Junk Vehicle Affidavit in Washington, Explained

A car normally needs a title or the owner’s signed release before it can change hands. When the owner has disappeared, there is nobody to sign. RCW 46.55.230 fills that gap for junk vehicles. After the required steps, the landowner may dispose of the vehicle or “sign an affidavit of sale” to be used as a title document.

The State Patrol guide describes the DOL form as something an official can use to authorize disposal, which can “facilitate the removal” of a junk vehicle or let someone “claim ownership”.

This is where people get tripped up, because Washington has two definitions of “junk vehicle”, and each one belongs to its own chapter of state law.

The official who inspects decides whether the car meets the test, and the statute also has the inspector verify that its approximate value is only that of its parts. A nice-looking car that simply got left behind probably does not qualify, and the answer there is a registered tow.

1. An authorized official inspects and certifies

   Ask your city or sheriff’s non-emergency line who does this. The State Patrol guide says its VIN officers do not normally do it. In Tacoma, the city says you submit the affidavit and a Road Use Enforcement officer inspects and signs.

2. You mail notice

   The landowner mails notice to the last registered and legal owners. The statute has the officer or department representative give you their names, and the notice must describe the redemption procedure and the right to arrange for removal.

3. You wait

   The statute says “more than fifteen days” after the notice. If the records show no owner, you may proceed immediately.

4. You dispose of it or sign

   Hand the completed paperwork to a licensed hauler, wrecker or scrap processor. Do not crush it, part it out or haul it away yourself.

We do not link the form here because we could not confirm a direct link to the current version. Ask the Department of Licensing or your inspecting official for it.

These forms are easy to mix up. Use this to find yours.

State rules name it as a document a licensed business can rely on. WAC 308-65-080 lists a landowner’s junk vehicle affidavit of sale among the documents a hulk hauler may acquire a vehicle on. RCW 46.79.020 lets a hulk hauler transport a junk vehicle to a scrap processor on an affidavit of sale from a landowner who complied with RCW 46.55.230. The processor then forwards the document to DOL with its monthly report.

The hauler has to keep supporting documents in its possession while moving the vehicle. That is why anyone who offers to take a car with no paperwork at all should give you pause.

An affidavit is a sworn statement about the facts. Do not use it to shortcut a family dispute, an ex’s car or a car you simply want gone. False statements on title paperwork and forged signatures are a class B felony under RCW 46.12.750, punishable by a fine of up to $5,000, up to 10 years in prison, or both. If there is a real disagreement about who owns the car, ask an attorney first.

For a pickup, we need a Title, an Affidavit in Lieu of Title, or a Junk Vehicle Affidavit. Once yours is complete, call us at (206) 941-0612 and tell us what you have. Our paperwork guide covers the rest, and how it works walks through a pickup.