Junk and dead cars in Carlisle

Carlisle's definitions, and what is missing

Chapter 255 is the zoning chapter, and its definitions do most of the work. A junkyard there is land used to store "used and discarded materials", and the list names "vehicles or parts thereof" outright. The code also defines a dump as land where "discarded machinery vehicles, or parts thereof" end up. A legal parking space is at least nine by 18 feet, on a dust-free surface, gravel included, or inside a garage.

What we did not find is a notice-and-removal procedure aimed at a single junk car. Carlisle may have its own enforcement rules beyond these definitions, so call the town before you count on any number of days.

The state clocks that do apply

Pennsylvania law fills the gap for cars outside your own driveway:

• 48 hours on a public street. A car that is "physically inoperable and left unattended on a highway or other public property for more than 48 hours" is presumed abandoned. The presumption can be rebutted.
• 24 hours on someone else's land. If a Carlisle car sits on a neighbor's lot without permission for more than 24 hours, that owner can file a police report and then have it hauled off.
• 30 days to reclaim. Once the notice is mailed, you and any lender have 30 days to get the car back by paying what the tow and storage cost. Miss it, and PennDOT can sign off on disposal.

Cumberland County inspection

Every Pennsylvania car needs an annual safety inspection. PennDOT's Publication 763 puts Cumberland County in the South Central emissions region and words that region as pending certification. For a Carlisle car that has sat for a while, the expired sticker is often the first sign it is not coming back. See failed inspection or rust if that is where yours stands.

Signing the title over

Pennsylvania has no county title office. Titles are handled by PennDOT's authorized agents, which in practice means notaries, tag services and dealers in and around Cumberland County. With the agent watching, you sign, print your name by hand and fill in the miles. If the title carries two names, both owners sign.

Two shortcuts exist for a car going to scrap. A Carlisle car headed to a salvage dealer or scrap processor needs no notary. A processor sends the title on to PennDOT stamped nonrepairable. A Carlisle owner who cannot find the title can order a replacement on Form MV-38O for $72.00; selling with no title walks through the options.

The plate does not ride away with the car. Either send it to PennDOT's Return Tag Unit or transfer it to a car you own for $11.00. The state's selling steps list no separate release form for you to file.

Getting an offer

For an offer on a Carlisle car, just send us a few details. Send them online or call (877) 421-6008. Pickup is free anywhere in the US, so the truck can back up to a Carlisle backyard, a side street or a lot on the edge of town. Harrisburg lies 17.6 miles off as the crow flies; the Pennsylvania page has the statewide rules.