Selling a dead or junk car in Fargo

Fargo's three definitions

Section 13-0901 sits in the part of the city code on junk, junk automobiles and abandoned vehicles, and it defines all three:

• Junk takes in "parts of machinery or motor vehicles" and other castoff material, "whether or not the same could be put to any reasonable use." A pile of old car parts counts even if some still work.
• Junk automobiles are cars inoperative for more than 15 days, or cars "not licensed for use upon the highways of the state of North Dakota for a period in excess of 60 days." Unlicensed cars that still run are excepted.
• Abandoned vehicle covers any vehicle that "has remained on private property for a period of 48 continuous hours, or more, without the consent of the owner or occupant," or for 48 hours after that consent is revoked.

That last one matters if a friend, a renter or a former partner left a car at your place. Once you withdraw consent, the 48 hours start.

Parking rules that catch dead cars downtown

A car that will not start tends to stay where it died. In the central business district, Section 8-1009 bans parking in the early-morning hours on north-south streets on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, and on east-west avenues on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. A vehicle parked in violation "is hereby declared to be a public nuisance, and may be impounded by the police department."

Tickets add up too. Under Section 8-1612, "motor vehicles having delinquent parking tickets may be impounded."

Stalled in the snow

If a car quits on a snow emergency route, or on any roadway while a snow emergency declaration is in effect, Section 8-1704 says the driver "shall take immediate action to have the vehicle towed or pushed off the roadway." You may leave it only for the time "actually necessary to secure assistance in removing the same." The mayor ends a declaration once conditions improve, and it ends as soon as that is announced (8-1706).

After a tow: the state clocks

North Dakota's abandoned-vehicle chapter sets what happens next. Certified mail goes out from the impounding agency or tow company within 10 days, addressed to the registered owner and lienholders. A month-long window follows: 30 days from receipt to settle the bill and recover the car, after which the statute presumes you consented to disposal. No lot may charge more than $50 daily to store a car, pickup, van or light truck. Our towed or impounded guide has more.

A metro that crosses the river

Census lists Fargo's metro as Fargo, ND-MN, so cars titled in another state are common. NDDOT refuses a title from another state if its brand is junk, dismantled, parts only, unrepairable, non-rebuildable or certificate of destruction. A salvage brand is accepted. See out-of-state title for selling a car whose paperwork came from elsewhere.

Signing over a North Dakota title

Titled? Enter buyer and price in the assignment section, sign, and deliver within 30 days, notary-free. On the buyer's side, a $5 transfer fee and another 30 days apply. If you cannot find the title, SFN 2888 is your seller certificate and bill of sale. You sign it before a notary and state why there is no title. A duplicate is $5.00 on SFN 2872. NDDOT Motor Vehicle, which issues titles, lists its address as 608 E Boulevard Ave, Bismarck.

Plates stay yours, so remove them. Leftover months roll to a single replacement vehicle for $5; nothing comes back as a refund.

If a storm did the damage, note the salvage rule: damage over 75 percent of retail value means sending the title in within 10 days for a salvage certificate, but hail damage and glass damage are left out of that 75 percent. Hail or storm damage covers the rest.

Nearby

Next door, West Fargo, 3.6 miles off as the crow flies, writes its own code. Grand Forks is 73.9 miles away. State rules are on the North Dakota page.

Getting an offer

Fill in the form or phone (877) 421-6008. Fargo sellers can send the short form for an offer. Pickup works from a driveway, a downtown ramp, a repair bay or the impound lot.