Bergenfield, NJ Parking Rules: Abandoned Vehicles (2026)

Chapter 295 defines abandoned broadly: on public streets, public property or a private business parking area, any vehicle parked without the current year's registration or found mechanically inoperable counts, while on any other private property the term reaches the keeping or storing by a property owner or lessee of more than one vehicle out of doors without the current year's registration for more than 30 days. The definition exempts vehicles stored inside an enclosed building and inventory displayed outdoors by a licensed motor vehicle dealer.

Section 295-2 makes it unlawful for any person to abandon a motor vehicle on any public street, public or private property within the Borough. When police find a violation on private land, § 295-3 requires 10 days' written notice to the owner or tenant, served personally, left with a household member over 14, or sent by certified mail if the owner lives outside town. If the violation isn't fixed, § 295-4 lets the Police Department take possession and move the vehicle to a designated garage, entering private property with the occupant's permission if the responsible party can't be found.

A. 39:10A-1. Before any sale, § 295-6 lets the owner reclaim the vehicle by paying the towing and storage costs plus any fines and court costs tied to the violation. General violations of Chapter 295 fall under the Borough's general penalty provision in Chapter 1, Article II.