I Need to Sell a Car That I Do Not Have the Title to … What Do I Do?

I own a storage company in Philadelphia, Pa-a customer has stored a car with me for over a year and has not paid for the last 4 months. I have contacted the vehicle owners contact person (I believe her sister) who has told me that the owner no longer wants the car and that I can sell it.

I do not have the title to the car or a bill of sale with the owner because the owner is in Sweden and probably not coming back. What do I do?

Answer:

Contact that person again, and tell them to send you the signed title for the car or pay back storage and pick it up.

If they won't do either, look into abandoned vehicle rules. PA looks rather complicated. Check out http://www.dmv.state.pa.us/pdotforms/vehicle_code/chapter73.pdf

{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }

You can apply for either an abandoned title or a mechanics lien. Both will probably require notifying the registered owner by certified mail and giving them a chance to pay it off and come get it. After so long, you can apply and get a title.

You're looking at 6-12 weeks probably before you have title in hand.

You might offer the owner $50 to sign over the title. That would speed things up.

If his sister has the title she can just sign it. Its not fraud if she has his permission.

Banks do that kind of thing often when evicting people. Give someone $800 in cash to get out rather than having to go through the eviction process.

Speak to the local DMV about what options you have. Nobody will want it without a title however, except maybe a scrap yard.

local dmv
apply for abandon car tittle

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