Haltom City, TX Parking Rules: Abandoned Vehicles (2026)

Haltom City works with police and code enforcement to address abandoned and junked vehicles under Texas Transportation Code Chapter 683 and the local junked vehicle ordinance. A junked vehicle in Texas is defined as a vehicle that is (1) self-propelled and either visibly inoperable or displays expired license plates or an expired inspection sticker more than 60 days old, and (2) is left on public property or on private property in public view for more than 72 hours. A vehicle meeting this definition is declared a public nuisance.

Enforcement begins with a notice tagged to the vehicle or mailed to the registered owner and property owner giving 10 days to remove the vehicle, repair it to operable and legally registered condition, or store it inside a garage or solid fence. If the vehicle is not removed, the city may impound and dispose of it following statutory auction procedures. On public streets, vehicles parked continuously for 48 hours without moving are presumed abandoned and subject to tow under Chapter 683. Owners may recover impounded vehicles by paying tow and storage fees (typically 200 to 500 dollars initial plus 25 dollars per day storage) and bringing the vehicle into compliance.

Vehicles that remain unclaimed for 45 days are auctioned. Hoarding multiple inoperable vehicles on a residential lot is also addressed by the junked vehicle ordinance; owners may be required to reduce the number of vehicles and ensure remaining ones are registered, inspected, and operable. Sealed garage storage of a project car is generally allowed. Private property owners can request removal of abandoned vehicles from their lots following Texas Occupations Code Chapter 2308 towing procedures.