Selling a dead or junk car in Rocky River

What a towed-car release takes

The police FAQ lists what Rocky River needs before it releases an impounded car. It is a checklist, not a set order:

• The tow bill, paid in full at Kufner Towing, 3775 Ridge Rd. in Cleveland, 216-529-3320.
• The owner at the Police Department with ID and the title or registration.
• A second driver. Two drivers with licenses and ID must be present at release.
• The city's fees, which are separate from Kufner's bill. Section 303.08 adds a $25 administrative charge to every impounded vehicle, and storage starts adding up immediately.

Section 303.08 also requires paying any fines, or posting the bond the court sets, before the pound operator lets the car go on the release form.

When the city calls a car junk

Section 303.10 borrows its junk test from Ohio's R.C. 4513.63. In the state's words the car is “Three years old, or older,” extensively damaged, apparently inoperable, and “Having a fair market value of one thousand five hundred dollars or less.” Rocky River's rule kicks in when a car like that has stayed outdoors without a cover for over 72 hours on private land whose holder allows it. Junk yards, bona fide commercial operations and collector vehicles are exempt.

A certified letter can then come from Council, the Chief of Police or the Municipal Zoning Authority. Ten days after it arrives, the car must be under a roof, in a garage or another suitable structure, or gone. Leaving it uncovered beyond that is presumed willful, every 30 days after counts again, and each count is a minor misdemeanor.

Two other rules cover cars left where they shouldn't be:

• Under Section 303.09, willfully leaving a vehicle on somebody's private land for 72 straight hours without consent, or at the curb for 48 straight hours with no word to the Police Chief, is a minor misdemeanor. The owner is also billed for the city's cost of disposing of an abandoned junk vehicle.
• Under Section 303.08, officers can tow a car parked on private property without permission for more than 48 hours in a row. And if a car spends four hours or more on residential property without the owner's permission, Section 303.081 allows the Chief to order it stored once someone complains.

Overnight and snow

Overnight, from 2 a.m. until 6 a.m., Section 351.16 keeps every city street clear of parked cars. With a real need, call the police at 440-331-1234 and ask for short-term permission; that is also the non-emergency line.

Rocky River's snow emergency arrives with 2 inches of snow in a 24-hour period or less, and its parking ban reaches city lots as well as every street, with five minutes allowed for loading. It ends when accumulation drops below two inches, or when the Safety-Service Director or the Chief calls it off. Cars left out may be towed at the owner's expense, and the offense is a minor misdemeanor.

Title offices within about 9 miles

The three nearest title offices all belong to Cuyahoga County. The North Olmsted one, on Brookpark Rd. Extension, is about 5 miles southwest as the crow flies; Parma's, at 12100 Snow Rd., about 6 miles southeast; and the clerk's downtown office on E. 9th St. about 9 miles east.

A notary must see you sign the title assignment; that's Ohio law for sellers. Then take the plates. They don't transfer with the car, because Ohio ends the registration when ownership changes.

Getting an offer

Ask online or call (877) 421-6008. Mention the make and model, the year it was built, the miles, whether it starts, and whether the title is with you. A car sitting at Kufner Towing can be picked up from the lot after the release and fees are taken care of. Nearby: Lakewood.