This Is How North Carolina and North Dakota Help Their Citizens Claim Abandoned Cars

Apart from the language, these two states have something else in common: the "North" in their names. They also have some legal ways that allow citizens to claim abandoned vehicles. But they have different ways to deal with that.

First-in-flight plates

Even though this state was famous for producing tar for ships, hence the name Tar Heel State, some of its citizens had higher aspirations. Since the Wright brothers took off in their first flight with the Kitty Hawk in North Carolina, that's why N.C. has the "First in flight" written on its plates.

North Carolina has some troubles with abandoned cars, especially in the summertime when the slow traffic, high temperatures, and poorly maintained vehicles are causing their engines to overheat. It might be ok to leave the car parked on the side of the road, on the hard shoulder, and go for help. But if a police officer sees the car, they will tag it with an orange label stating the date since the vehicle is there. If the car has N.C. plates on it, it will be removed after 24 hours, while if it has out-of-state plates, it will be allowed to stay there for 48 hours. After that, these vehicles are going to the city council, who will seek justice and claim their titles.

First of all, you should know that in North Carolina, abandoned vehicles cannot be bonded, so whereas this solution works in other states, here it doesn't. But this is not the end of the road for you and that cool-looking old-timer you found in the barn collecting dust. Your first call should be to the police using a local, non-emergency number, asking them to come over and take a look. They will inspect the vehicle, note the VIN, and check if it was stolen or has a valid title. In the meantime, ask the county recorder and the treasure department if there is any lienholder for the vehicle.

If the vehicle comes clean in all searches, you can apply for an abandoned vehicle title at the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles and follow their guidance. Taxes are not sky high, but we have to warn you: if the vehicle has a lien on it, you'll have to pay it when the lienholder shows up.

In the Peace Garden State

It is one of the least populated states in the U.S., yet it is in 19th place in size. Rhode Island could fit in North Dakota 46 times. It is the country's main sunflower and honey producer, and has gorgeous scenery. Maybe that is what motivated David Henderson in 1887 to invent his first camera, and use four letters from the Dakota name to create the Kodak company. Thus, you can use a camera to prove if someone sleeps with their shoes on and have the police arrest that person, since it is illegal to sleep like that in North Dakota.

One of the beautiful things about N.D. is that it does not consider antique automobiles as abandoned. This is important since most vehicles seven years or older left on public property for more than 48 hours are going to the scrapyard and end up destroyed.

If a towing service takes custody of an abandoned vehicle, it may claim ownership of it. Moreover, the government will issue a clean title for that, with all the liens released. But first, the tow service has to make sure the former owner doesn't reclaim it and has to send him a notification with return receipt at the certified mailing address, obtained via the DMV. Beware! A towing company must notify the police within 24 hours of picking up the car, or it won't be able to put a lien on the vehicle, and will have to give it back to the owner for free, with no towing and storage fees.

But, if you found a vehicle on your property, you may claim it in court. Petitioning to award title to a motor vehicle is a well-documented procedure, and North Dakota courts allow petitioners to represent themselves.

But first, you need to know what to do. If you do your homework right, the court might spare you having to show up in front of a judge, and will send you the title by mail. But this is possible only if you act as a private individual, not as a legal entity as a business, LLC, or corporation.

So, in the beginning, you should contact the North Dakota Department of Transportation and get in touch with the titling and registration department. They will guide and provide you with a PDF with all the required steps to follow. It's a 12-page guide (see attached PDF below), so grab a chair and some coffee. There is a lot of work to do, but sometimes it is worth it.