Bethlehem, PA Parking Rules: Abandoned Vehicles (2026)

Pennsylvania's abandoned-vehicle framework runs through 75 Pa.C.S. Chapter 73 (Abandoned Vehicles and Cargos), §7311 et seq., which authorizes municipalities and authorized salvors to remove vehicles left on public roads or private property under defined conditions, sets the owner-notification procedures, and provides the title-clearing process for unclaimed vehicles. 75 Pa.C.S. §3353.3 authorizes towing of unattended vehicles on private property by privately operated towing businesses when the property owner consents and PennDOT signage and notification rules are met. The Codified Ordinances of the City of Bethlehem layer local administration on top: the Vehicles and Traffic provisions prohibit parking inoperable, wrecked or unregistered vehicles on City streets and authorize immediate removal, and the Property Maintenance / Nuisance provisions prohibit storage of junked or inoperable vehicles on private property except in fully enclosed structures or properly licensed businesses. Reports of abandoned vehicles on City streets are handled by the Bethlehem Police Department; vehicles on private property go through the Code Enforcement notice process initiated by the property owner or the City. The Bethlehem Zoning Ordinance further restricts outdoor storage of inoperable vehicles in residential districts.