Selling a junk or dead car in Mesquite

The two limits in City Code 4-5-3

The section says "a person shall not leave a junk motor vehicle upon public property within the city for a period of time in excess of seventy two (72) hours." It adds: "Nor shall any person leave a junk motor vehicle upon private property within the city for a period in excess of thirty (30) days." A car on private property found to be "an immediate safety hazard and in an unsafe condition" may be removed within seventy-two hours.

The code declares a junk vehicle on private property a public nuisance. Licensed dealers, manufacturers, distributors, auto wreckers and rebuilders are exempt on their business premises.

How a notice plays out

Section 4-5-5 sets the order of events for private property:

1. A code enforcement officer or the police chief may serve a written violation notice on the occupant, or on the owner if no one lives there. It directs removal within ten days, subject to an exception the code spells out.
2. If that notice is ignored, the city sends a certified letter, return receipt requested, to the registered owner of the car or to the property owner of record.
3. That letter gives seventy-two hours for public property or thirty days for private property, counted from receipt. In that time, the car must be removed from the city, put in an enclosed building, or hidden from the road and from neighboring property.

A hearing with the planning and redevelopment director is available if you request it inside your deadline. If the director upholds the order, the car must be gone within ten days of the final written decision. Cars on public property are handled under state law and Section 4-5-6.

Police impounds

Under Section 6-1-19, city officers can haul off a car obstructing traffic, one disabled on a street, or is left on a street or parked illegally. The owner is notified. If the owner can't be reached, or doesn't claim the car within three days, the DMV gets written notice of the impound. "All expenses incurred by the impounding of any vehicle shall be borne by the owner."

Nevada title rules for a Mesquite sale

Titles are handled by the state DMV. Clearing a whole row of old cars? Mind this limit: anyone who sells over three of their own vehicles within one year needs a dealer's license. Pay off any loan first. Your signature should mirror the printed owner name, and a 2011-or-newer car leaves with its paper title. If the title is missing and the car was last titled in Nevada, the duplicate application is VP 012. Junk car with no title goes through it, and several junk cars covers a multi-car cleanup.

Plates after the sale

Take your plates off before the truck drives away. Selling ends the registration, and within 60 days the plates must go on another vehicle of yours or back to the DMV. Mesquite sellers report the sale in MyDMV with the Registration Cancellation and Vehicle Resale Notification. Keep a VP-104 bill of sale in your files. End the registration first; the insurance comes after.

Nearby towns

Mesquite is in Clark County, but it sits far from the metro. North Las Vegas is about 65 miles away in a straight line, Henderson and Las Vegas about 75. Statewide rules are on Nevada.

Getting an offer

Use the form or dial (877) 421-6008. Mesquite sellers can reach us through our short offer form. Carports, side yards and storage lots are all fine pickup spots.