Junk and dead cars in St. George: what Louisiana law says

No city code found, so state law sets the rules

Our search turned up no St. George ordinance online, so everything below is Louisiana statute. St. George could still pass something tighter, because the state lets towns and parishes write ordinances "defining derelict or junk vehicles" and decide how such cars get towed and auctioned.

What the state itself allows:

• Custody. The state, a municipality or a parish may take into custody any vehicle "found abandoned on public or private property."
• 24 hours. Police tape a notice to the glass of an abandoned car. Miss that one-day window and a town, parish or contract tow crew may take it away for good.
• Three months. If a towed car sits unclaimed in local hands for a quarter of a year, ownership passes to that town or parish. The owner gets a certified letter in the first ten days after the tow and another at the three-month mark. Then comes an appraisal, three ads inside ten days and an auction. The owner or lienholder has a year to ask for the proceeds.
• Expired tags. On a stop for expired registration, 25% of the yearly price is added as a penalty. The officer may also impound the car.

The sticker ends; the parish test does not

Act 701 replaces the sticker with a $6 QR code tied to registration. Police stopped writing tickets for a missing sticker on June 30. The tailpipe test is another matter: federal law keeps it alive in Ascension, Iberville, Livingston, West Baton Rouge and East Baton Rouge, the parish St. George belongs to. If the car has a failing engine or catalytic converter, see failed emissions.

Title work for a St. George car

Louisiana has parishes, not counties, and no parish issues titles. The Office of Motor Vehicles does. Paperwork goes by mail to OMV headquarters, or in person to a state OMV counter or one of the private Public Tag Agent shops.

• Notary. Sign the assignment only while a notary watches.
• Price. Put the price on the assignment. If that line stays empty, OMV wants a second document, a notarized invoice or bill of sale that shows what was paid.
• Scrap with no title. An "auto hulk" is a car "in such condition that its highest or primary value is as parts or scrap metal." Such a wreck may be sold to a metal recycler or parts dismantler on the owner's sworn, dated statement, no title attached. After the yard logs the VIN with the state's hulk registry, no state will ever title or register that number again.
• Lost title. File the Vehicle Application, DPSMV 1799, plus the Duplicate Title Affidavit, both with a notarized owner signature. We found no separate charge for a replacement title on OMV's pages; its posted schedule shows $68.50 to title a car and $8.00 for handling. More in selling with no title.

Plates and the fifteen-day notice

Unscrew the plate before the car leaves. From there, OMV will cancel it through its website, by post or over the counter, or a $3.00 transfer moves it onto a car you buy later. Do the plate first and the insurance second, in that order. State law also says the seller gives written notice of the transfer "within fifteen days." OMV takes that as a Notice of Vehicle Transfer filed online. The car is not legally the buyer's until the buyer applies for title. After you sell covers the rest.

Towns around St. George

Baton Rouge is about 8.2 miles away, Central 13.5, Zachary 22.4 and Hammond 35.3, all straight-line. For statewide rules, see Louisiana.

Getting an offer

Ring (877) 421-6008 or fill in the quote box with the model year, brand, odometer reading and whether the engine turns over. Mention too if the title is in hand or the scrap affidavit is the plan. Pickup works off whatever spot the car is parked in now, from a home carport to a mechanic's back lot.