Albemarle County, VA Parking Rules: Abandoned Vehicles (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- County Code § 9-113
- Authority
- Chief of Police
- Where applicable
- Private property only
- Owner notice
- Required after removal (subsection D)
- Disposal basis
- Va. Code § 46.2-1200 et seq.
Summary
Albemarle County Code § 9-113 lets the Chief of Police direct the removal and disposal of an abandoned motor vehicle, using the definition in Virginia Code § 46.2-1200. Removal from private property is allowed, the owner must be notified of the vehicle's location, and disposal follows the state abandoned-vehicle statutes.
A.As used in this section, "abandoned motor vehicle" has the same meaning as in Virginia Code § 46.2-1200.B.The Chief of Police may direct that an abandoned or unattended motor vehicle be taken or disposed of by any person provided in Virginia Code § 46.2-1201. The Chief of Police may also direct that motor vehicles, trailers, semitrailers, or parts thereof be removed as provided in Virginia Code §§ 46.2-1213 and 46.2-1215.C.The Chief of Police may only remove vehicles from private property.D.As soon as possible after removal of a vehicle, the Chief of Police shall notify the owner of the vehicle of the vehicle's location and the procedure to recover the vehicle.E.After taking or removing the vehicle, the Chief of Police may dispose of it as provided in Virginia Code § 46.2-1200, et seq.
Full Breakdown
2-1201. 2-1215. The county limits this authority under subsection (C): the Chief of Police may only remove vehicles from private property under this section, not from a public highway (public-highway removals fall instead under the general enforcement and immobilization provisions of §§ 9-115 and 9-116). Once a vehicle is taken, subsection (D) requires the Chief of Police to notify the owner, as soon as possible, of the vehicle's location and of the procedure to recover it. , the state's abandoned vehicle disposal statutes. 4) through a 2005 amendment and the 2021 renumbering of Chapter 9 under Ord. 21-9(1), which moved it from former § 9-114 to its current numbering.
Violations & Fines
Section 9-113 is a removal-and-disposal authority for the Chief of Police rather than a separate offense provision; an owner who leaves a vehicle abandoned on private property in the county risks having it removed and, if unclaimed, disposed of under Virginia Code § 46.2-1200 et seq. after the Chief of Police provides notice of its location and the recovery procedure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Albemarle County remove an abandoned car from my property?
Will I be told if my vehicle is towed as abandoned?
What happens if an abandoned vehicle is never claimed?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Albemarle County
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