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Abandoned Vehicles

The title to any abandoned or junk motor vehicle, any wrecked vehicle, or any impounded vehicle shall transfer to the removal agency after 30 days from the date the notice was sent. If the owner fails to claim and remove the vehicle within 30 days after the mailing of notice, the title will be issued to the removal agency.

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Abandoned Motor Vehicles

Removal Agency

Abandoned Vehicle Title & Registration

Abandoned Vehicle Fees

Other Abandoned Vehicle Resources

Abandoned Vehicle Online Forms

Definitions

Abandoned Motor Vehicles

Any motor vehicle that has been left on a public street, or highway, or left on private property without the permission of the landowner or tenant.

Removal Agency

Any public body, private, or nonprofit organization authorized to remove and salvage abandoned and junk motor vehicles and other scrap metals. The removal agency may be authorized under law to remove vehicles SDCL 32-30, may be hired or appointed by a public body or may be in the business of removing or salvaging vehicles. The following are criteria that must be met to qualify for application for an abandoned vehicle title:

The vehicle must have been towed by a removal agency.
Written notice, by certified mail, must have been sent to the owner and any possible lienholder, within 45 days of removal of the vehicle.

No removal agency may remove abandoned, wrecked, or impounded motor vehicles from private property without written permission of the landowner or tenant. If the vehicle is being removed by the removal agency the written notice must be on a form provided by the Department of Revenue.

If the removal agency does not give notice within 10 days from the date of removal, no storage may be charged beyond the 10-day period until the notice is mailed.
Notice must be sent within 45 days to qualify for an abandoned title.

For vehicles left unclaimed for a period of 30 days, as a result of an unpaid repair bill on private property, please refer to Transfer of Ownership on an Unpaid Repair Bill of the Motor Vehicle Division Procedures Manual. For a vehicle that is 11 years old or more and acquired as a result of the purchase of property (for example, a farmer on whose land there is an abandoned vehicle), or similar situation, the landowner may apply for a title. If the record owner is on file:

proof of notice by certified letter to the record owner and any possible lienholders of the intent to apply for a title
an affidavit of facts
an application for title and a title fee.

To determine if a record owner is on file, please contact the Motor Vehicle Division. The Motor Vehicle Division reserves the right to deny the application if it is determined that sufficient documentation is not provided to establish proper ownership of the vehicle. Titles obtained through this process are not an abandoned vehicle transaction and the title is not branded “abandoned”.