Can I Sell My Ex-Husband's Car if It Is Abandoned on My Property?

When your ex-husband has left his car on your property after a divorce, you might be tempted to sell it and use the cash for something else. Unfortunately, unless you are the legal owner of the car, you have no right to sell the car. However, because it is on your property, you can have it towed.

Divorce Agreement

When you went to court to work out a divorce agreement, the judge should have specified who gets what debt and property. After this, you should have transferred the things that the judge ruled are yours into your name, and your ex-husband should have done the same. The court usually specifies a time period during which these changes need to be completed, so wait for that period to end before doing anything about the car.

Car Title

In order to sell the car, you need to have the car title with only your name on it. When your name is the only one on the title, the car is yours to do as you wish, even if your ex-husband was the one who drove it while you were married. If your husband's name is on the title as well, you would need his signature to sell the car. If the title is in his name only, he likely has it anyway, and he is the only person who can sell the car.

Removing Vehicle

Call a towing company to have it remove the abandoned vehicle from your property. If your ex wants it back, he will have to go to the impound lot and pay the fees to get the car. Otherwise, the lien holder, if any, will repossess the car or the impound lot will sell the vehicle at an auction.

Considerations

If you would like to maintain any sort of goodwill with your ex-husband, contact him to let him know that you would like him to remove the vehicle from your property. Although you could call a towing company right away, this is unnecessary if your ex is willing to come get the car. Make sure to specify a reasonable time frame for him to get the car and let him know that you will have it towed if he does not remove it from your property by then.