Hyattsville's 48-hour junked-car notice, and selling first

Selling first puts that decision back with you. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, so you can sell the whole car as it sits, with free pickup anywhere in the US.

What Hyattsville presumes is junked

Section 113-1 starts wide. The code makes it unlawful "to junk any vehicle at any place within the City," and no owner or custodian of "any lot, field, road, street, lane or other property" may let a junked vehicle stay there "except in an enclosed garage."

You do not have to call the car junk for the city to. The code presumes it: "any partially dismantled or substantially damaged, inoperable vehicle or one that is unlicensed or bearing an expired license shall be presumed to have been junked." Expired tags alone put a car in that group, even if it would start.

Three kinds of property are exempt: licensed motor vehicle dealers, mechanical or body repair shops, and towing storage compounds. A driveway, a side yard and an apartment lot are not on that list.

Asking for more than 48 hours

The 48 hours can stretch, but only on paper. The Chief of Police can extend the period "for a time not to exceed 30 days, upon receipt of a written statement setting forth the reasons for requesting such extension." For anything past 30 days, the Mayor and Council can grant a definite extension on a written statement of the same kind. If you are waiting on a duplicate title or a lien release before you can sell, that written request is the tool the code gives you.

The bill that follows the car

An impound under Section 113-1 does not end the owner's costs. The notice itself says "the vehicle owner will be held liable for all towing, storage, preservation and all other charges relating to the disposition of the vehicle." So a car Hyattsville sends to the scrap processor can still leave its owner with a bill.

Maryland paperwork from Hyattsville

Hyattsville's county, Prince George's, is inside the VEIP emissions area, and used vehicles there test every 2 years. A car that would fail is still sellable. The MVA puts titling and the required safety and emissions inspections on the buyer, and says the seller is not responsible for them; see failed emissions.

Your part is the title. Maryland titles are issued by MDOT MVA, and the seller needs a valid one in their own name before selling, with any lien released and errors corrected. On the reverse, record the mileage and add your signature; all listed owners sign unless the title shows "OR". If the title is missing, request a duplicate on form VR-018 for $40.00, by mail, in person or through myMVA. Junk car with no title walks through it. A bill of sale with both parties' names and signatures is recommended, and some buyers need one to title the car.

Then the plates. They stay with you, so unscrew them before the car leaves and do not let the buyer use them. Return them to the MVA through a 24-hour tag return box, with no appointment needed. Turning them in releases you from the car's insurance and registration duties, which is why the receipt is worth saving. Keep coverage until it arrives, and store copies of both papers from the sale.

Nearby towns

As the crow flies, College Park is 2.6 miles from Hyattsville, Greenbelt 4.4, Laurel 10.5 and Bowie 11.6. Statewide rules are on the Maryland page.

Getting an offer

By form or at (877) 421-6008, describe it: build year, brand and model, odometer, running or dead, and the title situation. Pickup can be where the notice was posted, a lot near Prince George's Plaza, or a body shop.