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Is my car being sold? Lien sales and auctions in Madison
If a tow company or storage lot keeps a car and the bill is not paid, the car can be sold after the notices and waiting periods the law sets. The notice you get tells you which rules apply and how much time you have.
General information, not legal advice. Check your notice: the dates printed on it are the ones that count. Count calendar days unless the rule says business days.
Local notes
- After a private-property tow, if the charges are not paid in full within 30 days of the removal and there is no written installment agreement with the tow company, the car is deemed abandoned and may be disposed of like other abandoned vehicles (Wis. Stat. § 349.13(3m)(d)3.).
- A tow company with a towing and storage lien sends written notice to the owner and the senior lienholder within 30 days, and certified-mail notice at least 20 days before a sale or junking (Wis. Stat. § 779.415(1m)(a), (2)).
- A city or county holding an abandoned vehicle keeps it at least 10 days after certified-mail notice to the owner and lienholders, so it can be reclaimed by paying the charges (Wis. Stat. § 342.40(3)(c)).
Sources: Wis. Stat. § 349.13 (official text); Wis. Stat. § 779.415 (official text); Wis. Stat. § 342.40 (official text)
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