Selling a dead car in East Providence

Seven days, or 48 hours at the curb

Section 10-29 sets the deadline. The owner of "any dismantled, junked or abandoned vehicle or one legally or physically incapable of being operated shall remove such vehicle within seven days after being ordered to do so in writing by the owner, lessee or occupant of the premises where such vehicle shall be found."

• Whose car is it? If nobody knows, the order may be fixed to the windshield.
• When the car's owner controls the premises too, the police department serves the order.
• On a city street, police serve "48-hour notice"; a car that is "a present hazard or unduly obstructs traffic" may be hauled off without warning.

The section ends: "An unregistered vehicle on premises not owned or occupied by the owner of such vehicle may be deemed to be abandoned."

What counts, and the repeat clause

Section 10-26 reaches cars not "duly registered according to law", cars with no proof of registration affixed, and cars lacking much of the equipment registration needs. It also defines an unlicensed junkyard as premises holding even "one or more" junked or discarded cars without a wrecking and salvage license.

Section 10-30 shuts a loophole. A person who moves the car after notice "but who then returns the same vehicle to the same property, in the same or similar abandoned condition, within a 12-month period" has committed a violation too.

Impound and the three-week window

Removed cars go to "the police station or any public garage designated by the chief of police" (Section 18-389). Then Section 10-32 has police send registered mail, return receipt requested, to the last known registered owner and lienholders of record within 15 days. They may reclaim "within three weeks after the date of the notice" by covering towing, preservation and storage. If no address turns up, a single newspaper notice suffices. Steps are on towed or impounded.

While a snow ban under Section 18-370 is in force, no one may leave a vehicle on any street it covers.

Registration card, title and plates

Of the DMV offices we checked, Woonsocket's at 2000 Diamond Hill Road, (401) 356-4031, sits around 16 miles north as the crow flies.

State law includes a step sellers often skip. Turn the registration card over, fill in the buyer's name and address plus the transfer date, and mail the card right to the DMV. On a 2001-or-newer title, sign as seller with the mileage. Your plates stay with you; cancel online and file away the DMV's confirmation. After you sell lists the rest.

Getting an offer

Reach us at (877) 421-6008, or send the offer form for your East Providence car. Pickup works near Taunton Plaza, or just over the line in Providence or Pawtucket. The Rhode Island page holds the state rules.