5 Reasons Why We Buy Junk Cars with No Title

DOES PULL-A-PART BUY JUNK CARS WITH NO TITLE?

When it comes time to sell your junk car, you have a lot of options to choose from, which we’ve written about in other car sales tips articles related to selling your junk car. One of the most common questions we get from customers looking to sell a junk car to Pull-A-Part is whether or not Pull-A-Part buys junk cars with no title. The short answer is, “It depends.” Pull-A-Part currently buys junk cars from sellers located in more than 3,000 zip codes across our 25 car buying locations in 12 states nationwide. Each state has its own laws regarding what types of junk cars we can buy from consumers and whether or not sellers must have a title in order to sell their car to us.

There’s a good reason for requiring a title of course - for starters, we need to make sure when we purchase a junk car, truck or SUV from a consumer that the seller is the legal owner of the vehicle. To help ensure salvage yards like Pull-A-Part don’t purchase vehicles from anyone who isn’t the legal owner of the vehicle, many states require sellers to provide proof of registration in order to scrap their car with us. Some states allow consumers to sell vehicles without any proof of ownership, but in general, most sellers need to provide either the registration, title, or some other proof of ownership.

While a title is often the best proof of ownership to provide when selling a car, it’s also a document that can easily be misplaced or lost - especially as the vehicle changes hands over time. The older the vehicle, the more common it is for sellers to not be able to find it when it comes time to sell their car. If having a title was the only way to sell a junk car, there would be a lot of cars that would just sit around indefinitely. As vehicles age, they can pollute the environment - and neither the owners, local residents, or even local governments want that to happen. For these reasons, most states provide alternative ways to sell a car without a title.

If you’re looking to sell a junk car, truck or SUV to a salvage yard like Pull-A-Part, there are some exceptions where you can sell your car without a title. This will often require some additional proof of ownership or you may be required to complete alternative forms or documents as part of the process for selling your junk car to a salvage yard.

So does Pull-A-Part buy junk cars with no title? Yes, we do buy many cars without a title, but whether or not we can legally purchase a junk cars with no title varies by state and usually depends on how old the vehicle is, what other forms of documentation the seller is able to provide, or some alternative paperwork that will need to be completed before we can give you cash for your junk car and haul it away for free.

In the following paragraphs, we’ll provide some additional information on how you may be able to sell your junk car with no title to Pull-A-Part.

DO I NEED A TITLE TO SELL MY JUNK CAR TO PULL-A-PART?

In all states, it's a requirement to show valid proof of ownership before it's legal to sell a junk car. However, it's not a requirement to show a title in all states. There are some exceptions where you can prove you are the legal owner of a vehicle without having a title for the vehicle.

In some states, you are allowed to sell your vehicle to a salvage yard for parts. We don’t purchase individual used auto parts from consumers, but we do purchase complete vehicles for use as inventory at our salvage yards for other consumers looking to remove and purchase parts from these vehicles. 

In states where it is legal for Pull-A-Part to purchase vehicles without a title, as long as that vehicle is being used for parts (or recycling purposes), the seller may be able to show other types of proof of ownership to scrap their car. , but only show evidence in other ways of legally owning the vehicle. In these types of transactions, once Pull-A-Part purchases the vehicle for parts or recycling, the vehicle cannot be retitled or sold back to other consumers as a used car. We are only allowed to sell the parts from the vehicle or to sell what’s left of the vehicle as scrap metal to recyclers who purchase end-of-life vehicles from us as part of the scrap metal recycling process.

After you sell your vehicle to be used for parts or scrap metal, you will receive documentation that proves you scrapped your vehicle. The next time your registration is due, you’ll use this “note of scrap for salvage” to cancel your registration with the local Department of Motor Vehicles or similar local government authority. 

This note both proves you did in fact sell your vehicle to the salvage yard, but also prevents that vehicle from being legally titled again in your state. Some states may require additional documentation as part of this process, but if you’re selling your vehicle to a reputable salvage yard like Pull-A-Part, our car buyers will help you through this process - as they are most-informed on the laws that apply in the state you are selling your vehicle. 

