Detroit City Code Sec. 55-6-85 declares a vehicle abandoned after 48 continuous hours on a public street, alley or public place, or 48 hours on private property without the owner's consent; abandoned vehicles are tagged, towed and may be auctioned.
Under Sec. 55-6-85 (formerly Code 1964 Sec. 38-15-2) a vehicle is abandoned when it has remained 48 continuous hours on a public street, highway, alley or public place and appears from its condition and surrounding circumstances to be unclaimed, discarded, deserted or abandoned. The Detroit Police Department's Abandoned Vehicle unit places an orange sticker on suspect vehicles, notifies the state within 24 hours, and the registered owner has a short window to reclaim. Residents report abandoned vehicles via the city's SeeClickFix / Improve Detroit 311 system. Unclaimed vehicles go to city auction after 20 days.
The owner is liable for tow and storage fees and an administrative fine; vehicles impounded as nuisances under a blight violation notice (Sec. 22-1-32) require admission of responsibility plus the judgment, or a $1,500 bond to deny responsibility, before release.
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