Selling a junk or dead car in the City of Fairfax

The two clocks in Section 98-163

The full test is a vehicle "which is not in operating condition," or one missing valid plates, or one with no valid decal or a decal more than 60 days stale. Any one of the three is enough.

Notice goes to the owner of the premises. If the car is still there and no exception applies "within ten days after notice was given," the city manager directs that it be removed and "stored for a period of no less than seven days." The second clock starts at removal. You get notice that the car will be disposed of if it is not "redeemed within seven days of its removal." Redeeming means paying the removal and storage costs and giving "reasonable assurances that the violation of this section will not recur."

If nobody redeems it, the city may dispose of it "by any reasonable means, including assignment of the vehicle to a salvage dealer for scrap value." When that sale does not cover the bill, the property owner and the car's owner are "jointly and severally liable." Tenants and landlords both have a stake in that sentence.

There is one way to keep a project car. If you are "actively restoring or repairing the vehicle" and it is screened from view, it may stay, plus "one additional inoperative motor vehicle" used for parts.

Moving it to the street will not help

Section 98-153 bars leaving a vehicle on any city street when it "is not currently registered" or "is not currently inspected." The curb is no hiding place for an expired car.

Snow adds its own rule. Under Section 98-242, a parking ban kicks in by itself on any stretch of snow emergency route with "three inches or more for one hour or more" of snow and ice, with no announcement needed. If a car stalls on a route, Section 98-245 says the driver "shall take immediate action" to have it towed or pushed off.

Fairfax's Section 98-281 treats a broken-down car left unattended on public land beyond 48 hours as abandoned. Under Section 98-286, the city can hand such a car to a demolisher "without the title and without the notification procedures."

Title, plates and emissions from Fairfax

Fairfax is one of the localities where Virginia requires emissions inspections, and the state charges an extra $2 at registration for it. A Fairfax emissions certificate or waiver lasts two years past the end of its issue month, and a sale doesn't cut that short. If yours failed, see failed emissions.

We checked a DMV customer service center at 10455 Armstrong Street, Room 224 (804-497-7100). Central Fairfax is under a mile northeast of the office, point to point. A car already titled in Virginia can change hands fully online through electronic titling, without that visit.

For a Fairfax paper title, Section A on the front holds each owner's printed name and signature, the buyer and their address, the true mileage, the sale date and the price. Fairfax sellers don't need anything notarized for the DMV. Unscrew the plates first. They can move to your next car or go back to the DMV, and a registration with at least six months remaining may earn a refund through form FMS-210. Last, report the sale to the DMV on its website, by phone or in person. After you sell covers the order of steps.

Nearby towns

Herndon is 9.4 miles away in a straight line, Alexandria 11.8 and Manassas 12.3. For statewide rules, see Virginia.

Getting an offer

Call (877) 421-6008 or ask online. Fairfax owners can begin with our offer form. Mention any 98-163 notice on your door, since its ten-day clock is already running. Pickup works at a townhouse space inside city limits, a lot near the Armstrong Street offices, or the shop where it gave out.