Bloomington, IL Parking Rules: Abandoned Vehicles (2026)

Section 29-2206 of the Bloomington City Code, adopted by Ordinance No. 2008-77 (and predecessor Ordinance No. 1987-99), sets separate rules for residential, R-district residential-use, and business/commercial/industrial property. On any property in residential use or zoned residential, Subsection A requires that vehicles and trailers lacking current legal registration, uninspected vehicles, and inoperable vehicles or trailers be kept inside a garage or other fully enclosed structure meeting Code requirements; the property owner may never disassemble parts (stripping) or perform a major overhaul, including body work, on a vehicle anywhere on that property outside such a structure.

Subsection C applies a parallel rule to business, commercial and industrial property, but allows an exception while a vehicle is actively being repaired by an automobile service business or new/used car dealer's employees. Rather than simply ticketing the vehicle, § 29-2206(D) lets the City apply to a court for an order authorizing removal of any vehicle parked on private property in violation of Subsections A, B or C, placing it in storage at a private garage or other exterior place of safety, in addition to any other remedy available under Chapter 29.

Subsection E makes it a separate offense for the property owner, occupant, vehicle owner, user, possessor or repairer to fail to comply with the section or to allow the prohibited stripping, overhaul or unenclosed storage to occur. Enforcement runs alongside the neighboring § 29-2205, which lets Bloomington police tow vehicles left on public streets for 24 hours, lacking registration, or registered as antiques.