Dallas, TX Parking Rules: Abandoned Vehicles (2026)
Key Facts
- Landscaping
- Operable vehicle on street: 7-day rule before tow
- Landscaping
- Inoperable on street: 48-hour rule (Tex. Transp. Code 683.002)
- Junked Vehicle
- Junked vehicle on private property: Dallas Code Ch. 18
- DPD Posts
- DPD posts warning tag before tow
- Notice Required
- 20-day claim window after certified-mail notice
- Auction Salvage
- Auction or salvage if unclaimed
Summary
Dallas treats a vehicle as abandoned under Dallas City Code Chapter 28 and Texas Transportation Code §683 when left on public right-of-way more than 48 hours (inoperable) or 7 days (operable, apparently abandoned). DPD tags and tows after the waiting period. Junked vehicles on private property are addressed under Dallas Code Chapter 18 as a nuisance with a 10-day cure notice.
Sec. 683.002. ABANDONED MOTOR VEHICLE. (a) For the purposes of this chapter, a motor vehicle is abandoned if the motor vehicle:(1) is inoperable, is more than five years old, and has been left unattended on public property for more than 48 hours;(2) has remained illegally on public property for more than 48 hours;(3) has remained on private property without the consent of the owner or person in charge of the property for more than 48 hours;(4) has been left unattended on the right-of-way of a designated county, state, or federal highway for more than 48 hours;(5) has been left unattended for more than 24 hours on the right-of-way of a turnpike project constructed and maintained by the Texas Turnpike Authority division of the Texas Department of Transportation or a controlled access high...
Full Breakdown
Dallas enforces Texas Transportation Code Chapter 683 and Dallas City Code Chapter 28 (Motor Vehicles & Traffic). A vehicle on public right-of-way is presumed abandoned if it is inoperable and left more than 48 hours, or operable and left more than 7 days under conditions indicating abandonment (flat tires, missing plates, expired registration, visible damage). The DPD Abandoned Vehicle Unit responds to OurDallas / 311 reports, posts a tag with a warning, and tows after the waiting period. Junked vehicles on private property, defined by Texas Transp. Code §683.071 as wrecked, dismantled, partially dismantled, discarded, or inoperable and remaining on the premises more than 30 days, are regulated by Dallas Code Chapter 18 and abated by Code Compliance after at least 10 days written notice and a chance to request a hearing before the municipal court. After a tow, the operator must notify the registered owner by certified mail; owners have 20 days to claim before auction or salvage.
Violations & Fines
Tow fees per Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation: roughly $200-$275 hook, daily storage $20 outdoor / $35 indoor, notification fee $50-$65. First-week recovery typically $350-$700. Junked-vehicle nuisance citations on private property carry fines up to $500 per day under Dallas Code §18-12, plus possible city abatement and lien.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I report an abandoned vehicle in Dallas?
Can the city tow my car from my driveway?
How do I retrieve a towed vehicle in Dallas?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Dallas
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Abandoned Vehicles in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Dallas County handle abandoned vehicles.