Selling a junk or dead car in Faribault

Street, boulevard and winter rules

Pushing the car onto the grass strip by the curb is no fix. Section 25-24 says no person shall "park or leave upon public boulevards any operative or inoperative vehicle."

From November 1 to April 1, Section 15-44 adds a night ban once a snow emergency is declared: no unattended vehicle on any street between 1 and 8 a.m., or until the street has been plowed curb to curb, whichever is later. If a car blocks the plows it "may be removed to the nearest city impound lot," and the owner covers the tow and storage "before the vehicle is released." Downtown follows a separate nightly window. Central Avenue between Fifth Street Northwest and First Street Northwest is closed to parking from 2 to 5 a.m.

A dead car on a home lot

The Faribault code sections we found cover streets, boulevards and repair businesses, not a dead car kept at a house. Faribault's Section 7-30 bars repair shops from outdoor "storage of junk vehicles" unless the code's vehicle storage standards are met, and required parking spaces and driveways "shall not be used for... the storage of inoperable vehicles." For a Faribault home, state law calls a car junk if it is at least three years old and badly wrecked. On top of that, the Faribault car should look like it won't run. It can't have a valid current plate, and scrap is all it's worth. There could be city rules we missed, so check first rather than count on a grace period.

Selling it without a title

Faribault sellers with a car but no paperwork have more options under state law than most people expect. Minnesota Statutes 168A.1501 lays out two routes and one payment rule:

• Parts dealer, seven-day hold. With no proof of ownership, a licensed used vehicle parts dealer may still buy a car to take apart. You agree in writing to a hold, show ID and sign a statement. The dealer keeps the car seven days in a row, not counting weekends and holidays.
• Old car, long unregistered. Without a title, a Faribault car of at least 10 model years can still be sold to a licensed dealer for scrap. You must have a DVS printout showing it has gone more than seven years without registration.
• Paid by check. A scrap car bought without a title can be paid for only by check or electronic transfer, made out to the person who showed ID.

A Faribault scrap sale takes your ID, the title, and any lien releases. A Faribault seller also signs a statement under penalty of perjury. It says the car has no lien on it and was not stolen. More in selling with no title.

Title offices and the plates

We checked two title offices for this page. They are almost the same distance away. Measured straight from downtown Faribault, about 45 miles southeast, is the Rochester office: 507-923-2020, 151 4th Street South East. Faribault is roughly 47 miles south of the Hennepin County office in Minneapolis. Faribault owners can dial 612-348-8240. At 300 South 6th Street, look for Suite A-025 in Faribault. Faribault sellers can also transfer at any of Minnesota's nearly 200 deputy registrar offices, all listed on drive.mn.gov.

Do not pull the plates. Minnesota hands them to the buyer. Put the price and the date on the title, sign the assignment, and complete the disclosures. The DVS steps for sellers include no notary. Send in the Notice of Sale by paper or online within ten days, so you are not liable for how the car is used once it is delivered.

Getting an offer

Got a car in Faribault? Faribault owners can reach us online or at (877) 421-6008. Our truck can come to your house, a downtown side street or a shop. Northfield is 12.0 miles away and Owatonna is 14.5. For statewide rules, see Minnesota.