Selling a dead or junk car in Ann Arbor

What makes a car a problem in Ann Arbor

The ordinance reaches further than wrecks. Any car that looks inoperative, or seems not to have moved after a 48-hour notice is fixed to it under Section 10:136, can bring a demand from the City Administrator or a delegate that the registered owner "demonstrate that the vehicle is operative." A sedan on flat tires that has sat under leaves since spring fits that picture.

Repairs have limits too. You can't strip, rebuild or do big repairs on a car on streets or city lots, and on private land that work is only allowed in a garage or by a repair business. Repair businesses are also exempt from the storage rule, which matters if your car died at a shop and the shop wants the space back.

Street rules: 48 hours, plates and snow

• Breakdowns. A disabled car on a street, highway or city lot gets "a reasonable time, not to exceed 48 hours from the time of disability," for removal or emergency repair.
• Plates. No car may be left on a street or city lot without "current license plates registered to that vehicle." A car with lapsed registration cannot be stored at the curb.
• Snow bans. The City Administrator can declare an on-street snow parking ban based on snow, sleet, freezing rain or a forecast. It takes effect at least 12 hours after the announcement, and then no car may stay parked on the affected streets. Blocks with no driveways are exempt, but cars there must park as close to the curb as they can.
• Trucks. A truck or bus that is not out on a job may not sit on a residential street for more than 3 hours overnight, from 8 in the evening until 8 in the morning.

When the city tows

Under Section 10:139 the city can remove a car right away if it sits in a posted tow-away zone, blocks street or utility work after 24 hours' posted notice, or belongs to an owner who has ignored 6 or more parking tickets.

Section 10:140 covers the deadline once a car is towed. From the impound notice, the owner gets 20 days to request a hearing at the Fifteenth District Court. While a hearing is pending, you can get the car back by paying the towing and storage charges or by posting a bond equal to them. An unredeemed car can go to public sale by Ann Arbor's City Administrator, but not until 20 days after the hearing or the notice. A lender with a security interest can step in once those 20 days pass with no hearing request. If the owner cannot be found at all, the sale waits until 30 days after public notice. Our towed or impounded guide covers what to bring.

Title and plates for a Washtenaw County car

Washtenaw County does not issue titles. Michigan's Department of State does, through Secretary of State branch offices. At an Ann Arbor sale, fill in the odometer statement and your section, sign, and give the buyer the original title. Each owner listed on the front must sign it. The state's list of seller steps contains no notary.

If an Ann Arbor seller and buyer are both private people with a Michigan driver's license or ID, they can finish the transfer online. Secretary of State approval can take up to 3 days.

The state keeps you listed as owner until the buyer moves the title into their name. That is why the Secretary of State suggests going with the buyer to a branch. If not, MCL 257.240 asks Ann Arbor sellers to keep sale proof at least 18 months: a signed title copy, or a page showing the buyer's name, address, license number, signature, the price and the date. Skip the record in Ann Arbor and a $15 civil infraction can follow, plus a legal presumption that towing and storage are on you if the car is dumped. In a city that auctions unredeemed cars after 20 days, that record shows the car stopped being yours.

Pull your plate before the truck drives off. An Ann Arbor seller keeps the Michigan plate and may move it to the next car. Leave it on and you could answer for the buyer's parking tickets.

Scrap, salvage and the title brand

Michigan brands late-model cars by repair cost. Damage of 75% to under 91% of the car's pre-damage value means a salvage title. At 91% or more it is scrap, and a scrap car may be used only for parts or scrap metal. An Ann Arbor owner may also request a salvage or scrap title directly, no matter the car's age or damage. The salvage title guide explains what each brand means for a sale.

Getting an offer

Use the form or call (877) 421-6008. Ann Arbor sellers can start with the offer form or a call. A rear yard, a carport near downtown, or a repair shop lot all work for pickup. If you live closer to Westland, 18.1 miles away, Novi, 18.7 miles, or Romulus, 19.0 miles, see those pages. Statewide rules are on the Michigan page.