Guides
Straight answers on selling, scrapping and recovering a car, checked against the state agencies, state law and the IRS.
Towed car
Towed in Texas: fees, your rights and getting your car back
Texas impound and tow fee limits ($22.85/day storage, $272 max private tow), what to bring to the storage lot, your rights, and how to request a tow hearing within 14 days.
FloridaTowed in Florida: the rules and your rights
Florida tow rules: release within 1 hour, half the rate if you catch the tow, no storage fee under 6 hours, storage within 10–15 miles, and how to contest the bill in court.
WashingtonTowed in Washington: impounds and your rights
Washington impound rules: who can redeem a towed car, the payment the lot must take, free viewing and belongings, the 10-day hearing deadline and the 15-day auction rule.
VirginiaTowed in Virginia: tow fee limits and your rights
Virginia tow limits: $210 max for a no-consent passenger car tow, +$30 nights/weekends, no storage fee the first 24 hours, $25 if you catch the tow. Your rights and local rules.
OklahomaTowed in Oklahoma: getting your car back
Oklahoma tow rules: release within 1 hour, proof of insurance for police impounds, how to contest a police tow within 10 days, and who sets tow rates.
ColoradoTowed in Colorado: tow price limits and your rights
Colorado PUC tow limits for 2026: $250.91 max private-property tow, $48.19/day storage, no residential drop fee, pay 15% (max $60) to get your car back, free belongings.
CaliforniaTowed in California: private-property tow rules
California tow rules under Vehicle Code 22658: storage within 10 miles, one day's storage if picked up within 24 hours, half the fee if you catch the tow, and 4× damages for overcharges.
GeorgiaTowed in Georgia: maximum tow rates
Georgia's maximum private-property tow rates: $228 removal, free first 24 hours, $33/day storage, $130 if you catch the tow, and no card surcharge.
MichiganTowed in Michigan: your rights after a tow
Michigan tow rights: get your car unhooked if you arrive before the tow, and challenge a tow in district court with a hearing within 30 days.
New JerseyTowed in New Jersey: predatory towing rules
New Jersey private-property towing rules: fees capped by your town's ordinance, decoupling fee only if you catch the tow, and card payments accepted.
North CarolinaTowed in North Carolina: police tow hearings
North Carolina police tow rights: notice within 24 hours, a probable cause hearing before a magistrate within 72 hours, and no tow lien if the tow wasn't justified.
Selling or junking a car
Selling or junking a car without a title in Texas
Get a replacement title for $2, or use Texas's new 13-year rule for old cars. Your options for selling a junk car with no title, plus how to protect yourself after the sale.
FloridaJunking a car without a title in Florida
Florida lets a licensed salvage dealer buy a car 10+ model years old worth under $1,000 without a title. How the derelict vehicle form works, the $75.25 duplicate title, and what to do after you sell.
WashingtonJunking a car without a title in Washington
What Washington wreckers can legally accept instead of a title, including the affidavit of lost or stolen title, and the 5-business-day report of sale.
New YorkJunking a car without a title in New York
New York's MV-35 lets you scrap a car 8+ model years old worth $1,250 or less without a title. Who can take it, what to bring, and the $20 replacement title option.
VirginiaJunking a car without a title in Virginia
Virginia lets a licensed auto recycler scrap a car at least 10 model years old without a title after a DMV theft and lien check. How it works and what to watch for.
CaliforniaJunking a car without a title in California
No title? California dismantlers need proof of ownership. How to use DMV form REG 227 for a lost title, and why to file the release of liability within 5 days.
North CarolinaJunking a car without a title in North Carolina
North Carolina lets a salvage yard buy a car 12+ model years old without a title. The signed statement and ID you need, and what the yard has to check.
MichiganJunking a car without a title in Michigan
How junking a car works in Michigan: write 'scrap' on the title, sign it and assign it to the dealer. What to do if the title is lost.
PennsylvaniaJunking a car without a title in Pennsylvania
How Pennsylvania scrapping works: sign the title to a scrap processor with no notary, or use the lost-title path for a salvage vehicle on your property.
MissouriJunking a car without a title in Missouri
Missouri lets a scrap operator buy an inoperable car 10+ model years old without a title, with your ID and a state bill of sale. The lien check and what counts as inoperable.
WisconsinJunking a car without a title in Wisconsin
Wisconsin salvage dealers can buy a junk car by bill of sale instead of a title, after checking state records for a lien. What they check and what to watch for.
MarylandJunking a car without a title in Maryland
Maryland's rule for scrapping a car when the title isn't in your name: the sworn affidavit, a copy of your license, and the 11-working-day reclaim period.
All statesScrap car value calculator
Estimate your junk car's scrap value from its weight and current scrap prices per ton (about $184 a ton national average, Oct. 2026). Plus what changes the offer.
All statesSell, junk, part out or donate your junk car?
Compare scrapping, selling for parts, a private sale and donating a junk car: which pays most, what each takes, and the IRS rules for car donation deductions.