Gardner's dead-car rules, and selling yours whole

Gardner's inoperable-car rule

The section opens bluntly: "Junked, wrecked, dismantled, inoperable, discarded or abandoned vehicles in and upon real property within the City are not permitted." It applies to "any person, tenant, lessee, vehicle owner, corporation, agent or firm." The one relief is that the rule "shall not apply where there is only one inoperable vehicle located on the real property for a period of not more than 14 consecutive days."

The Public Officer decides, "after reasonable investigation," whether a car fits the definition. You can push back. A car is "deemed operable" if you show it can run on a public street and give proof that it "has a license plate and current registration." Without current tags, that defense is hard to make.

Repair, sales and storage businesses in the right zone are exempt from the count and storage limits. Even there, cars "shall not be abandoned or parted out."

The street side: 72 hours

Chapter 10.20 handles cars left in public. A vehicle "standing on any highway, or public parking lot for a period of 72 consecutive hours" is treated as abandoned. The same rule covers a car parked on another person's Gardner property without permission. Police first try to reach the owner, who is asked to move the car "forthwith." After that:

• A Kansas-plated, registered car's owner and any lienholder get certified mail.
• Notice runs in the newspaper for two consecutive weeks. That starts 15 days after mailing if the car is more than four model years old, or 30 days after mailing if it is four model years old or newer.
• For a car with no Kansas plate or registration, police may publish notice 15 days after it was abandoned.

Leaving a car on someone else's land is criminal trespass under the city's findings in 10.20.010.

If the car carries a salvage brand

Kansas titles can say salvage, rebuilt salvage, nonhighway, formerly nonhighway or nonrepairable. A late-model car, meaning within six model years, is salvage when repairs would cost 75% or more of its value just before the damage. An insurer total counts too. Hail or windstorm damage that is only cosmetic does not. For older cars the test is whether missing or damaged equipment keeps the car from being registered. The salvage brand never comes off: each Kansas title issued afterward repeats it. See salvage title.

Kansas title and plate steps

Gardner residents handle title work with the Johnson County treasurer. To sell:

1. List the sale amount, the date and the mileage on the title's reverse side, then both you and the buyer print and sign. Kansas wants no notary.
2. The buyer's name must be filled in before you let go of the title.
3. Copy both sides of the title for your records.
4. Keep the plates. Your name comes off the car once you return them to the county or send in the optional TR-216.

Other Johnson County towns

In a direct line, Olathe is 7.4 miles off, Lenexa is 12.5 and Overland Park is 13.6. Clearing more than one car? See several junk cars. The Kansas page has the full state rules.

Getting an offer

In Gardner, call (877) 421-6008 or send the online form for an offer. If you own two dead cars and the 14-day rule only covers one, let us know about both. The truck can pick up wherever they sit.