How do I handle vehicles still on my body shop’s lot when I sell?

Walk the lot with a clipboard. Record each car’s identification number, owner, condition, how long it has been there, and the paperwork you hold: work order, authorization, storage agreement or insurer file. This record protects you and the buyer if a question arises later.

Then sort by group. Customer cars in progress will usually carry on with the new owner, so agree how unfinished jobs, deposits and parts already ordered are handled. Finished cars should be collected before closing, or the sale terms should say who is responsible and who holds the keys. Parts cars that you own can be sold, scrapped or included in the sale, and each choice should be written down.

The hardest group is cars nobody has claimed. Ask your lawyer how to deal with an abandoned vehicle and what notice you need to give the owner, since the steps depend on your situation. Do not leave them for the buyer to discover. Finally, check your insurance and storage terms so there is no gap in cover during the changeover, and tell customers what is happening. Keep the final vehicle list with the closing papers, and give the buyer a copy signed by both of you so that nobody argues later about what was on the lot that day.

Key takeaways

• List every vehicle with owner, status, time on the lot and paperwork held.
• Settle unfinished jobs, finished cars and parts cars in the sale terms.
• Ask your lawyer how to handle unclaimed vehicles before closing.