Del Norte County, CA Parking Rules: Abandoned Vehicles (2026)

Del Norte County treats accumulations of abandoned, wrecked, disabled, dismantled, or inoperative vehicles or parts as public nuisances subject to abatement. The County's nuisance and vehicle-abatement provisions (including County Code Title 7 nuisance declarations and Chapter 10.12 on abatement and removal of vehicles) are backed by California Vehicle Code Section 22660, which authorizes a county to 'adopt an ordinance establishing procedures for the abatement and removal, as public nuisances, of abandoned, wrecked, dismantled, or inoperative vehicles or parts thereof from private or public property,' and to recover its costs. Del Norte County participates in the statewide Abandoned Vehicle Abatement program through its Del Norte County Abandoned Vehicle Abatement Service Authority, a CHP-supported funding mechanism for clearing junk vehicles. There are limited exceptions: an inoperative vehicle that is not abandoned, is registered or has a certificate of non-operation under Vehicle Code Section 4604, and is in an active state of repair or restoration may be exempt. Once a nuisance vehicle is removed, County Code Chapter 10.12 (for example Section 10.12.220, Costs of removal and storage) makes the owner or person entitled to possession responsible for removal and storage charges. On highways and public roads, a vehicle left standing 72 or more consecutive hours may be removed under Vehicle Code Section 22651(k). Report suspected abandoned vehicles to County Code Enforcement at (707) 464-7254.