The legal requirements Pull-A-Part - or any salvage yard - must follow in order to buy junk cars with no title, you may be wondering, “Why would Pull-A-Part be willing to buy a junk car with no title in the first place?” It’s true, there are a lot of different requirements, rules, and regulations we must comply with before we can purchase a vehicle with no title, but here are five reasons why Pull-A-Part may decide to buy a junk car with no title if we are legally able to do so:

1. REJECTED CARS ARE GOOD CARS TO BUY WITH NO TITLE

Keeping up with insurance is difficult when the car no longer has a market. The problem is that the suitable modifications done on the vehicle for specific tastes may completely alter the car's appearance. When selling the car to get a new one, a trade-in can be rejected at the car dealerships for these reasons. 

If a seller has been trying to find a buyer for months with no luck, the vehicle just sits there and is of no use to anyone. While that vehicle may not be valuable in the eyes of everyday consumers, salvage yards like Pull-A-Part don’t reject a vehicle that has been modified. In most cases, that vehicle still has a lot of value - both in terms of the parts left on the vehicle that can be sold as used auto parts at its salvage yards - and the vehicle is literally worth its weight in scrap metal for the recycling side of the business.

Another factor that often causes a vehicle to be rejected by dealerships and individual buyers is the amount of miles on a vehicle. Many buyers will pass on a vehicle with more than 100,000 miles on it - and very few buyers would purchase a vehicle with 200,000 miles or more on it. Even the most budget-friendly vehicle won’t interest buyers with there are hundreds of thousands of miles on it. Salvage yards aren’t as concerned about the mileage of a junk car, as there are still many serviceable parts available for resale - and the scrap metal value of the car isn’t affected by mileage at all. 

Pull-A-Part regularly buys late model vehicles with high mileage to be used as inventory at its salvage yards or to recycle for scrap metal. In many states, vehicles manufactured more than 10 years ago don’t require a title when selling that vehicle to a salvage yard for parts or scrap metal.

In summary, just because a different buyer rejected your junk car doesn’t mean Pull-A-Part won’t buy that junk car for cash - with or without a title in most cases, especially if that vehicle was manufactured more than 10 years ago.

2. VEHICLES MISSING KEY FEATURES ARE GOOD CARS TO BUY WITH NO TITLE

Granted, many old cars running on the roads seem to have lasted longer than newer models. However, trips for servicing the vehicle are numerous as it's most likely to have problems as some parts wear off and need replacement. Unfortunately, with the car depreciating, sometimes replacing key features in the vehicle can be more expensive than keeping the car running. 

When it's time to sell the car, the only place to sell it is at a junkyard for it to be pulled apart and sold for its parts or as scrap, as no one will buy a vehicle without key features like airbags, working air conditioning or heat, or with holes in the floors. Since salvage yards purchase vehicles based on the combined value of its usable parts and estimated scrap metal value, you’ll be able to sell your junk car regardless of whether it’s missing a few key features here and there.

In summary, a vehicle missing a few key parts is still worth buying with or without a title, provided the salvage yard is legally able to purchase the vehicle for parts or scrap metal.

3. VEHICLES THAT HAVE BEEN IN ACCIDENTS ARE GOOD TO BUY WITH NO TITLE

If a vehicle has been damaged in an accident, it may not be worth fixing. Depending on the severity of the accident and damage caused to the vehicle, it may be too expensive to repair the vehicle or the insurance company may ‘total’ the vehicle (in other words, it’s not worth it for the insurance company to pay to repair the vehicle either - especially when repair costs would exceed the current value of the vehicle. Few buyers on the open market will purchase a vehicle that has been involved in one or more accidents. 

Again, because salvage yards like Pull-A-Part resell used auto parts to consumers, the vehicle may still have value. And the vehicle will always be worth - at a minimum - the value of the scrap metal left on the vehicle. As a result, even accident-damaged vehicles are worth buying without a title in most cases. There are some exceptions from one salvage yard to the next - for example if the vehicle has water or fire damage. Beyond that, you’ll likely be able to sell your accident-damaged vehicle without a title to most salvage yards. 

