Cathedral City, CA Parking Rules: Abandoned Vehicles (2026)

Chapter 11.80 of the Cathedral City Municipal Code treats an abandoned, wrecked, dismantled or inoperative vehicle, or parts of one, on private or public property (not including highways) as a public nuisance. Section 11.80.160 makes it unlawful to abandon, park, store or leave such a licensed or unlicensed vehicle for a period in excess of two days, unless it is completely enclosed within a building in a lawful manner where it is not plainly visible from the street or other property, or is stored on private property in connection with a licensed dismantler, licensed vehicle dealer or junkyard. Section 11.80.030 also excludes a vehicle enclosed by a fence or wall in a lawful manner where it is not visible from the street. Section 11.80.170 separately makes it unlawful to refuse to remove a vehicle or abate the nuisance when ordered.

Removal runs through notice. Section 11.80.090 requires not less than a ten-day notice of intention to abate and remove, issued by the director of code compliance for removals by the code compliance division or by the police chief for removals by the police department, and mailed by registered or certified mail to the land owner on the last equalized assessment roll and to the last registered and legal owners of the vehicle. The notice is not required where the owners signed releases, or for certain inoperable vehicles valued at less than two hundred dollars on agricultural parcels or parcels without a residential structure. A land or vehicle owner has ten days to request a public hearing under § 11.80.100, and a land owner can submit a sworn written statement denying responsibility. Under § 11.80.110, if the vehicle was placed on the land without consent and the owner has not acquiesced, removal costs are not assessed against the owner.

After the order, the vehicle can go to a scrapyard five days later (§ 11.80.130) but cannot be dismantled for thirty days, during which the registered owner can reclaim it by paying removal and storage costs. Notice goes to the Department of Motor Vehicles within five days of removal (§ 11.80.140). Costs unpaid within thirty days of the order are assessed against the parcel (§ 11.80.150).