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A Bonded Title Might Save an Abandoned Vehicle From the Crushers in SD and TN

I see how piling rust buckets in a yard on the side of the highway might be an unpleasant view. Still, I can't understand why in some cases those who find them can't get a title and try giving these cars a new life, or sell them for restoration projects.
1969-dodge-charger-r-t-SD 7 photos
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3 ford falcons in SD1969-dodge-charger-r-t-2 SD1969-dodge-charger-r-t-2 SD1969-dodge-charger-r-t-2 SDTN-1959-chevrolet-impalaTwo mustangs in TN
The abandoned cars issue is real and everywhere. There are states where local governments are burden with hundreds of relics, and they can't get rid of them. Moreover, it is costly to even send them to the crushers. They try to get in touch with the last known owner, but letters are coming back unopened. After months, or years, of keeping those abandoned vehicles in yards, the remains become hard to sell, even as scrap metal. But some people's junk might be another one's treasure.

Mount Rushmore State

With such a treasured landmark, it is no wonder that South Dakota gets around $1 billion per year in income from tourists. With so many people coming from all over the country, it is not unusual to see cars with many license plates. Unfortunately, not all of them are in working condition. Some are left on the hard shoulder, and some on private properties, forests, or fields.

Claiming an abandoned car from the side of the road is a job for the police, as is in the case of those found on private properties. But not all of them are taking that road. Suppose a land owner has some knowledge about cars and find a 1959 Impala. In that case, they will most certainly be eager to keep it, restore it, and enjoy it.

1969\-dodge\-charger\-r\-t\-2 SD
Photo: emem9966/eBay
There are two types of abandoned vehicles found on properties: those left behind by the former owners, and those left there by trespassers. For the former, a bill of sale might be enough, while for the latter, it might worth putting a lien on the vehicle for storage.

Then, thanks to the South Dakota DMV, the land owners might find the title-holder's address, send them a notification with return receipt within ten days of finding the vehicle, and wait. If they fail to do that, the lien won't start until the return notification is returned signed or undelivered. In that case, people may claim property for the vehicle in exchange for the lien, but they will have to auction it.

If the owner is a garage, it may apply for a title thirty days after receiving the notice as undelivered. Also, they must publish a notice, once, in a newspaper of general circulation where the vehicle is located.

Another way is to ask for a bonded title. For that, the landowner will need a form the Department of Revenue, State of South Dakota Motor Vehicle Division. But that will work only if the vehicle is older than 30 years and worth less than $3,000. Authorities will ask for a surety bond 1.5 times the vehicle's value. After three years, the applicant must submit a form for a Bonded Title Release.

Two mustangs in TN
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The Volunteer State

With its eight neighboring states around it, Tennessee is one of the places that touch most other states in the U.S. The other one is Missouri. Here, in the Volunteer State, a guy named Ernest Holmes from Chattanooga invented the tow truck in 1916. I doubt that he used it too much to tow abandoned vehicles, but it is nowadays the most usual way to remove dead cars from the side of the road.

In Tennessee, police will take all abandoned vehicles found on the side of the road. They may also get relics from private properties, if allowed. But what if the landowner doesn't want that '59 Impala taken away by one of Holmes' inventions?

Just like in South Dakota, they have to find the title or the lienholder for that relic, if there is any. If there is one in the records, they must send a notification with a return receipt to the address provided by the TN Department of Revenue/Vehicles Service Division. All owners and lienholders must be notified by certified mail, return receipt requested, and receive verification of ownership of such vehicle within three business days. If they won't, the landowner may start the procedure for a bonded title.

For that, they must be sure that there are no living people who could claim ownership. Then, suppose the notice returns unsigned or unopened. In that case, they must place an announcement in the local newspaper where the vehicle is located and wait for thirty days. If there's still no answer, they can apply for a bonded title.

But that will work only for vehicles older than 30 years, or valued under $3,000. They also have to allow law enforcement or a licensed dealer to inspect the vehicle and run the VIN into the system. Thus, they will receive a Certificate of Ownership. With that in their hands, the owners may proceed with the painstaking process of restoration.
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Editor's note: The information in this article is not legal advice; for any info regarding abandoned vehicles rules, refer to local law enforcement agencies.

About the author: Tudor Serban
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Tudor started his automotive career in 1996, writing for a magazine while working on his journalism degree. From Pikes Peaks to the Moroccan desert to the Laguna Seca, he's seen and done it all.
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