What happens if you just leave it in the impound yard.
The most recent owner let it get impounded.
Seems it would be his problem to get it out.

If it stays in the impound yard won't they just eventually
retitle it and auction it off? They do around here.

Pooh Bear

I wish then i wouldnt have to worry about it.See i dont think it happens that way here. I have to either pay them to get it out or pay them to keep. Either way the longer it stays in there the higher the price.

Seems like calling them and asking them about it
would be the best thing to do in this case.
Then see if you can track down that paperwork.

Kinda hard to advise what to do when the rules are different.

Pooh Bear

Do you have copies of all your documents when you sold the car? You are not responsible for getting it out. Go to the DMV and take all your papers with you and get documentation that you are not the owner. The towing Co. can't hold you liable.

Maybe call the guy you sold it to, if you know his number? He might not know it's there since they contacted you instead of him. Regardless, I would make sure you contact DMV and see what they recommend. You don't want to be liable for any accident etc. that car may be involved in.

Does not really sound like a problem for you. I would send a certified letter to the towing company return receipt requested with a copy of the title transfer or anything else you have stating dates etc. I would also include a statement in my letter that if they pursue this matter against you in any form that may damage your credit, you will have your Lawyer sue them and heck you always wanted to have a nice little towing business, and first thing you would do as new OWNER would be to FIRE EVERY EMPLOYEE THERE LOL

I sold a car once and the new owner never transfered the title. A year or so later a nearby city sent me a letter stating that I owed them money for unpaid parking tickets. I sent them a letter telling them when I had sold the car and gave them the name. They did not bother me again.

**I need to know what to do about this stituation, and Im i going to still have to pay?**

Short answer if all things add up, no.

**I sent in the form stating i sold my car**

That puts you in the clear.

**Im thinking the Dmv never recieved the paper.**

Think again, if they haven't sent you another registration form since, they got it. Simple enough to confirm. Call them up and ask. Untill a new owner transfers title, DMV can't update their info any further so your name is still the last listed owner. When they got your form, they flagged it noting you no longer have the vehicle. That does not remove your name from the list.

With any proof at all that you sold the vehicle, you don't owe anything. The towing company can sell the car to recover their alledged loss. It can be retitled via the 'lost title' process. That will require a signature from you . That's about it.

The only risk to you as the last listed owner would be if some d*ck head alledges they were injured in an accident with this car. They may sue you because you're the one they can find. Waste of time on their part if you notified DMV. That might require you hire a lawyer to make sure all the paper work they throw at you is processed properly. That would be as far as it goes.

Been there, done that.

The motor vehicle depts. that I am familiar with have a form that they can issue to you after you have presented your your evidence of selling. The form will state that you are no longer the owner. Bring everything to your local DMV.
I think the towing company sent you the letter because they have to by law since your name showed up on the registration. I would be surprised if they hold you responsible for anything. I think it's formality that they have to follow to get rid of the car.

I am not condoning the following info in any way.

Wonder what would happen if you payed the car out of impound,
then filed for a lost title to get a new clean title to it,
then resold it. Provided it is worth more than the cost
of getting it out of impound.

Immoral as all heck, but an interesting scenario none the less.

Pooh Bear

I am currently trying to fight a tow company that actually sent me to collections because of the same situation! I sold a car, took care of all the paperwork, even moved to another state in the mean time, and now that I'm trying to buy a house I see over $2,000 in fees in collections on my credit report! I called them and told them the car was sold before the date of the towing, they gave me the run-around, then argued that we need to pay them this money now! I am not swayed, I'm not paying it but I'm sure it's sooooo illegal. I'm trying to get all the paperwork from the DMV now, I pray this will work, I cannot afford to pay this.

You just brought this 4 yr old thread back from the dead.

Anyway, basically, when you sell a car, you need to keep your plates and report the sale to the DMV and your insurance. Don't let the buyer take or "borrow" the tags when they take the car. They can go get temp tags, no matter how inconvenient. This is so if they run into anything/anyone on the drive home it doesn't come back to bite you in the rear. Also, if they promise to return the tags as soon as they drive it home, often they will "forget" to return them to you.

BINGO! The plates are the key to the whole mess.

When you sell a car, personally remove your plates and then it's the buyer's responsibility to remove the car, either with his/her plates or a tow truck.

NEVER let the buyer leave with your plates! If they don't register the car and drive around with your plates, as far as everyone's concerned, it's still your car. And be thankful the buyer didn't get into a crash where somebody was injured or worse yet, killed.