Abandoned and Inoperable Vehicles
City ordinance makes it illegal to abandon a vehicle on public or private property. Partially dismantled, non-operating, wrecked or junked vehicles also may not be left within the city.
State law defines an abandoned vehicle as, “a vehicle that is three (3) or more model years old and mechanically inoperable, and is left on private property for more than twenty (20) days.”
People convicted of violating the ordinance face fines of up to $50.
IF A VEHICLE THAT IS TAGGED ON PRIVATE PROPERTY AND AN APPOINTMENT TO SHOW THE VEHICLE OPERABLE IS NOT MADE WITHIN THE 20 DAYS, THE VEHICLE MAY BE TOWED AND A $50 TICKET ISSUED TO THE OWNER.
Municipal code also prohibits parking vehicles (including cars, trucks, trailers, campers, boats, RVs, etc.) on any portion of residential property other than in a driveway, street or alley. Violators can receive tickets of $50 per day, per violation.
The following vehicles are not permitted to park in residential districts: semi-trucks, tractor-trucks, farm tractors, road tractors, semi-trailers, over-sized vehicles, school buses, church buses; or inoperable automobiles, vans, motorcycles, recreation vehicles, campers, boats and trucks. An over-sized vehicle/trailer is a vehicle/trailer with an overall length of more than twenty feet, or with an overall width of more than seven feet, six inches.
ALL VIOLATIONS MUST BE CORRECTED WITHIN 24 HOURS TO AVOID RECEIVING A $50 TICKET.
To make a complaint about a vehicle on private property for the Neighborhood Code Enforcement Department call - 311. An officer will be sent out within the next 2 working days to check the complaint.
If you would like to submit a complaint click here.
If you would prefer to e-mail us, you may do so at: pamela.burns@cityoffortwayne.org
If the complaint concerns a vehicle on a public street, please call Parking Control at 311.
The following information is needed to respond to a complaint:
1) Address where the vehicle is located. (Exact address please.)
2) Is car in the grass or in the driveway?
3) Type of car, color, and year (if possible).
4) If available, a plate number would be helpful.
If you are a property owner and there is an abandoned vehicle that you would like to have removed, you can sign a waiver asking for the vehicle to be removed. We will then tag the vehicle and remove it if it is still there after 3 days.
These waivers are available at the Neighborhood Code Office, we will fax one to you if you call 311. You may also click on the 
Waiver Form **, print it out and mail it to us or bring it to our office.
**NOTE: In order to view and print the waiver form, you will need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader on your computer. If you do not have the reader, you can download it for free by going here.
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