Selling a junk or non-running car on Mercer Island

The street rules

• Plates on. See Section 10.14.020 above. A car with expired tabs or no plates is out of place on any public way.
• 72 hours. "No person shall park any vehicle upon any city street or highway, or the right-of-way portion thereof, for a continuous period in excess of 72 hours." (Section 10.36.225)

If police impound a car, Section 10.22.060 says it is not released until the owner or driver has given the police department and the garage "satisfactory evidence" of identity and ownership. Under Section 10.24.040, a car "left unclaimed for a period of 15 days, shall be deemed to be an abandoned vehicle." It then passes to the King County sheriff, who hands it to a registered disposer. For a car that has already been hauled to a lot, start with towed or impounded.

On private property

Mercer Island's code-enforcement definitions in Section 6.10.110 state that "A 'junk vehicle' includes apparent inoperable, immobile, disassembled, or extensively damaged vehicles." The same section lists as a nuisance "any wrecked, inoperable, abandoned, or disassembled trailer, house trailer, boat, tractor, automobile, other vehicle, or any parts thereof."

The health and sanitation chapter goes further. Section 8.24.020 declares as a public nuisance, "subject to criminal enforcement and penalties," any storage area used "for the storing or leaving of worn out, wrecked, inoperative or abandoned automobiles." It also covers any area used for wrecking or taking vehicles apart. Section 10.24.050 adopts the state statutes on removing abandoned junk vehicles from private property.

Title office across the water

Islanders heading to the quick title office we checked go to 201 South Jackson Street #206, Seattle; the number is (206) 477-4000. It sits about 5 miles northwest of mid-island, as the crow flies, on the far side of Lake Washington. King County may run others.

Washington paperwork for the sale

On Mercer Island, the seller files DOL form 420-062, the Vehicle Report of Sale, by mail, online or in person at a counter. RCW 46.12.650 allows 5 business days. Those plates you pulled can be mounted on another vehicle of their type or handed back to the state; the person buying has no claim to them. Sign the title's release of interest. A bill of sale is also signed, unless the title shows the price and the date on its face. Any notarizing happens on the buyer's paperwork, not yours.

Nearby

Bellevue is 4.2 miles away, Renton 6.1 and Seattle 6.8. Statewide rules are on the Washington page.

Getting an offer

Reach us at (877) 421-6008 or by form, and include the year, make, model and miles. Let us know if it cranks, and what shape its title is in. Loading can happen in an island garage, on a steep drive, or at a shop in the town center.