Ocala, FL Parking Rules: Abandoned Vehicles (2026)

Section 34-121 defines a derelict vehicle as one missing its wheels, engine or a substantial part, or one that is worn out, discarded, or worth nothing except for salvage; an expired tag is treated as prima facie evidence of derelict status. Section 34-122(a) then makes it unlawful for anyone to keep, dump, store, place or maintain an abandoned or derelict vehicle on a street or highway, or on any property, for longer than five days, unless the vehicle sits inside an enclosed building, on the premises of a licensed business that needs it for operations, or in a storage yard the city itself maintains as a depository.

Subsection (b) reaches beyond the vehicle's owner to the property's owner or tenant, and to any architect, builder, contractor or agent who permits, participates in or maintains the violation, all of whom can be found guilty of an offense. Enforcement runs two ways: Section 34-123 lets the police department seize, impound and store a derelict or abandoned vehicle, charging a towing fee capped at $35.00 for daytime tows and $45.00 for nighttime tows (5:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m., plus weekends and holidays), with storage capped at $3.50 a day outside or $4.50 a day inside.

Separately, Section 2-461 lets a code enforcement officer issue a direct citation for a Section 34-122 violation, starting at $100.00 for a first citation and rising to $450.00 for a third within 12 months, identifying the vehicle by tag number if the owner isn't present to accept it.