Jefferson Parish, LA Parking Rules: Abandoned Vehicles (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- JPCO Sec. 36-129
- Street/ROW removal window
- 24 hours after tagging
- Private property window
- 72 hours, excluding weekends/holidays
- Hearing officer penalty cap
- $500 plus towing/storage costs
- General penalty
- Up to $1,000 fine or 6 months jail
Summary
Jefferson Parish bans junked, derelict or abandoned vehicles on any street, right-of-way, or vacant or unused parish or private property. Sec. 36-129 outlaws discarding, parking or advertising such a vehicle for sale, and code compliance and enforcement inspectors tag, photograph and can order removal within 24 to 72 hours depending on where it sits.
No persons shall advertise or display a vehicle for sale, nor discard or park any junked, derelict, abandoned vehicle or any part of a vehicle on a parish street or right-of-way as defined in section 29-6(a)(2), or any vacant or unused portion of parish or private property. For purposes of this section, any object, which is moved or pulled by its being attached to a vehicle, such as a boat or trailer, hauler or camper, is also considered a part of a vehicle.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 20 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
Sec. " Under Sec. 36-130, department of code compliance and enforcement inspectors, or the sheriff's office, record the vehicle's location, type, make, color and license registration, then tag, number and photograph it. Sec. 36-131 sets the clock: a notice posted on the windshield gives the owner twenty-four hours to move a vehicle found on a street, road, canal servitude, levee right-of-way, neutral ground or median, and seventy-two hours, excluding weekends and legal holidays, if it sits on private property or the strip between the paved street and the property line.
The tag must name the tow company and the parish contact, and the owner can request a hearing instead of removing the vehicle. Sec. 00 within a deadline the officer sets, capped at thirty days, before release. Sec. 36-133 lets code compliance and enforcement remove an uncompliant vehicle itself or through an independent tow contractor once the notice period lapses without a hearing request.
Violations & Fines
Sec. 36-129 violations are punished under Sec. 1-10's general penalty, a fine up to $1,000.00 or up to six months' imprisonment, with each day of continued violation a separate offense. Sec. 36-135 adds a specific penalty for the underlying vehicle offense: all towing and storage costs, a fine not to exceed $500.00 per violation, and court costs if a hearing and judgment follow. An unredeemed vehicle is destroyed or sold to defray removal costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to move an abandoned vehicle before Jefferson Parish tows it?
Can I get an abandoned vehicle back after it is tagged?
What does it cost if a hearing officer rules the vehicle was properly tagged?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Jefferson Parish
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