4. VEHICLES THAT NEED FREQUENT REPAIRS ARE GOOD TO BUY WITH NO TITLE

Wear and tear are expected after some years, and cars eventually break down and need repairs. Some vehicles are more reliable than others and may keep on running year after year with only routine maintenance required. If you own an old junk car, you’ve probably paid for more repairs than you’d care to admit. No matter how emotionally-attached you might be to that old car, there comes a time when it’s not worth paying for additional repairs. For most car owners, it’s typically some major repair that comes up that becomes the last straw - engine or transmission failures are among the most common repairs that cause a vehicle’s owner to finally decide to sell their old junk car. When it’s not worth repairing the vehicle anymore, it’s time to call the local salvage yard. There are still plenty of parts in the vehicle that will have value to other owners of similar vehicles who aren’t ready to sell their cars yet. Vehicles that need frequent repairs are good vehicles for salvage yards to buy - often without a title, as most of these vehicles will be more than 10 years old and no longer require a title for sale (primarily because the chance of the vehicle being put back on the road are very low).

5. IF SELLERS NEED TO SELL FAST, THOSE ARE GOOD CARS TO BUY WITH NO TITLE

Advertising for a buyer for your vehicle takes time and can cost a bit to spruce up both the exterior and interior to get it in the desirable state to attract buyers. When pressed for time and the vehicle is old and does not have potential buyers after running adverts for a few weeks, it may be time to sell it to a salvage yard. An immediate sale can be suitable also if the vehicle stops working after having numerous problems.

When a seller needs (or wants) to sell a vehicle fast, few options are faster than selling a car, truck, or SUV to a salvage yard at Pull-A-Part. For example, at Pull-A-Part, you can call the Sell My Car team or use our free Get-A-Quote tool to get an instant cash offer for your vehicle. If you agree with the offer made, Pull-A-Part can often schedule a hauler to pick your car up for free on the same day - and you’ll be paid cash when the vehicle is picked up. Depending on the laws in your state and/or the age of your vehicle, Pull-A-Part may even be able to buy your junk car with no title. 

For more information on selling your car to Pull-A-Part, please visit our Sell My Car section of this website.

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQS) ABOUT SELLING YOUR JUNK CAR WITHOUT A TITLE

 

WHAT SHOULD I LOOK FOR WHEN CHOOSING A JUNKYARD OR SALVAGE YARD TO SELL MY JUNK CAR TO - WITH OR WITHOUT A TITLE?

Not all junkyards or salvage yards comply with all the various rules and regulations for buying junk cars without a title. To avoid the most common problems related to selling your car for parts or scrap metal, be sure the salvage yard has proof of the legitimacy of the business. For example, does the business have a physical location you can go to? Another way to verify the business is legitimate is to see if they are licensed and registered as a business in your area. Online reviews are also helpful - as well as ratings with organizations like the Better Business Bureau. 

WHAT ARE THE HIDDEN COSTS OF SELLING A JUNK CAR TO A SALVAGE YARD WITHOUT A TITLE?

For starters, you’ll want to verify what the local laws are in your state - and what documents are required - to legally sell your junk car to a salvage yard. The most obvious hidden costs of selling your junk car to a salvage yard is possible fines or legal costs if you violate any laws as a result of the sale. It’s also a good idea to ask the buyer if there are any fees for paperwork or towing services related to selling your car to them. You don’t want to sell your car for a small profit only to find out that you have to pay for documents prepared by the seller and/or submitted on your behalf as part of the process. The same goes for towing. Pull-A-Part never charges customers for towing and there are no hidden costs when selling your car to us - but not all salvage yards operate the same way, so you should ask a lot of questions. 

WHAT STATES ALLOW YOU TO SELL A JUNK CAR WITHOUT A TITLE?

Most states allow you to sell some vehicles without a title, though most of these rules vary depending on the age and condition of the vehicle - and it’s unlikely you will be able to sell your vehicle without some proof of ownership. Specific to title only, we’ve summarized which states will allow you to sell a car without a title. 

