If you sell a car don't let this happen to you

[Only me]

I think I mentioned a few weeks ago about our problem with the parking tickets. Several years ago we traded in our car when we bought a new one at a car dealer. Our license plates were pretty beat up so we decided to just get new plates. We made the mistake of just leaving the old plates with the dealer assuming that they would take care of them.

 

Well right before Christmas we got a ticket in the mail from the City of Chicago for several things like parking in a no parking zone, abandoning car, etc. Of course we hadn't been downtown in months and no longer owned that car. We called the city but they very rudely told us that we would have to fight the ticket and somehow prove that the car didn't belong to us. My brother-in-law works for a local police department and they were able to pull up the records of the car, which showed the new owner's name as the title holder. That police department helped us by sending in the necessary paper work to prove that we no longer owned the car. We also called the Secretary of State and filled out more paperwork to permanently severe our name from the license plate. A few weeks later we were still getting more tickets (now totaling over $500!)

 

My husband has talked to the City of Chicago several times. Apparently the paperwork that we gave them proving that we didn't own the car was only applied to the first set of tickets, not the 2nd so now we still have to wait for a decision on whether or not we are responsible for these tickets. It's so ridiculous because we have proof from the Secretary of State and the bill of sale that we haven't owned the car in over 5 years. It was also very easy for the local police department to pull up records and find that our name is no longer on the title. Why can't the Chicago Police department do this? So now it looks like we may have to physically go downtown for a hearing.

 

I just wanted to let all learn from our mistake. If you ever sell a car be sure to take your plates regardless of whether or not you are working with a reputable car dealership. Most likely when they sold our old car they just threw our old plates in the trunk and the new owner put them on when he decided to abandon the vehicle.

[Tammyla]

That stinks, thanks for the warning.

[Bambam]

Unfortunately you can't keep the plates in Texas. The plates belong with the car. So, in TX, you need to make sure the new owner puts his name on the title.

 

I wonder which states have the plates belonging to the owner and which states have the plates belonging to the vehicle?

[OHGrandma]

Some states require the owner to return the plates to the DMV when the car is no longer in service or sold. I don't know what IL requires. It sounds like those plates are still floating around, it's possible they're not even on your old car. I think the dealer should have been responsible for the proper disposal since you left them, but you'd have a hard time proving that now. They might have tossed them in the trash and someone picked them up for 're-use'.

[Sonshine]

We had this happen to us too. However we ignored the tickets and never heard about it again - it happened years ago so I think we're safe. There is now a form here in Texas to fill out when you sell a car to legally say you don't own the car anymore. You can fill the form out at the county courthouses. We usually donate our cars to the Salvation Army as they are to beat up and worn out to sell when we are done with them. However, in any situation I would fill the form out and file it just to be sure.

[elegantlion]

Some states require the owner to return the plates to the DMV when the car is no longer in service or sold. I don't know what IL requires. It sounds like those plates are still floating around, it's possible they're not even on your old car. I think the dealer should have been responsible for the proper disposal since you left them, but you'd have a hard time proving that now. They might have tossed them in the trash and someone picked them up for 're-use'.

 

It the same in LA.

[secular_mom]

Can you go downtown and look for the car and remove the plates? I'd think about asking a police officer about this, let them know that you do NOT own the car and someone is illegally using your license plate. Maybe report the license plate as stolen? IDK, but I'd want to be DONE dealing with it all.

[Harriet Vane]

I had a similar situation. I was 18 and my beater car died. I decided to junk it. My uncle, who is a mechanic, offered to pay me what the junk service would for the car, and he would take it off my hands. I had no idea that there was anything to do with the license plates--I just took the $25 and let him drive the car away. I started getting tickets for that car because my uncle left them on the car. I was fortunate to have someone help me deal with the mess, thankfully.

 

Can you report the plates as stolen? Our plates were stolen last summer. We filed a police report and that number was entered into their system. We then got new plates.

[OHGrandma]

I had a similar situation. I was 18 and my beater car died. I decided to junk it. My uncle, who is a mechanic, offered to pay me what the junk service would for the car, and he would take it off my hands. I had no idea that there was anything to do with the license plates--I just took the $25 and let him drive the car away. I started getting tickets for that car because my uncle left them on the car. I was fortunate to have someone help me deal with the mess, thankfully.

 

Can you report the plates as stolen? Our plates were stolen last summer. We filed a police report and that number was entered into their system. We then got new plates.

 

That's what I'd try, too.