Selling a dead or junk car in Columbia

What Columbia counts as a nuisance car

Section 11-263 is blunt: "The presence upon any private property within the city of an unlicensed, dismantled, inoperable or junk-filled vehicle is declared to be a public safety hazard and a nuisance."

The same section lists the ways out:

• a garage or similar fully enclosed structure
• a locked, fenced area where the car "is not clearly visible from adjacent public or private property"
• a carport, but only for a car that is unlicensed and otherwise whole, not dismantled or inoperable
• the lot of a lawful repair shop, dealer, tow yard or junkyard

The property maintenance rules in Section 6-72 say the same thing in fewer words: "no inoperative or unlicensed motor vehicle shall be parked, kept or stored on any premises." Major work, bodywork included, is allowed only inside a garage or similar enclosed area. Each day a violation goes on counts as a separate offense, with a possible fine of $25 to $500 or up to three months in jail.

The 72-hour clock on your own land

Section 14-550 applies to any "partially dismantled, nonoperating, wrecked, junked or discarded vehicle." It is not only about your own car. No one may leave a vehicle like that on any city property past 72 hours, either. This applies to a tenant whose dead car sits in the back lot, and also to a landlord who allows it.

If you already have a notice, notice to remove a car walks through the choices.

On Columbia streets

The street rule has no grace period at all. Section 14-547: "No person shall leave any unlicensed, partially dismantled, nonoperating, wrecked or junked vehicle on any street, highway or public property within the city."

Separately, under Section 14-548 a police or parking enforcement officer may have any vehicle removed once it has been left on a street, highway or public property for longer than 24 hours.

Unpaid tickets are their own route to the tow lot. Under Section 14-307, a car can be impounded from a public street, garage or lot when four or more parking tickets are unpaid. A notice must sit on the car at least 72 hours before the tow. To redeem it, Section 14-310 asks for proof of your right to the car, a written statement from the municipal court, and payment of all towing and storage charges. Tickets or registration hold covers selling a car with open tickets.

License office and Missouri paperwork

Missouri issues titles at the state level, and applications go to any Missouri license office. One office we checked in Boone County is at 403 Vandiver Dr., Suite B, Columbia, phone (573) 474-4700. In a straight line, that's roughly 2 miles north of downtown.

What the state asks of a seller:

• No notary on the title signatures.
• The odometer reading and sale date in your own hand, with no erasures.
• Remove your plates before the car is driven or towed off.
• A sale report within 30 days. Recent Missouri titles have a Notice of Sale (DOR-5049A) you can tear off. Older Columbia titles have no such stub. Columbia owners in that spot send in a Bill of Sale (DOR-1957) or DOR-5049 by mail.
• A safety inspection certificate dated within the past 60 days. Cars under 150,000 miles are exempt for the ten years after their model year.

One reason a buyer may ask about property taxes: Missouri won't register a car without the prior year's county personal property tax receipt, showing all taxes paid, including back taxes.

Getting an offer

Phone (877) 421-6008 or use the form. Tell us a little about your Columbia car. We collect from backyards, apartment lots or the shop where it broke down. Jefferson City is about 28 miles south, and the Missouri page has the statewide rules.