Memphis, TN Parking Rules: Abandoned Vehicles (2026)
Key Facts
- Pull-in fee
- $30.00 flat charge
- Storage fee
- $5.00 per day
- Storage day starts
- 12:01 a.m.
- Enforcing agency
- Memphis Division of Police Services
- Unclaimed disposition
- After 30 days, per Private Acts ch. 599 (1939)
Summary
When a vehicle is wrecked or abandoned in a Memphis street or alley and obstructs traffic, the police division can have it towed to a designated storage lot and held until the owner claims it. Release costs a flat $30.00 pull-in charge plus $5.00 for every day it sits in storage.
In order to remove all obstructions and to provide free use of the streets and alleys for the fire and police divisions and for the public, whenever a motor vehicle is wrecked or abandoned in the street or is found parked in violation of any of the provisions of this title, and it becomes necessary, in the opinion of the police division, to remove such vehicle from the street as an obstruction, such vehicle shall be towed or driven to a designated place of storage and stored until the owner claims the vehicle and gives satisfactory evidence of ownership. ... Where the police division elected to pull in and store such vehicle a charge shall be made therefor as follows: 1. For pulling same in: $30.00; 2. For storing same, per day: $5.00.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 32 | Charter: Supplement 4).
Full Breakdown
" The police division may contract out towing and storage to a garage or storage company, which then looks to the vehicle owner for payment. m. The section also preserves rights under chapter 599 of the Private Acts of 1939, covering disposition of vehicles that remain unclaimed by their owner for 30 days. This provision addresses vehicles obstructing public streets and alleys; Memphis separately addresses abandoned vehicles left on private property through its International Property Maintenance Code adoption under Ordinance No. 5708, a distinct citation already covered elsewhere in this dataset.
Violations & Fines
There is no separate criminal fine written into section 11-40-26 itself; the consequence is impoundment. Owners must pay $30.00 to release the vehicle from the tow plus $5.00 for each day it remained in storage before recovery, and satisfactory proof of ownership before it will be released. Vehicles left unclaimed for 30 days become subject to disposition under chapter 599 of the Private Acts of 1939.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Memphis police tow my car if it's wrecked or abandoned in the street?
How much does it cost to get an impounded abandoned vehicle back?
What if nobody claims the abandoned vehicle?
Does this cover a junk car left on private property?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Memphis
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