Sell your car in Oakland: running or not, after a theft or break-in
Get an instant offer online for the car you're selling in Oakland, running or not, and we come to you to collect it. If the car was stolen and OPD found it, it may be sitting in a tow yard, and the steps to get it released are further down.
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Getting a recovered car released
- Call OPD Records at (510) 238-3021 to confirm the car was towed. The City says the line is answered 24/7.
- Go to Records in person, room 306 of the Police Administration Building at 455 7th Street, for a release form. It's open 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m. to noon on weekends and holidays. Bring a valid driver's license and proof that you're the registered owner. If the car is held as evidence, you need the investigator's release first.
- Take the release to the tow yard and pay the towing and storage charges, which the City says are paid directly to the tow company. Once the car is out, it's yours to keep, repair or sell.
Where we pick up around Oakland
Pickup reaches the flatlands and the hills alike, from Fruitvale and East Oakland up to Montclair, and port-side addresses too. Past the city line it takes in Piedmont, Emeryville, Berkeley and El Cerrito to the north, Alameda across the estuary, and San Leandro, Castro Valley and Hayward to the south. Curbside pickup is routine, and we time it so the car isn't sitting on the street signed over and waiting. If you work shifts, at the port or anywhere else, say which hours work when you book, and pickup is scheduled around them.
Meeting a private buyer instead? OPD offers Safe Exchange Zones at its headquarters, 455 7th Street, and at the Eastmont Substation, 2651 73rd Avenue. In a September 2025 post, OPD said both are watched by surveillance cameras and the lobbies are open during business hours for online marketplace exchanges.
When OPD finds your stolen car
The City of Oakland lists a car "stolen and recovered by OPD" among the reasons it tows vehicles. So a recovered car can end up in a tow yard before it gets back to you, and getting it out takes a release form from OPD Records.
We make offers on recovered cars, including ones with a replaced window, and the offer reflects the repairs you can document. We also make offers on cars with a salvage or other branded title, and our guide to selling a salvage or rebuilt title car covers what the brand changes.
Cash for your car in Oakland
A break-in attempt can leave a forced ignition, a broken steering column and a car that won't start. Our trucks don't need the car to drive.
OPD takes reports of attempted auto theft and catalytic converter theft online. A car that was stolen outright can't be reported that way: the City says to report it in person or by phone, and it lists the non-emergency line, (510) 777-3333, as available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
If a recovered car came back stripped of wheels, seats or parts and you'd rather not rebuild it, you can sell it as a junk car instead.
When a theft or break-in leaves body damage behind, selling a damaged car covers what buyers check and what you have to disclose; if the insurer has declared the recovered car a total loss, selling a totaled car explains the payout, the buyback and the salvage title that follows.
Reported thefts, 2024 and 2025
- •10,439 — car thefts were reported in Oakland in 2024, per The Oaklandside's analysis of city crime data (The Oaklandside)
- •Oakland car thefts were down 39% in 2025 from 2024, according to Oakland Police Department data reported by The Oaklandside (OPD data via Oaklandside)
Asked by Oakland sellers
Do I have to pay fees to get my recovered car back?
Not OPD's release fee, going by its tow resource guide (dated September 2022): stolen-vehicle tows are left off the list that owes it. The tow company's towing and storage charges are separate. If the car was held as evidence, the same guide says an investigator may waive all or part of the fees for the victim of a crime, so call the investigator assigned to the case before you pay.
The title was in the car when it was stolen. Where do I replace it in Oakland?
At a California DMV field office. Oakland has two: the Oakland office at 5300 Claremont Avenue and Oakland Coliseum at 501 85th Ave. The DMV lists "Title Transfers" and "Replace Lost/Stolen/Damaged" among the services at both, and both have a self-serve kiosk. As of September 2026, both are open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays, except Wednesdays, when they open at 9, and closed on weekends.
I drive the 880 Express Lanes. What do I do about FasTrak when I sell?
As of September 2026, the southbound I-880 Express Lanes start at Hegenberger Road in Oakland, and from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays every vehicle in them needs a valid FasTrak toll tag. FasTrak says you're responsible for tolls charged to your account based on your license plate unless you tell it about a plate change. Take the tag out of the car before pickup, then remove the sold car's plate under Account Settings online or by calling 877-229-8655.
Can I get cash for a junk car in Oakland after its catalytic converter was stolen?
Yes. Before you file the theft report online, check the City's exceptions: its online system won't take a report if you know who did it, if you have photos or video of the crime, or if the damage or value is over $5,000. Those have to be reported in person or by phone.
Once the car is back from the tow yard, the title and DMV paperwork for selling it follow state rules, and our California page lays them out.