Do you buy junk cars in Merrillville?
Yes. Merrillville is Indiana's most populous town and touches Gary on its north side, and we tow from it free and pay at pickup. Same-day pickup is available. The town's code requires current plates on any vehicle that needs them, even on private property.
| Population, 2020 Census | 36,444 |
|---|---|
| Owner-occupied homes | 70.5% |
| Main roads | US 30 (81st Ave), I-65, SR 53 (Broadway), SR 55 (Taft St) |
| Plate rule | Sec. 12-80(d): current plates, or keep it in a garage out of sight |
| Tow fee | 40 dollar town administrative fee on every tow (Sec. 12-61.5) |
Indiana’s biggest town
Merrillville incorporated as a town in 1971 and became Indiana’s most populous town on January 1, 2015. It is centered on US 30 and I-65, with Gary to the north. US 30 is 81st Avenue here, Broadway is SR 53, and Taft Street is SR 55.
The plate rule
Merrillville bars any vehicle required to have plates from being stored or parked on town streets or private property without current Indiana plates. Without plates, the vehicle must be in a garage or shed not visible from a public road. That catches many dead cars: the registration lapsed, the plates came off, and the car sits in the driveway.
Other town rules
Sec. 12-80 forbids abandoned and junked vehicles, meaning partially dismantled, mechanically inoperative or wrecked ones, on public or private premises. No vehicle may sit on a street over 72 hours without a police-chief permit. With 2 inches of snow all vehicles must be off the street. Commercial vehicles over 8,000 pounds are barred from residential districts from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. and may not park there at any time.
Vehicle taxes
Merrillville levies a municipal motor vehicle surtax and a wheel tax on heavier vehicles, collected through BMV registration. We do not state the amounts here beyond what the code says.
How we help
We tow from any Merrillville address, free, and pay at pickup. Get your offer. A lapsed registration and no title together call for the no-title guide.
Sources
Questions people ask
- Do I need plates on a car in my own yard?
- Sec. 12-80(d) says a plate-required vehicle may not be stored or parked on town streets or private property without current Indiana plates, with unplated vehicles allowed only in a garage or shed not visible from a public road.
- What about a long-parked car on the street?
- No vehicle may be parked on a street over 72 hours without a police-chief permit (Sec. 12-90).
- What is the 40 dollar fee?
- A town administrative fee on every tow within the town limits (Sec. 12-61.5).
Close by
What we buy here
Before you sell
- How a junk car is valued in GaryWeight, completeness, the converter and parts demand, and how to compare offers.
- Selling a junk car in Indiana with no titleThe certificate of authority, the 15-year rule and the cases that cannot be sold.
- Abandoned and junk vehicle rules in GaryWhat the city can do to a dead car, and why selling it first is cheaper.