Moreno Valley, CA Parking Rules: Abandoned Vehicles (2026)
Key Facts
- 72-Hour Limit
- 72-hour rule on public streets under Vehicle Code 22669
- Inoperable vehicles on
- Inoperable vehicles on private property must be enclosed or screened
- Expired registration over
- Expired registration over 6 months triggers abatement
- Riverside County AVA
- Riverside County AVA program funded by $1 registration fee
- Code Standard
- Report via Moreno Valley 311 app or Code Compliance
Summary
Vehicles left on public streets for more than 72 hours without moving may be tagged and towed under California Vehicle Code section 22669. Inoperable, wrecked, or dismantled vehicles stored in public view on private property are a public nuisance and must be removed or enclosed within a permitted garage or opaque screening.
22651. A peace officer ... or a regularly employed and salaried employee who is engaged in directing traffic or enforcing parking laws and regulations of a city, county, or jurisdiction of a state agency in which a vehicle is located may remove a vehicle located within the territorial limits in which the officer or employee may act, under the following circumstances: (a) If a vehicle is left unattended upon a bridge, viaduct, or causeway or in a tube or tunnel where the vehicle constitutes an obstruction to traffic. (b) If a vehicle is parked or left standing upon a highway in a position so as to obstruct the normal movement of traffic ... (d) If a vehicle is illegally parked so as to block the entrance to a private driveway.
Full Breakdown
Moreno Valley aggressively enforces abandoned vehicle rules through its Code Compliance Division and the Riverside County Abandoned Vehicle Abatement Service Authority, which is funded by a $1 vehicle registration surcharge. California Vehicle Code section 22669 authorizes removal of any vehicle left unmoved on a public street for 72 or more consecutive hours. Officers typically chalk a tire or note the position and return after 72 hours; if the vehicle has not moved, it can be towed at the owner's expense. On private property, Moreno Valley Municipal Code treats inoperable, wrecked, dismantled, or unregistered vehicles in public view as a public nuisance subject to abatement.
Inoperable vehicles may be stored inside a fully enclosed garage or behind opaque fencing that screens them from the street and neighboring properties. Vehicles with expired registration for more than six months parked in public view also qualify for abatement. Property owners receive a notice and typically 10 days to comply before the city can tow at the owner's expense and place a lien on the property. Residents can report abandoned vehicles via the Moreno Valley 311 app.
Frequently Asked Questions
I'm on vacation: will my parked car be towed?
Can I keep a project car in my driveway?
How do I report an abandoned vehicle?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Moreno Valley
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Abandoned Vehicles in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Riverside County handle abandoned vehicles.