Donated a Car, Now in Collections Over Parking Tickets From After Donation

[mrxcoffee]

My question involves collection proceedings in the State of: California

Hi,

Hope someone here can help. I donated an old toyota I had before I moved. The car was an old junker and had expired tags etc. The donation company said they would use the car for scrape although it did run. Anyways, 6 months later I got two tickets in the mail for expired tags and expired meter.

I don't have a copy of the release of liability from the DMV but I do have the IRS 8583 form showing that the car was donated and when I donated it. Any advice on this would be appreciated. I have started to get threats of sending these tickets to collections ($300 total).

Should I send a copy of my 8583 and a letter explaining the situation to the collection agency? I have tried to call them but they are 100% automated it seems. If anyone has any experience dealing with LDC Collections or a phone number where I can reach a live human that would be great.

Thanks,

mrx

[Who'sThatGuy]

Why did you leave your state issued license plates on a vehicle when disposing of it? That is mistake 1.

Did you sign the back of your title and have the company that you donated the vehicle sign the title too, and then make a copy of the title before handing the title over? This could be mistake 2.

[mrxcoffee]

Thanks for the response. Yes I left the plates on the car. I didn't have the title. They gave me a receipt and filled out the IRS tax form which has date of sale, companies EIN number etc.

[cdwjava]

How did they accept the donation without clear title on the car?!?! You should not have been allowed to do that.

When were the parking cites issued? Were they issued before the car was sold? It is possible that the parking tickets you received took a long time to catch up to you and were actually issued long before you donated the car for scrap.

[Who'sThatGuy]

Hopefully the information you have is enough to convince a court that you transferred your vehicle on a date prior to the written tickets.
Never leave plates on a vehicle you will sell or donate. Always bring them to your states DMV and get a receipt for the surrender of the plates.

[mrxcoffee]

@cdwjava - The tickets we're issued after I sold the car. One of the meter tickets is 2 blocks from the car donation center. Thanks for the advice time to get writing. I will let you know how it pans out.

[cdwjava]

Hopefully the information you have is enough to convince a court that you transferred your vehicle on a date prior to the written tickets.
Never leave plates on a vehicle you will sell or donate. Always bring them to your states DMV and get a receipt for the surrender of the plates.

That's not required here as the plates go with the vehicle and are not registered to the individual. Turning in the plates would not absolve the registered owner of responsibility for the vehicle, the signed and submitted release of liability would do that.

- - - Updated - - -

@cdwjava - The tickets we're issued after I sold the car. One of the meter tickets is 2 blocks from the car donation center. Thanks for the advice time to get writing. I will let you know how it pans out.

Parking tickets in CA are handled by a haring officer or panel, so you do not have to deal with a court. if you can show that you had released ownership and possession of the car prior to the issue date, you should be okay. However, if you are still technically the owner of the vehicle because no one submitted the proper transfer paperwork, you will be SOL as the CVC essentially says that if you fail to submit the proper paperwork, you snooze and you lose.