Selling a junk or dead car in Greensboro

When a car is junked or abandoned

Section 17-54 makes it unlawful for the owner "to allow any abandoned motor vehicle or junked motor vehicle to remain on any public street, public property or private property in violation of this article." Section 17-55 adds the property side: once a car "has been ordered removed," the landowner, tenant or occupant may not leave it there either.

On public streets and grounds, an abandoned or junked car may be taken to a city storage area "by or under the direction of a law enforcement officer or a code enforcement officer." On private property, that normally takes "the written request of the owner, lessee, or occupant of the premises," though the code lets officers remove a junked car from private land without that request in certain cases.

Seven days on the windshield

Before a tow under the junk-vehicle article, Section 17-56 requires a notice "affixed to the windshield or some other conspicuous place on the vehicle." It names a removal date "no sooner than seven (7) days after the notice is affixed," unless the car is brought into compliance first. It also has to explain how to request a hearing on probable cause while the car is still in place. The seven-day wait can be dropped "where the vehicle impedes the flow of traffic" or to protect public safety.

What it costs once the city has it

Section 17-55 says the owner, "before obtaining possession thereof, shall pay to the city all reasonable costs incidental to the removal, storage and locating the owner of the vehicle." Section 17-58 then sets a $175 fee for an owner who claims the car "prior to advertising for public auction," with higher fees once advertising begins.

If nobody pays, the city can sell. Notice comes "not less than twenty (20) days prior to sale," and it need not be published when the car's market value on the state's schedule is under three thousand five hundred dollars, a legal threshold rather than anyone's price. A car still unsold after 30 days "may be destroyed, removed or otherwise disposed of."

There is one shortcut written into Section 17-59. With the owner's consent, an officer "may remove and dispose of any motor vehicle as a junk motor vehicle regardless of the value, condition or age of such vehicle" without the notice, hearing or sale steps. Selling it yourself first is the other way out.

Streets, tickets and impound

Section 16-39 lets the city impound cars "apparently abandoned on the streets within the fire limits of the city, or on property owned or operated by the city, for a period of forty-eight (48) hours," or for seven days in other parts of the city. The owner must be told personally or sent notice "within seventy-two (72) hours of the towing."

Unpaid tickets add a separate path. Under Section 16-78, an illegally parked car with "three or more outstanding, unpaid and overdue parking tickets for a period of ninety (90) days" can be wheel-locked, and if the penalties and a $50 immobilization fee are not paid within 24 hours, towed. Towed or impounded covers what to do next.

Emissions in Guilford County

Guilford sits on the state's list of emissions counties, so renewing a Greensboro registration usually takes an OBD emissions check plus the safety inspection. A car that has reached 20 skips the emissions part.

The W. Market St. title office

We checked the license plate agency at 5533 W. Market St., about 4 miles west of the middle of Greensboro as the crow flies. North Carolina titles are state-issued, not a Guilford County matter. Greensboro sellers need a notary watching when they sign the title's reverse side. That side also holds the buyer's details, the day you sold it, a Form MVR-181 damage statement, and mileage if needed. Co-owned? Every owner signs before the notary. A missing title means a notarized MVR-4, $25.50, then 15 days before NCDMV acts.

Plates after the sale

Plates stay with you, not the car. Greensboro owners send a plate they won't use back to NCDMV by mail or through a plate agency while coverage is still on, and the unused part of the plate fee can be refunded pro rata. A sold car still tied to your name months later is what the notarized MVR-46F affidavit is for. After you sell has the checklist.

Getting an offer

For a Greensboro offer, call (877) 421-6008 or send the short form. Pickup from the curb in front of the house, ideally before day three, works as well as a driveway or garage. High Point is 11.9 miles away and Burlington 19.9; for statewide rules, see North Carolina.