Selling a junk or dead car in Brooklyn Park

What counts as inoperable here

The city's definitions are specific. Under Section 90.16, a car is inoperable if it "has a missing or defective part that is necessary for the normal operation of the vehicle; or is stored on blocks, jacks or other supports; or has not had a current vehicle license for at least 90 days." A junk vehicle is one "not in operable condition," partly dismantled, used for parts, or "kept for scrapping, dismantling, or salvage of any kind."

The definition of vehicle explicitly includes "pioneer, classic collector and street rod vehicles." Collector plates do not take a car out of the rule.

The 10-day letter

Before the city tows a junk or inoperable car off private property, it "must give 10 days' written notice through service by mail, by posting a notice on the property, or by personal delivery." The notice says the car "will be towed and impounded at an identified location" if it is not removed or stored properly. That window is the time to sell. Our guide to a notice to remove a car walks through the choices.

Leaving a junk or inoperable car on public ground in Brooklyn Park is its own offense. Leaving one on someone's land without permission is too. Section 90.17 makes that "guilty of a misdemeanor."

Once it is impounded

Section 90.19 sets the waiting periods. A junk vehicle is eligible for sale or disposal "15 days after notice to the owner," and that holds even if it "may have a valid, current registration plate." An unauthorized vehicle waits 45 days. To get any car back, the towing contractor surrenders it "only upon payment of the required impound, towing and storage fees." See towed or impounded if that has already happened.

Snow days

Section 72.11 bans parking on a street when "there is two inches or more of snow on the street and snow is falling or has fallen within the previous 24 hours," or snow is blowing. After a declared snow emergency, cars stay off a street "until that street has been plowed curb to curb." The city can remove violators and hold them until removal and storage costs are paid. A car that will not start is hard to move before a storm, so the curb is a poor place for it in winter.

Title office and Minnesota rules

The Hennepin County office we checked for Brooklyn Park is in downtown Minneapolis: Suite A-025, 300 South 6th Street (612-348-8240). It lies roughly 10 miles southeast of central Brooklyn Park, point to point. Deputy registrar offices elsewhere in Minnesota can process a transfer too.

At the sale, the assignment on the title gets your signature, the price, the date and a damage disclosure, with an odometer figure added for a 2011 or newer car. DVS does not include a notary in what it tells sellers to do. Statute 168.15 ends your right to the plates at the moment of transfer, so they ride away on the car. File the Notice of Sale, on paper or online, inside ten days.

Neighbors

Brooklyn Center is about 3 miles away as the crow flies. Champlin, Fridley and Coon Rapids are each about 5 miles off. Statewide details are on the Minnesota page.

Getting an offer

Reach us through the form or at (877) 421-6008. Brooklyn Park sellers just send the offer form, and it covers the details. In Brooklyn Park, our driver can collect it from a driveway, an apartment parking lot, or the shop where it sits.