Everett, WA Parking Rules: Abandoned Vehicles (2026)
Key Facts
- Time trigger
- 24 hours
- Vehicle age threshold
- 3 years or older
- Enforced against
- owner of record
- Cost recovery
- disposal costs billed to owner
Summary
Everett prohibits leaving a junk motor vehicle on private property over 24 hours without the owner's permission, or on public right-of-way for 24+ hours without notifying police, under EMC § 46.40.030.
No person shall wilfully leave an abandoned junk motor vehicle on private property for more than twenty-four hours without the permission of the person having the right to possession of the property, or upon or within the right-of-way of any highway or other property open to the public for purposes of vehicular travel or parking for twenty-four hours or longer without notification to the chief of police of the reasons for leaving the motor vehicle in such a place. For the purposes of this section, the fact that a motor vehicle has been so left without permission or notification is prima facie evidence of abandonment. Any person convicted of abandoning a junk motor vehicle shall be assessed any costs incurred by the city in disposing of such abandoned junk motor vehicle less any moneys accrued to the city from such disposal. (Ord. 869-82 § 3, 1982.)
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 4194-26, passed July 29, 2026).
Full Breakdown
EMC § 46.40.030 makes it unlawful to willfully leave an abandoned junk motor vehicle on private property for more than 24 hours without the property owner's permission, or in a public right-of-way for 24 hours or longer without notifying the police chief why the vehicle was left there; leaving it unexplained is treated as prima facie evidence of abandonment. A 'junk motor vehicle' under § 46.40.010(B) must be three years old or older, extensively damaged (broken window/windshield, missing wheels, motor, or transmission), apparently inoperable, unregistered, and worth only its scrap value. A convicted violator is billed for the city's disposal costs, offset by any resale proceeds.
Violations & Fines
Willfully leaving a junk motor vehicle on private property past 24 hours without permission, or on a public right-of-way for 24+ hours without notifying the police chief, violates EMC § 46.40.030 and makes the owner liable for the city's disposal costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as a 'junk' vehicle in Everett?
Who pays to remove an abandoned vehicle?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Everett
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Abandoned Vehicles in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Snohomish County handle abandoned vehicles.