Lynnwood, WA Parking Rules: Abandoned Vehicles (2026)
Key Facts
- Junk vehicle test
- 3+ of 4 factors: age, damage, inoperable, scrap value
- Certified by
- Lynnwood Police Department
- Removal notice
- 14 days before disposal
- Hearing available
- Before a city hearing examiner
- General nuisance penalty
- Misdemeanor, up to $300 fine (LMC 10.08.070)
- Exempt
- Vehicles enclosed in buildings or licensed dealer lots
Summary
Lynnwood Municipal Code §§ 10.08.090 and 10.08.100 declare junk vehicles or their parts on private property a public nuisance, defining a 'junk vehicle' as one certified under RCW 46.55.230 as three years old or older, extensively damaged, apparently inoperable, or worth only its scrap value in at least three of those respects. LMC 10.08.120 then requires police certification, owner notice, and a 14-day removal window.
The following is declared to be a nuisance affecting public peace, safety and welfare; junk vehicles as defined below or parts thereof located on private property. ... “Junk vehicle” means a vehicle certified under RCW 46.55.230 as meeting at least three of the following requirements: A. Is three years old or older; B. Is extensively damaged, such damage including but not limited to any of the following: a broken window or windshield or missing wheels, tires, motor or transmission; C. Is apparently inoperable; D. Has an approximate fair market value equal only to the approximate value of the scrap in it. ... Upon certification by the Lynnwood police department that a vehicle is a junk vehicle, notice shall be provided to the last registered owner of the vehicle and to the property owner of record that the vehicle has been certified to be a junk vehicle and that it will be removed and disposed of as a junk vehicle within 14 days of receipt of said notice unless the owner of the vehicle or the property owner requests a hearing to contest the abatement and removal of the vehicle or part thereof.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 3512, passed May 26, 2026).
Full Breakdown
090, junk vehicles or parts of them located on private property are declared a nuisance affecting public peace, safety and welfare, codified through Ordinance 2187 in 1998 and tracing back to Ordinance 1573 in 1987. 230: a vehicle meeting at least three of four criteria, being three years old or older, extensively damaged such as a broken window, windshield, or missing wheels, motor or transmission, apparently inoperable, or worth only its scrap value. 110, recording the vehicle's make and VIN or license number and detailing the damage that supports the finding.
120 requires the city to notify both the last registered owner and the property owner of record that the vehicle will be removed and disposed of within 14 days, unless either one requests a hearing before a city hearing examiner to contest the abatement. If a hearing is requested, the city must send certified and regular mail notice to the landowner, the person requesting the hearing, and the last registered owner. A property owner who shows the vehicle was placed on the land without consent, and that they have not since acquiesced, avoids being assessed removal costs.
150, unless a proper transfer of ownership was recorded, or against the property owner. 160 exclude vehicles fully enclosed in a building and out of public view, and vehicles lawfully stored on a licensed dismantler's or dealer's fenced lot.
Violations & Fines
Violating Chapter 10.08's nuisance provisions is a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $300 fine, 90 days in jail, or both, under LMC 10.08.070. Beyond that criminal penalty, a certified junk vehicle can be towed and disposed of at the owner's or property owner's expense under LMC 10.08.130 through 10.08.150 once the 14-day notice period passes without a hearing request.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Lynnwood decide a vehicle is 'junk'?
Can I contest a junk vehicle notice?
Are any vehicles exempt from the junk vehicle rule?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lynnwood
Compare Lynnwood to another location·View the Washington 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 Snohomish County handle abandoned vehicles.