Selling a dead or junk car in Waynesboro

One screened car, no more

Section 38-25 forbids parking a dead car, trailer or semitrailer on residential, commercial or agricultural land "except within a fully enclosed building or structure or otherwise shielded or screened from view." It then caps the number: nobody may keep "more than one inoperable motor vehicle, trailer, or semitrailer" outside a building, even when it is screened. A dead car and a dead trailer side by side behind the same fence already break the rule.

There is one carve-out. An owner who can show they are "actively restoring or repairing the subject vehicle" may keep it plus one more screened inoperable vehicle being used for the repair.

Ten calendar days from receipt

Under Section 38-27, if the owner does not bring the car into line or remove it "within ten calendar days from receipt of the notice," the city may remove it with its own staff or agents. Notice can be given in person, by posting or by mail. For mail, receipt is deemed to happen within 24 hours of the notice's date, so the clock may already be running when the letter reaches you.

Removal is billed to whoever owns the car, whoever owns the land, or both, and the cost "may be collected by the city as taxes and levies are collected."

After a tow: 21 days

Section 38-28 has the city send written notice "in no event more than five business days after the removal" to the car's owner of record and everyone holding a security interest. They have "21 days after the date of notice" to reclaim it by paying the cost of removal. After that the car may be disposed of, and the owner and property owner remain liable for removal and disposal. If it is sold, the city first covers its auction, towing and storage costs. Section 82-154 adds that an owner must pay all costs of removal, storage and locating the owner before getting an impounded car back.

The Waynesboro DMV office we checked

Waynesboro's DMV customer service center is at 998 Hopeman Parkway, Waynesboro, VA 22980-1824 (540-949-8874). Measured directly on a map, it sits roughly 2 miles northeast of downtown Waynesboro. We looked up this location only.

What goes on the title

Your part of a Waynesboro title is Section A, printed on its face. Start with the buyer: name and address on the first line. Then the odometer, exactly as it reads, because the DMV forbids guesses. Then add the sale date and price, and every owner prints a name and signs. Waynesboro sellers skip the notary in the DMV's steps. The price you write in serves as a bill of sale, but in some cases the DMV may ask both sides for a signed statement; see bill of sale.

Keep the plates; Virginia lets them move to your next car, or you can return them. After that, file the sale with the DMV.

Getting an offer

Waynesboro offers start at (877) 421-6008 or with the online request. Selling a Waynesboro car? We load from carports, fenced side yards, or lots near Hopeman Parkway. Waynesboro is 10.7 miles from Staunton and 22.7 miles from Charlottesville; see Virginia for statewide rules.