Selling a New Brighton car that is junk or dead

What the mailed notice must say

Under Section 14-319, the letter tells you:

• that the vehicle "must be removed or properly stored within ten days of the date of the notice";
• where it will be towed and impounded if it is not;
• that it may be reclaimed "within 15 days of being towed" by paying all towing and storage charges, under Minn. Stat. 168B.07, or it will be disposed of under 168B.08;
• that you may appeal the order in writing to the city council before the tow date.

In New Brighton an appeal puts things on hold: "No further action on the towing and impoundment of the vehicle may be taken until the city council concludes its review of the appeal." The car's owner can appeal, and so can the property owner or person in control.

What may stay on private property

Section 14-315 is strict. New Brighton requires a city council special use permit to keep a junk or abandoned vehicle (by the state's definitions), or a wrecked or inoperable one, on private land "unless such vehicle is stored in a fully enclosed garage." A tarp in the side yard won't cover it.

A second rule covers cars that are not legal to drive. A vehicle that falls short of state rules on equipment, registration and insurance for street use can stay on private property for 30 days; after that it needs the garage or the permit. The city may impound abandoned, unlicensed or junk vehicles kept in violation (Section 14-318).

Street limits

Section 36-89 limits any vehicle to six hours unattended on a street or roadway between 5:00 a.m. and 2:00 a.m. of the next day, unless signs say otherwise. Heavy vehicles face more under Section 36-102: in residential and mixed-use districts, nothing over 10,000 pounds or registered over 12,000 may park on the street, and anywhere in the city nothing over 26,000 pounds, apart from narrow exceptions such as active loading. A broken-down work truck at the curb can trip that rule fast.

Selling under Minnesota rules

New Brighton sits in Ramsey County. New Brighton sellers can finish a transfer at any of the state's nearly 200 deputy registrar offices. New Brighton sellers can check drive.mn.gov for the list or ring 651-297-2005.

When you sign the title, state the actual selling price and fill in the date and disclosures. No notary is part of the DVS seller steps. If a lender is still printed on a New Brighton title, send it along with the lien release card or a notarized release. New Brighton sellers leave the plates on, and the buyer keeps them. You have ten days to mail the title's Notice of Sale or file it online. It needs the buyer's name and address plus their driver's license number.

Watch out: reporting the sale to DVS does not move ownership. DVS suspends the registration when the transfer papers and fees go unfiled for 30 days. If the title is lost, see selling with no title; if a notice has already come, notice to remove a car walks through it.

Getting an offer

Got a dead car in New Brighton? Call (877) 421-6008 or send the form. A garage, driveway or repair shop all work for loading. Nearby: Columbia Heights, Fridley and Shoreview. State rules: Minnesota.