CCSO--Hulk Permits

Cowlitz County
Sheriff's Office

M-F 8:30am to 5:00pm

Location--Hall of Justice
312 SW First Ave
Kelso, WA 98626
Phone: (360) 577-3092
Fax: (360) 423-1047

Yale Valley residents: (800) 201-3092

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Hulk Permit
Junk Vehicle Verification, Notification and Affidavit
(Also see Illegal Dumping)

junk car

Download and read the Junk Vehicle Verification, Notification and Affidavit (pdf)

Hulk permits are issued by the Sheriff's Office to property owners who have junk vehicles on their property that they wish to have removed. In order for a vehicle to be eligible for a hulk permit (formerly a "mash permit"), the vehicle must meet at least three (3) of the four (4) following criteria:

Must be at least three (3) years old
Must be extensively damaged
Must be inoperable
Must have a "Fair Market Value" equal only to the approximate value of the scrap in it

The Sheriff's Office requires that the vehicle be accessible to the deputy and not owned by the property owner.

If your vehicle does not meet the above criteria, please refer to RCW 46.55 concerning abandoned vehicles.

STEP 1: (Download and read the Junk Vehicle form) (pdf)

VERIFICATION - To be completed by a law enforcement officer.

STEP 2:

NOTIFICATION - Landowner: Please complete this section and mail a COPY of the ENTIRE FORM to both the Registered and Legal Owner(s) of the vehicle, listed on the front of this form. If no Ownership was found, proceed to Section 3.

REDEMPTION PROCEDURE

VEHICLE OWNER'S RIGHTS:

The vehicle owner has the right to arrange for the removal of the vehicle within fifteen days after the landowner has mailed notification to the vehicle owner.

LANDOWNER'S RIGHTS IF A VEHICLE REMAINS UNCLAIMED

a. If the vehicle remains unclaimed more than fifteen days after the landowner has mailed notification to the owner, the landowner may dispose of the vehicle or sign an affidavit of sale, to be used as a title document.

b. The landowner of the property upon which the junk vehicle is located, is entitled to recover, from the vehicle's owner, all costs incurred in the removal of the junk vehicle.

STEP 3:

LANDOWNER AFFIDAVIT - Landowner: If the vehicle is not claimed within fifteen days, or a vehicle owner was not found, have the following Landowner Affidavit notarized. It may be used as a title document, to dispose of the vehicle. You are responsible for making arrangements for removal of the vehicle.

Additional Information: Dept. of Licensing web site.