Kirkwood, MO Parking Rules: Abandoned Vehicles (2026)
Key Facts
- Abandonment trigger
- unmoved 96 hours
- Also qualifies
- missing engine, wheels, tires or body parts
- Tow authority
- § 14-119, police or city official
- Owner notice
- certified mail via towing company
- Redemption window
- 30 days before title transfers
- Challenge deadline
- 10 days to petition Circuit Court
- General penalty
- $5-$1,000 fine or 3 months jail (§ 1-8)
Summary
Kirkwood Code § 14-117 makes it illegal to abandon a motor vehicle or trailer on any public road right-of-way, and separately bars leaving any vehicle anywhere in the city long enough, and under conditions serious enough, that it reasonably looks abandoned. A vehicle unmoved for 96 hours or missing an engine, wheels, tires or body panels meets that test.
No person shall abandon any motor vehicle or trailer on the right-of-way of any public road or State highway as set out in § 16-8 of the City of Kirkwood Code of Ordinances. And no person shall leave any vehicle at any place within the City for such time and under such circumstances as to cause such vehicle reasonably to appear to have been abandoned. For purposes of this Section, the following matters shall be considered material to the determination of whether a vehicle has been abandoned: (a) The vehicle has not been moved for a period of ninety-six (96) hours. (b) The vehicle contains no engine. (c) The vehicle is missing one (1) or more wheels or tires. (d) The vehicle is missing body parts such as hood, fender, door or trunk lid. (e) The vehicle is incapable of being operated.
Full Breakdown
Under § 14-117, five factors are material to whether a vehicle counts as abandoned: it has sat unmoved for 96 hours, it has no engine, it is missing one or more wheels or tires, it is missing body parts such as a hood, fender, door or trunk lid, or it is simply incapable of being operated. Any one of these can support a finding of abandonment on a public right-of-way, a private lot, or anywhere else within city limits. Once a vehicle qualifies, § 14-119 lets a Kirkwood police officer or city official authorize a towing company to remove it, and § 14-119 specifically cross-references § 14-117 as a ground for a tow.
The Police Department must run the vehicle through the National Crime Information Center and Missouri's statewide law enforcement system, and under § 14-120 the towing company must notify the registered owner and any lienholder by certified mail. That notice starts a clock: the owner or a lienholder has 10 days from the notice to file a petition in the Associate Circuit Court in the county where the vehicle is stored to challenge the tow as wrongful. If nobody redeems the vehicle within 30 days of the notice, title passes to the towing company or storage facility free of all prior liens, and any storage or towing charges beyond the vehicle's value stay a debt against the former owner.
Violations & Fines
Section 14-117 carries no separate fine, so violations fall under the citywide general penalty at § 1-8: a fine of $5 to $1,000, up to three months in jail, or both, with each day the vehicle remains a separate offense. Towing and storage costs are additional and become a lien against the vehicle and a debt of the owner under § 14-120.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a car have to sit before Kirkwood calls it abandoned?
Who can tow an abandoned vehicle in Kirkwood?
Can I get my car back after it's towed as abandoned?
What if I think the tow was improper?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Kirkwood
Compare Kirkwood to another location·View the Missouri parking rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Abandoned Vehicles in Nearby Cities
How other cities in St. Louis County handle abandoned vehicles.