Commerce City, CO Parking Rules: Abandoned Vehicles (2026)

Revised Municipal Code § 11-41 defines 'abandoned vehicle or trailer' broadly: a vehicle left unattended on private property without the owner or lessee's consent; a vehicle left unattended in the public right-of-way that lacks currently valid plates or other identifying marks, has flat tires, or is damaged so extensively it has value only for junk or salvage; or a vehicle left unattended in the right-of-way for 72 consecutive hours or more. A registered, operable vehicle parked in the right-of-way adjacent to its owner's own property escapes that 72-hour rule as long as no trash or debris accumulates around it and it stays within the prolongation of the owner's property lines.

Section 11-42 makes it unlawful to abandon a motor vehicle on public property; a Commerce City police officer who has reasonable grounds to believe a vehicle is abandoned can require it removed and stored in a city-designated impound lot, and can move a vehicle blocking traffic without liability for resulting damage. Once towed, § 11-43 requires the responsible law enforcement agency to check with the Colorado Department of Revenue whether the vehicle was reported stolen, notify the owner and any lienholder by certified mail within 10 working days, and give the owner 30 days to reclaim it or 10 days to request a hearing before the city manager or a designee contests the tow.

If unclaimed, § 11-45 allows the city manager to sell it at public or private sale after advertising under § 11-49; a vehicle appraised at $350 or less can only be sold for junking, scrapping, or dismantling, without a certificate of title issued to the buyer.