If you are interested in selling your car to Pull-A-Part and don’t have a title, you should either call our Sell My Car team, visit the closest store to you, or complete our Get-A-Quote form on our website and one of our team members will contact you with more detailed information about the rules and regulations in your state. In general, here are the title requirements for the 12 states Pull-A-Part buys cars in today.

CAN I SELL A CAR WITHOUT A TITLE IN ALABAMA?

A title is required to sell your junk car in Alabama is your vehicle’s year is 2010 or newer.

CAN I SELL A CAR IN ARIZONA WITHOUT A TITLE?

No, a title is required for all vehicles sold in Arizona.

DO I NEED TO HAVE A TITLE TO SELL A CAR IN GEORGIA?

For 2010 and newer vehicles, you will need a title in order to sell your junk car in Georgia.

WILL PULL-A-PART BUY MY JUNK CAR IF I DON’T HAVE A TITLE IN INDIANA?

If your vehicle is 2006 or newer, we will need a title in order to buy your car. If your vehicle was manufactured before 2006, we can buy your car without a title. 

WHAT ABOUT KENTUCKY? DO I NEED A TITLE IN KENTUCKY TO SELL MY CAR?

If your car was manufactured before 2012, you don’t need a title to sell your junk car to Pull-A-Part. A title is required for 2012 and newer vehicles. 

DO I NEED A TITLE TO SELL MY CAR IN LOUISIANA?

Louisiana requires a title for vehicles 2012 or newer, but you can sell a vehicle older than 2012 without a title - if it no longer runs and you are selling it for parts or salvage. If the vehicle is still operable, regardless of year, you will need a title in order to sell it.

CAN I SELL A CAR, TRUCK OR SUV WITHOUT A TITLE IN MISSISSIPPI?

Mississippi allows sellers to sell their junk car without a title if it was manufactured before 2012. If the vehicle is 2012 or newer, a title is usually required. 

DOES NORTH CAROLINA REQUIRE TITLES FOR JUNK CAR SALES?

Like many of the states Pull-A-Part operates in, North Carolina requires sellers to have a title in order to sell a 2012 or newer vehicles. Vehicles older than 2012 can be sold without a title, though other documentation may be required to complete the sale.

WHO BUYS CARS IN OHIO WITHOUT A TITLE?

Nobody buys cars legally in Ohio. If you want to sell your junk car legally in Ohio, you will need a title to do so. The State of Ohio requires a title for all vehicle sales, regardless of what year the vehicle was manufactured.

DO YOU NEED A TITLE TO SELL A CAR IN SOUTH CAROLINA?

If your vehicle is 2010 or newer, you need a title to sell it. If your vehicle is older than that, you may not need a title to sell it. If your vehicle is operable - it still runs - you will need a title to sell it, regardless of what year it was manufactured. If your vehicle is older than 2010 and no longer runs, you will not need a title to sell it. 

WILL PULL-A-PART BUY MY CAR IN TENNESSEE IF I DON’T HAVE THE TITLE?

If your vehicle was manufactured before 2010, we may not need a title to buy your junk car. The State of Tennessee does require a title in order for us to purchase vehicles that are 2010 or newer. 

DO I NEED TO HAVE A TITLE TO SELL MY JUNK CAR IN TEXAS?

Yes, all vehicles sold in the State of Texas require the owner to provide a registration in order to complete the transaction. Pull-A-Part cannot purchase vehicles in Texas without a title. 

IF I DON’T NEED A TITLE, WHAT OTHER INFORMATION WILL I NEED TO SELL MY CAR?

The documentation required to sell a car varies from state to state. In most cases, you’ll need to provide some proof of ownership. This may include a Driver’s License that matches the owner’s name on the vehicle, an insurance card that matches the name on the Driver’s License, a Bill of Sale which matches the name on the Driver’s License, and official paperwork from the state’s department of motor vehicles (or the equivalent). Some states also require a VIN as well. 

While you should review your state’s requirements before selling your vehicle, members of the Pull-A-Part Sell My Car team help customers in your state everyday. Please visit the location pages to find your local Pull-A-Part junkyard  or our Sell My Car section of this website for more specific information on the requirements to sell your junk car in your state.