Selling a junk or inoperable car in West St. Paul

Seven days, then ten business days

The seven-day rule changes a little by zoning:

• Homes. In a residential district the car must be "kept entirely within an enclosed building" to stay longer than seven days.
• Businesses and industry. Seven days unless the car is adequately screened, or three days on a business or industrial lot that is not an auto repair shop.

Past that point the city sends a written demand, and the clock becomes "ten business days." In that window the vehicle has to reach a licensed junkyard or some other authorized storage spot. When West St. Paul cannot track down whoever owns the car, the person who owns the land inherits the job. If the city impounds the cars, it mails or hands a notice to the property owner. That notice gives 15 days to reclaim them before the city may dispose of or sell them.

Section 94.15 lists violations of 94.18 as a public nuisance. Ordinary nuisance notices there ask for removal "within 48 hours" unless the notice sets a different date, so read the deadline on whatever you receive.

Repair shops get no extra room. Under Section 153.382, auto-related businesses may not store "wrecked, abandoned, disassembled or junk vehicles." A car held for repair may not stay outside more than seven days without city approval.

Street parking and snow routes

Section 72.02 keeps any vehicle from sitting on a West St. Paul street or alley past 48 hours, unless the spot is beside the owner's own home.

Snow rules start at 2.5 inches of new snow. After any snowfall, posted snow emergency routes must be clear of parked cars from 2 a.m. on. Other streets and paved alleys are closed to parking from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. until plowed curb to curb. The city may tow a car parked against these rules at the owner's expense. A street left unplowed 48 hours after the last snowfall opens back up.

Paperwork for a West St. Paul sale

Three things happen when the car changes hands:

1. The title. A West St. Paul seller turns the title over, fills the sales tax declaration spot with the price, and then notes the date and disclosures.
2. The plates. They stay put. Statute 168.15 cuts off your use of them once the car is sold. Your paid West St. Paul tax goes along to the buyer as well, unless the stickers are handed in before the next registration period starts.
3. The notice. Ten days is the limit for the Notice of Sale. Mail the stub from the title or file online, listing the buyer, the buyer's address and license number, and the day the car was sold.

Offices we checked

West St. Paul is a Dakota County city, but any of nearly 200 deputy registrar offices across Minnesota will take a transfer. drive.mn.gov maps them, or call 651-297-2005. Two offices on our list, both measured as the crow flies from central West St. Paul:

• Roughly 10 miles northwest of West St. Paul is the Minneapolis office of Hennepin County, whose Suite A-025 sits on 300 South 6th Street. The number is 612-348-8240.
• From West St. Paul, about 68 miles southeast, Olmsted County runs an office in Rochester. West St. Paul sellers can call that Rochester office at 507-923-2020; it's at 151 4th Street South East.

Next door

South St. Paul is 2.4 miles away and St. Paul 3.3. Inver Grove Heights is 5.2 miles off. The Minnesota page has the statewide rules, and after you sell walks through the last steps.

Getting an offer

West St. Paul sellers can call (877) 421-6008 or send us the online form. A truck can come for it from a screened business lot, behind a West St. Paul garage, or at the repair shop holding it.