Long term car storage means leaving a car unused for months, and the three questions that matter are the same wherever it sits: what the car needs, what your state requires for registration, and what your insurance covers. There is no single legal definition of long term, so this guide leans on primary sources: a manufacturer bulletin, a state motor vehicle agency and the insurance regulators’ association.
It does not name or rate storage companies or quote prices, which vary by market and facility.
How do you prepare a car for long term storage?
Start with your owner’s manual, because it is written for your model. As a worked example of what a manufacturer considers, Toyota’s long-term storage bulletin, hosted on NHTSA’s site, lists periodic checks for stored vehicles: tire pressure checks monthly, a monthly inspection for rust on parts, and a charge for a disconnected battery every 8 weeks.[1] The bulletin is dated March 6, 2017, is written for dealers holding new inventory, and applies to the Toyota models it lists, so treat it as an illustration, not instructions for your car.
Its points are written for new dealer inventory on a lot, and not all of them suit a car you own. Treat them as examples of what a manufacturer worries about:
- Parking brake. For its lot, the bulletin says the transmission should be in Park, or in first or reverse for a manual, and not to apply the parking brake. That is a lot instruction, so follow your own manual for how to park yours.
- Battery. To reduce drain it advises removing the ground (negative) cable and reinstalling it just before delivery, which means resetting the clock, radio and other systems afterward. It also notes that a hybrid’s battery and auxiliary battery lose charge gradually in storage and need maintenance.
- Tires. A flat spot can form where a tire touches the ground even at the correct pressure, so pressure should be checked monthly.
- Brakes. Cast-iron rotors can build surface rust, and the bulletin says to drive and brake normally at least every two months to reduce it.
- Moving the car. It advises starting and running the engine periodically and moving the vehicle at least 30 feet to lubricate the drivetrain and avoid flat spots.
Tip: Write the owner’s manual’s storage instructions on a card and leave it with whoever has the key. Storage rules for an electric or hybrid model can differ from a gasoline car.
Compare car rental
500+ rental companies. Free cancellation on most bookings.
Where should you keep it during long term storage?
The same bulletin describes storage areas as paved, well lit and secure, with vehicles parked at least 3 feet apart, windows and sunroof closed, electrical accessories off and the air controls set to recirculate to limit dust and odor. Those are a dealer’s own rules, but they translate into questions for any long term vehicle storage facility or home garage: is it dry, secure and accessible, does it allow a battery disconnect, and what does the facility’s own insurance cover?
Ask a facility for its insurance terms in writing. Whether your own policy covers a car inside someone else’s building is a question for your insurer, not the facility.
What happens to registration?
Rules are set by each state, so the example here is California, whose DMV handbook explains planned non-operation, or PNO. The owner is responsible for either filing a PNO or renewing the registration even if a billing notice does not arrive. A PNO must be filed by midnight on the registration expiration date to avoid a penalty, may be filed up to 60 days before that date, and may be filed up to 90 days after it if the vehicle has not been operated in any manner, but the penalty is then due.[2]
The handbook also says a PNO is not required every year, and that renewal fees must be paid on or before the date the vehicle is first operated to avoid a late penalty. Other states have different procedures, and some may require continuous registration. Check your own DMV before you stop paying.
What does insurance cover on a stored car?
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners explains that comprehensive coverage pays for damage from almost all causes other than a collision, including fire, severe weather, vandalism, floods and theft, and that you are not required by law to carry it.[3] Whether dropping other coverage on a stored car makes sense depends on your policy, your state and any lender.
If the car is financed or leased, the contract may set coverage requirements even where state law does not. Whether dropping other coverage on a stored car makes sense depends on your policy, your state and any lender. Ask your insurer in writing what a stored car needs, and ask it again before you drive the car.
How much does it cost to store a car for a year?
No official source publishes a national price for storing a car for a year, so this guide gives no number. What you can do is list the costs: the facility or space, any climate control you choose, insurance, registration or PNO fees, and battery or tire care when the car comes out. Add them up from written quotes for your area. If you would rather not store a car at all, see whether renting out your car beats selling it.
What should you do before you drive it again?
Treat the first drive as an inspection. Check tire pressure and condition, the battery, and the brakes, where rust on the rotors may cause vibration. The Toyota bulletin says a vibration that persists after the braking routine needs a closer look. If the car sat for more than a year, a trip to a qualified mechanic before long drives is cheap protection. Another option for an idle car is explained in how to rent out your car.
