comes from the Iowa DOT.

Inside 30 days of a scrap sale, the buyer walks your endorsed title into a county treasurer's office and asks for a junking certificate, which the county issues free. Prefer to handle that step yourself? Iowa permits the seller to obtain the certificate up front and sign it over.

Iowa issues a salvage title once the repair estimate tops 70 percent of fair market value, as long as the car's market value is $500 or more. Our salvage title guide explains what the brand means for a sale. Private buyer or dealer, the plates are yours to remove and take home.

Getting an offer

Phone (877) 421-6008 or write to us through the form. For each car, give us the model, the miles, if it cranks, and the titled owner. With more than one car, list every one. A truck can meet them near Triangle Park or anywhere else in town. In a direct line, West Des Moines is 5.9 miles off and Urbandale is 6.2. More statewide rules are on Iowa.