Clark County, IN Parking Rules: Abandoned Vehicles (2026)
Key Facts
- Grace period
- 24 hours
- Covers
- Abandoned vehicles and mobile homes
- Requires
- Zoning/special-use for salvage
- Enforcement body
- Plan Commission
- Penalty
- Up to $2,500 per day
Summary
In unincorporated Clark County, parking an abandoned vehicle or abandoned mobile home on land that has not been zoned or granted a special use for salvage purposes becomes a code violation once it sits there more than 24 hours, under Zoning Code § 156.48(F).
(F) Limitations on special uses. Only those special uses that are indicated on Table S.U., following this section, shall be permitted in the zoning districts indicated by the table. The placement of an abandoned vehicle and/or abandoned mobile home on any parcel of land which has not been appropriately zoned or granted a special use for salvage purposes and which remains on said parcel for more than 24 hours shall be considered a violation of this chapter.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2019 S-0: Code: Local legislation current through Ordinance 31-2014, passed 12-18-2014).
Full Breakdown
48 sets up Clark County's special-use system: certain uses, such as scrap yards, land used for storing junk or salvage, and salvage businesses, may only operate where the Board of Zoning Appeals has granted a special-use classification on top of the base zoning. Subsection (F) folds the abandoned-vehicle rule into that framework directly: placing an abandoned vehicle or an abandoned mobile home on a parcel that lacks the right zoning or special-use approval for salvage purposes, and leaving it there more than 24 hours, is itself declared a violation of the chapter.
48(C). Absent that approval, the county treats a parked derelict vehicle or mobile home past the one-day grace period as an unpermitted salvage use rather than a parking or nuisance matter, putting enforcement squarely with the Plan Commission rather than the Sheriff's traffic authority.
Violations & Fines
Leaving an abandoned vehicle or mobile home past the 24-hour window on unqualified land triggers a civil penalty of up to $2,500 under § 156.99(A), with each day the vehicle remains counted as a separate offense under § 156.99(B). The Plan Commission's attorney can also seek an injunction compelling removal.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long can an abandoned vehicle sit on private property in unincorporated Clark County?
Does the rule cover abandoned mobile homes too?
Can a property owner ever legally store junked or salvage vehicles?
What is the penalty for leaving an abandoned vehicle too long?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Clark County
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