How To Register A Salvage Title In Colorado

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It'due south not always a new or used auto that you want to own. Sometimes you desire rights to a vehicle you notice abandoned. In Colorado, there are specific steps that must be taken when a vehicle is abandoned. Once those steps are completed, the vehicle can be sold and a new automobile title registered.

Defining an Abandoned Vehicle in Colorado

Not just whatever vehicle is considered abased. In the land of Colorado, the Section of Acquirement defines an abandoned vehicle every bit:

An automobile left on private property unauthorized for a period of at least 24 hours.
A vehicle left on public property unauthorized for a period of at least 48 hours.
A vehicle left at a retail machine repair shop without retrieval by the owner.

A automobile that is stored at an impound lot and not removed is also considered abandoned, as is a vehicle fitted with an immobilization device that is non on private property.

What Happens to an Abandoned vehicle?

Before yous can claim title to an abandoned car in Colorado, the auto must exist towed past a registered company, and the proper notice must be given to the vehicle'south possessor.

Once the tow operator picks up the abandoned vehicle, it must written report the vehicle to the appropriate local Colorado law enforcement agency, such as the city police department or the county sheriff's department. The tow operator must then submit a record search request to the Colorado Section of Revenue to determine who owns the motorcar.

Notify the Vehicle Owner

If an owner or lienholder is establish during a record search, that person must be notified that their machine was towed and where it is beingness stored. The owner has thirty days to retrieve the car before it tin can exist sold or disposed of. If no owner or lienholder is constitute during a record search, a national title search must be performed that determines if the car is registered out of state. If no owner or lienholder is plant after that search, the vehicle tin exist sold or disposed of inside 60 days of the search.

Afterward the designated time period, the machine can be sold to a licensed car dealer, wholesaler or auction dealer. It can also be sold to the full general public through a classified ad published in a Colorado newspaper. The find publication must state the make, model, color, approximate year and vehicle identification number.

An abandoned car cannot exist sold if its appraised value is $350 or less. In that case, it can only exist sold equally parts or junk, and no championship can exist issued.

Obtaining Title for an Abandoned Vehicle

If you opt to purchase a vehicle that was abandoned, y'all must become championship for that car once y'all make the purchase. Download and complete the Colorado Section of Revenue's Application for Title and/or Registration from the Colorado.gov website. Mail the form to the nearest Colorado Department of Acquirement's branch office along with the required registration fee. Once it is approved, you will receive a new title and registration through the postal service from the Colorado Department of Acquirement.

Once y'all have the new championship, accept information technology to the Colorado police force enforcement agency that is storing the car in its impound k. Provide the agency with a copy of the new title and registration. If everything has been correctly processed, you tin can then pay the storage/impound fee and have possession of the abandoned vehicle. The car is now legally yours, even if someone tries to later on make a claim to it.