Selling a dead or junk car in Johnson City

No city code we could find

We searched for Johnson City's own junk-car or inoperable-vehicle ordinance online and did not find it. All of what follows is Tennessee law. Johnson City could add local rules, notices and deadlines on top, so read this as the minimum and not the full story.

Signing the title the Tennessee way

The assignment section on the back is labeled "ASSIGNMENT OF TITLE BY REGISTERED OWNER." Getting it right the first time saves a trip to the clerk.

1. Sign and print exactly as the front reads. If the front shows a middle initial, use it.
2. Count the owners. Names joined by "and" both sign. Names joined by "or" need one.
3. No notary needed. Tennessee doesn't require titles to be notarized. Some out-of-state titles do, so look at the state printed on yours.
4. Keep a bill of sale. Sevier County's clerk will take a Vehicle Bill of Sale as one document, as long as the seller signed it in front of a notary. Other counties may differ. Our bill of sale guide shows what to put on one.

Giving the car away, selling it for very little, or passing it to a child or parent? For those sales, Tennessee has a form called the Affidavit of Non-Dealer Transfers. See selling for a relative.

The plate comes home with you

When your Johnson City car leaves, the Tennessee plate does not go with it. It's yours. Take the plate off before our truck leaves Johnson City, and moving it to your next car costs $1. A buyer who wants to move a plate of their own needs the current registration, and the plate must be in date and in their name. The state's titling pages showed us no notice-of-sale or release form, so the signed title serves as proof you sold it. After you sell covers the rest.

If the title is gone

Johnson City owners pay $14 for a new title, plus any county fees. Bring or mail the Multi-purpose, Noting of Lien, and Duplicate Title Application to the county clerk with proof every lien was discharged. Begin at junk car with no title.

Salvage and old cars that just stopped

Tennessee calls a car salvage once fixing it would cost over 75% of what it sells for at retail. A Johnson City wreck younger than 10 years is issued a Salvage Certificate and can be rebuilt. One past fixing is issued a Non-repairable Certificate, and Tennessee will never title or register it again. There is no cost for either certificate.

When a parked car turns abandoned

State law sets several clocks. A car over four years old left on public property becomes abandoned after more than 10 days. A car in obvious disrepair on public property takes more than 3 days. Parked on someone's private land without their say-so, it's abandoned after 48 hours. Someone in Johnson City who simply finds an abandoned car can't sell it that way. They have to check who owns it through the Department of Revenue. See car abandoned on your property.

Nearby

Kingsport is 15.2 miles from Johnson City as the crow flies, Bristol 17.5 and Morristown 52.1. The Tennessee page has the statewide rules.

Getting an offer

Selling a car in Johnson City? Johnson City sellers can call (877) 421-6008 or use the form. We load it where it sits: a steep driveway, a downtown lot, or behind a relative's house.