Los Lunas: what to do with a junk car that won't run

The one-week rule

Section 9.24.020 starts from the idea that junk piling up hurts "the inhabitants of the municipality". It then makes it unlawful to keep "a dismantled, partially dismantled or inoperative motor vehicle, or any parts of a motor vehicle" on any land in the village, whether someone lives there or not. Licensed businesses doing that work in the proper place are exempt.

Owners and tenants get a narrow window: "a period not to exceed one week if such motor vehicle is registered in his name". A car titled to a relative who moved away does not fit. The code does leave a door open: "in the event of hardship," you can ask the municipality for more time.

What counts? A car "incapable of being propelled under its own power" because of dismantling or disrepair. A car missing parts that normally belong on it is "dismantled" even if it still runs. And the section adds that none of this permits leaving such cars "on any public street."

Front yards are off limits

Pushing the car onto the lawn trades one problem for another. In residential zones, section 17.12.010 bans parking passenger vehicles on "any portion of the adjacent sidewalk, front yard including the front setback". The only exceptions are a driveway, carport, garage or drive aisle with marked spaces.

On commercial lots, section 17.10.030 allows temporary outdoor storage of vehicles only in the rear or side yard, set back at least ten feet from the property line.

The commuter emissions catch

Valencia County is outside New Mexico's emissions area, which covers only Bernalillo County. But the state rule reaches vehicles "registered or commuting" there. With Albuquerque 22.5 miles north, plenty of Los Lunas cars make that drive. There, vehicles from 1991 on that weigh up to 10,000 lbs GVW get tested once every two years and again when ownership changes. If your car won't pass, see failed emissions.

Where to do the title work

We have not listed a specific field office for Valencia County on this page. The MVD office map shows locations, and the info line is 1-888-683-4636. Title work is done at state field offices and also by private MVD partners and municipal offices. A local field office issues duplicate titles for cars titled in-state.

The seller's part is short. Sign the title over to the buyer on the back and write the odometer reading. If the space is filled or the assignment incomplete, the Bill of Sale (MVD-10009) finishes it. The MVD seller steps list no notary.

Plates and the sold notice

The plate belongs to you, not to the car. Pull the plate when you sell. In Los Lunas the clock is 30 days. In that window, a Los Lunas owner either moves the plate to a car of the same class or turns it in to MVD to be destroyed. Say a Los Lunas owner paid for a two-year registration and moves the plate during year one. They get credit for the unused second year.

Then Los Lunas sellers mail form MVD-10048, the "Notice of Vehicle Sold", to the Sold Unit in Santa Fe. It asks for the VIN, plate, sale date, odometer reading, whether you removed the plate, and both names and addresses. See after you sell for the rest.

Getting an offer

Selling in Los Lunas? Call (877) 421-6008 or send the form. We tow from carports, side yards and Main Street shop lots. Albuquerque and Rio Rancho are up the road; statewide rules are on the New Mexico page.