Having an old, rusty, and obsolete vehicle standing on private property poses innumerable problems. These problems can be of legal concern, while in some cases it is only a matter of aesthetics since an abandoned junk car ruins the appearance of the whole place. If you happen to be in a similar situation, you would definitely be thinking, ‘How can I Junk my car for cash?’
Here, we will discuss what is an abandoned car to clear the confusion related to this term. It must be noted that any vehicle that is left behind is not termed abandoned. We will then go on to illustrate the several methods you can exercise to get this abundant asset removed from your private property.
Defining an Abandoned Vehicle
In simple terms, any vehicle that is left on any property for a long time is considered abandoned. However, this definition varies from state to state and it can also be different in cities within the same state.
There are certain states where a vehicle is termed as abandoned if it has been left on a particular property for more than 48 to 72 hours. For instance, in New Jersey, a vehicle will be termed as abandoned if it has been standing in the same public location for at least three consecutive days. These cars will most likely be in a heavily damaged state, missing their major components like engine, wheels, and tires.
The owner of this property has the right to remove this vehicle as per their choice.
Removing the Abandoned Vehicle From Private Property
There are certain factors that need consideration before answering the question of how you should remove an abandoned vehicle from private property. These factors are listed below:
- Removing Abandoned Vehicle From Private Land: Before you attempt to get this car removed, you need to be certain about the laws and regulations of the particular state you’re in to know that you can get this car removed legally. It is recommended that you see your state’s specific laws about abandoned vehicles. You should first confirm whether this vehicle is labeled abandoned or not. After that, you should see the laws meticulously to ascertain if you are allowed to remove this car after the time period defined by your state.
- Follow The Legal Steps To Remove The Abandoned Vehicle From Private Property: once you’re certain that the vehicle is abandoned after thoroughly doing your homework, you will now be required to take steps to remove this vehicle from your property. Before you call the towing service to have the car removed, you must also inquire from your neighbors to see if someone left this vehicle on your property mistakenly or someone forgot it. To know about this, you can also use social media by posting pictures of the car and asking if anyone left it by mistake. Checking for the legal owner of the vehicle is not needed by the law, but it’s just a kind gesture so that the person owning the vehicle does not end up in any problem. If you do not get any answer for a few days, you can then check for the vehicle’s information like the year of production, the model, license plate, and more. Take all this information to the local police department and tell them that you have an abandoned vehicle standing on your property. The police will help you from here onwards.
- Get The Abandoned Vehicle Removed From Your Property: once all the background checks are over, and you have understood all the regulations, you should now look to get this abandoned vehicle removed. At this point, you can get in touch with a towing company and have them take the vehicle away. If the owner appears at your place to inquire about their removed vehicle, the only help you can give them at this point is to connect them with the towing car company that took the car.
- Check If You Can Claim Ownership: you also have the option to claim ownership of this vehicle. However, this process can be a little tricky and time-consuming. For this, you will have to see the state’s laws very carefully to ensure that you understand everything and that you don’t trespass the laws set in place. Some places will also have you wait for a considerable amount of time, which is called ‘good faith effort’ where you’ll look for the real owner of the vehicle to come forward and take their asset. Although all states have different regulations, generally there is a waiting time you’ll have to fulfill before the vehicle is labeled as abandoned and then some more time after which you can claim ownership of the vehicle.