Ventura County, CA Parking Rules: Abandoned Vehicles (2026)

Unincorporated Ventura County addresses abandoned vehicles through its Ordinance Code, Division 6 (Police Regulations), Chapter 2 (Public Protection). Article 7 (Abandoned or Inoperative Motor Vehicles) declares such vehicles, including parts, on private or public property a public nuisance to be abated and removed (Sec. 6281-1). Before removal, the County generally serves a notice of intention to abate or remove the vehicle, with the owner given the chance to request a hearing (Sec. 6281-2, 6282-1); notice is not required for certain vehicles, such as those so dismantled they cannot be operated. Article 7.1 (Abandoned Vehicles) separately prohibits abandonment: Sec. 6288-3 makes it unlawful to abandon a vehicle on public or private property without the express or implied consent of the owner or person in lawful control of the property. These County provisions operate alongside the California Vehicle Code, which provides the 72-hour removal authority for vehicles left on a highway (CVC 22651(k)) and the general abandoned-vehicle removal authority (CVC 22669) used by County-designated officers and abatement contractors. To report an abandoned vehicle in the unincorporated county, residents contact the County's public works/code enforcement channels rather than a city police department.