How To File An Abandoned Vehicle in Georgia

For property owners in Georgia, abandoned vehicles can be a big problem. If you’re a private property owner in Georgia and find yourself in possession of an abandoned vehicle, you may be able to have it removed from your property. However, if you want to keep the vehicle and get a title for it, you may want to consider using an alternate method of title recovery.

What is an abandoned vehicle?

Abandoned vehicles are vehicles that have been left on private property by their owner with no further intentions to collect or dispose of the vehicle. If you know who owns the car or know how it got on the property, it is not considered to be an abandoned vehicle.

According to the Magistrate Court of Fulton County, GA, a motor vehicle is to be considered abandoned if:

• The owner, or acting party for the owner, has left the vehicle with an automobile dealer, repair shop, or wrecker service for repairs or another reason and has not been picked up within 30 days. If no time was agreed upon consider the vehicle abandoned 30 days after the completion of necessary repairs.
• The vehicle is left unattended on a public street, road, or property for at least 5 days without signs of the owner returning or intending to return.
• The vehicle has been lawfully towed to the property at the request of a law enforcement officer or private property owner and left there for 30 days without any claims being made on the vehicle.
• The vehicle has been left unattended on private property for 30 days without any claims being made on the vehicle.

How do you file an abandoned vehicle in Georgia?

If you have an abandoned vehicle in Georgia on private property, the first step is to download and complete the form Notice of an Abandoned Vehicle and Request for Information (MV-603). The purpose of filing this form is to notify the Georgia MVD of an abandoned vehicle and to request the names and addresses of any known owners, lessors, lessees, and other security interest holders.

Georgia abandoned vehicle laws state that abandoned vehicles must be removed by a towing company or law enforcement agency. You cannot move an abandoned vehicle to store it on another property. If you file the form MV-603, you are requesting that the vehicle be removed from your property and no longer be your problem.

After the vehicle has been towed and removed from the property, the towing company or other authorized business must attempt to contact any owners, lessors, lessees, and other security interests to notify them of the abandoned vehicle. If the towing company or authorized business does not receive a response from any of the interested parties, they may file for a court order to render them eligible to sell the vehicle at a public auction.

Can you get a title for an abandoned vehicle in Georgia?

You can get a title for an abandoned vehicle in Georgia, but not by filing for an abandoned vehicle. In order to title the abandoned vehicle, the towing company must file a court order to sell the vehicle at public auction and sell the vehicle to the highest bidder. Once the vehicle is sold, the buyer can then begin the process to apply for a title.

An abandoned vehicle cannot be issued a bonded title under Georgia law. To obtain a vehicle title for an abandoned vehicle purchased at auction, you must obtain a certified copy of the court order and go through the process of a court-ordered title. Additionally, the buyer must submit the following documents:

• Georgia Tag and Title Application (MV-1)
• Bill of Sale (T-7)
• Certificate of Inspection (T-22B)

For more information on obtaining a title with a court order in Georgia, click here.

If you’ve ever been stuck with an abandoned vehicle on your property, you know it can be just as frustrating as it is annoying. Fortunately, if your situation allows, there are typically legal avenues to address the problem. If you are looking to have an abandoned vehicle removed from your property, this guide will start you off in the right direction.