A vehicle a tow operator holds for 120 hours is legally abandoned under state law, and a certified junk vehicle can be removed and disposed of. On private property, Spokane County treats junk vehicles as a nuisance under SCC 6.13, carrying a $250-per-day penalty.
State law (RCW 46.55) governs abandoned and junk vehicles on public roads: an 'abandoned vehicle' is one a registered tow operator has impounded and held 120 consecutive hours, and a 'junk vehicle' is one certified as meeting at least three damage/age/inoperability criteria. On private property in unincorporated Spokane County, SCC Chapter 6.13 declares premises where 'junk motor vehicles are stored or maintained' improperly a nuisance. RCW 46.55.240 expressly lets a county adopt an ordinance for 'abatement and removal as public nuisances of junk vehicles or parts thereof from private property,' which is exactly what SCC 6.13 does.
$250 per day per violation plus abatement costs (SCC 6.13.070); abandoning a junk vehicle is a gross misdemeanor under RCW 46.55.230.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
spokane-county-wa
Home composting is allowed in Spokane County and is not separately permitted. Compost must be managed so it does not become a nuisance, attract vermin, or cr...
spokane-county-wa
Spokane County has no ordinance banning or specifically regulating artificial turf on residential property. Synthetic lawns are allowed. In regulated develop...
spokane-county-wa
Spokane County's Zoning Code actively favors native vegetation. Chapter 14.806 states that whenever possible native vegetation should be used and existing ve...
spokane-county-wa
Collecting rooftop rainwater is legal in Spokane County without a water-right permit. Under Washington Department of Ecology's 2009 policy, on-site storage a...
spokane-county-wa
Spokane County itself publishes no countywide lawn-watering schedule. Outdoor watering rules are set by each water purveyor: the City of Spokane and local wa...
spokane-county-wa
State law (RCW 17.10) requires every Spokane County property owner to eradicate Class A noxious weeds and control designated Class B and C weeds on their lan...
See how Spokane County's abandoned vehicles rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.