Brookhaven, NY Parking Rules: Abandoned Vehicles (2026)
Key Facts
- Legal authority
- VTL § 1224, administered by Town Director
- Town-use conversion cap
- 1% of unclaimed vehicles yearly, or two
- Private-property tow minimum fee
- $500 actual expense
- Violation fine
- $100 to $500
- Notified agency
- Suffolk County Police Department
Summary
Brookhaven's Highways chapter lets the Town remove, store and dispose of abandoned vehicles under Vehicle and Traffic Law Section 1224, whether they sit on a Town road during an emergency or block traffic unattended. Owners can redeem a towed vehicle by paying removal and storage fees, and Article III sets its own fine schedule for violations.
§ 38-12. Town use of abandoned vehicles; redemption by owner. A. Pursuant to § 1224, Subdivision 6(a), of the Vehicle and Traffic Law, as such section may be from time to time be amended, the Town Board may convert to Town use, in any calendar year, up to 1% of its unclaimed vehicles having a wholesale value in excess of $750 or two such vehicles, whichever is greater. B. The owner or person in charge of an abandoned vehicle may redeem the same upon payment of all removal and storage fees, as such fees may be set from time to time by Town Board local law to cover the costs of the Town. § 38-15. Penalties for offenses. A violation of the foregoing Article III shall be a violation punishable by a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $500.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4966897; v79 updated 2026-05-28; through 05-28-2026).
Full Breakdown
Article III of the Highways chapter authorizes the Town Board to appoint a Director to administer Vehicle and Traffic Law Section 1224 for collecting, storing and disposing of abandoned vehicles within the unincorporated Town. Section 38-12 lets the Town convert up to 1% of its unclaimed vehicles worth more than $750, or two vehicles, whichever is greater, to Town use each calendar year, while the owner may redeem any abandoned vehicle by paying the removal and storage fees the Town Board sets by local law.
Section 38-13 lets the Director remove a vehicle parked or abandoned on a Town highway during a snowstorm, flood, fire or other public emergency, or an unattended vehicle that obstructs traffic; after removal, the Director must promptly report the vehicle to the Suffolk County Police Department so it can help identify and notify the owner. Section 38-14 sets the towing fee for abandoned vehicles removed from private property at the Town's actual expense, but not less than $500. A related Article IV, covering vehicles parked or displayed for storage or sale within 100 feet of a state or county highway or 250 feet of an intersection, is enforced the same way, with illegal vehicles treated and redeemed as abandoned vehicles under Section 38-17.
Violations & Fines
Section 38-15 punishes any Article III abandoned-vehicle violation with a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $500. Article IV's parallel storage-and-sale violations carry the identical fine range under Section 38-18, on top of towing and storage costs the owner must pay to redeem the vehicle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who removes an abandoned vehicle from a Brookhaven road?
How do I get my towed vehicle back?
Can the Town keep my abandoned vehicle instead of selling it?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Brookhaven
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Abandoned Vehicles in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Suffolk County handle abandoned vehicles.