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Is my car being sold? Lien sales and auctions in Milwaukee
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
- The City Tow Lot's page says a notice goes to the owner after a tow; a car not retrieved within 15 days of the notice may be recycled, and a car of substantial value gets a second notice and may be sold or recycled 15 days after it. Its FAQ counts the 15 days from the date of the tow.
- 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 certified-mail notice at least 20 days before a sale or junking (Wis. Stat. § 779.415(2)).
Sources: Tow Lot (City of Milwaukee); Wis. Stat. § 349.13 (official text); Wis. Stat. § 779.415 (official text)
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