Lebanon: selling a dead car before the city acts

Lebanon's street clocks

Section 10.24.040 sets two limits:

• "No vehicle may be stored on a public street for a period greater than seventy-two hours"
• "No vehicle may be abandoned on a public street, private or publicly owned parking lot for more than 24 hours."

The second one reaches a lot behind a store, not just the curb. Downtown runs tighter. Section 10.24.140 holds Park Street, Oak to Vine, to two hours. Vine, Ash, Sherman and Grant between Second and Park get three. Both apply Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., holidays excepted.

Getting a removed car back

Under 10.52.210, a Lebanon owner, or whoever controlled the land the car was pulled from, applies to the police department before any sale or disposal. One condition stands out: you must "Give evidence that the nuisance character of the vehicle will not be allowed to be resumed." Parking the same dead car in the same spot again won't pass.

Unpaid tickets are a separate road to a tow. Section 10.22.010 lets Lebanon boot or tow a car whose owner left a city citation unpaid. The car comes back "only upon full payment of the original fine amount still owing, towing fee if any," plus any fee the council sets.

Stripping parts in a Lebanon driveway

Oregon's rule for parting out comes with notice. Tell the DMV 7 days ahead before wrecking or dismantling a titled or registered car (ORS 819.010). Lebanon gives 30 days to finish any car repair visible from a public right of way. Lebanon's zoning definitions also matter here: an area used for dismantling, or for storing "motor vehicles unable to be moved under the power of the vehicle," is what the code calls a wrecking yard.

Title and plates from Lebanon

The DMV field office we checked is 2242 Santiam Hwy SE in Albany (541-967-2014), roughly 11 miles northwest of Lebanon's center as the crow flies. A sale rarely calls for the drive.

Turn the Lebanon title over, then sign and date where the seller goes. A bill of sale can carry it instead. Still a loan on it? The lender signs off its interest. For a Lebanon car built in 2011 or later and younger than 20, you and the buyer both put your names to an odometer statement. Oregon DMV's seller steps include no notary. Last comes the 10-day clock: Lebanon sellers report the sale on DMV2U, buyer's name and address included.

Plates can come off before the car is hauled away, or stay on it. Put on a different owner's car, they'd cancel what's left of both registrations.

Getting an offer

Call (877) 421-6008 or write online. A Lebanon car's offer starts with our quick form. A truck comes to the car, in town or out toward Peterson Butte. Albany is 11.4 miles off and Corvallis 18.4. Oregon's statewide rules are on the Oregon page.