Selling a junk car in Farmington

72 hours on any property

Section 3-3-5 is the rule most owners run into. Whoever has charge or control of a property, "whether as owner, tenant, occupant, lessee or otherwise," may not let "any unlicensed vehicle, or any partially dismantled, nonoperating, junked or discarded vehicle" stay there longer than seventy two (72) hours. The section goes on to list exceptions, so read the full text if the car is indoors or you think one fits.

Two things stand out. Renters are treated as controlling the property, and the rule reaches an unlicensed car even when it runs fine.

The driveway itself

Farmington's off-street parking section (10-6-4) says required parking spaces "shall not be utilized for open storage of goods or for the storage of vehicles which are inoperable." It also says "all vehicles shall be parked on a hard surface driveway or parking apron." Moving a dead car to the lawn to free up the driveway only trades one violation for another.

Streets and city lots

• Section 3-3-4: Farmington streets and highways can't hold a wrecked, junked, nonoperating or partly dismantled vehicle. That sentence carries no grace period.
• Section 9-1-9: any vehicle or trailer is limited to 72 consecutive hours on a street, highway, alley or public parking.
• Section 9-1-4-1: on city-owned lots with posted signs, the limit is 24 consecutive hours.

When a junk car gets impounded, Minnesota law says the registered owner must get written notice within five days, not counting weekends and holidays. In Farmington the car can be sold or scrapped fifteen days after that notice. See towed or impounded.

Title and plates

Minnesota handles transfers at its nearly 200 deputy registrar offices. Farmington residents can find one at drive.mn.gov or by phone at 651-297-2005. When you hand the car over, sign the title to the buyer, fill in the price and sale date, and do the disclosures. The seller's signature needs no notary per DVS. If the Farmington title shows a lien, bring along a notarized release or the lien card.

Leave the plates on. They belong to the buyer now. Farmington sellers have ten days to mail the Notice of Sale or report the sale online. That keeps you from being liable as owner for damage the car does once delivered. Once a Farmington car changes hands, the new owner gets 20 calendar days to transfer the title.

No title at all? A Farmington owner lacking proof of ownership may still sell to a licensed used parts dealer for dismantling. Show ID, agree in writing to a seven-day hold, and sign that the car is free of liens and was not stolen. When there is no title, payment for the car must be by check or electronic transfer. Details in selling with no title.

Getting an offer

Farmington car owners can reach us at (877) 421-6008 or through the offer form. With no scrapping allowed in town, free pickup anywhere in the US means the car leaves Farmington on our truck, from your driveway, a garage or a shop lot. Nearby: Lakeville, Apple Valley and Rosemount. State rules: Minnesota.