St. Louis County, MO Parking Rules: Abandoned Vehicles (2026)
Key Facts
- Time limit
- 72 hours on private property
- Repair exception
- 30 days for minor repairs
- Governing section
- SLCRO § 1216.080
- Notice period
- 5 days before removal
- Max fine
- $500, § 1216.150
- Liable parties
- Vehicle owner and property owner/occupant
Summary
A junked trailer or junked motor vehicle left on private property in unincorporated St. Louis County for more than 72 hours is a declared public nuisance under Section 1216.080, subject to a five-day notice, an owner's right to a hearing before the Superintendent, and county removal at the owner's expense if the nuisance isn't abated.
No person shall park, store, leave or permit the parking, storing or leaving of a junked trailer or junked motor vehicle or parts thereof upon any private property within the County for a period of time in excess of seventy-two (72) hours. Provided, however, this chapter shall not apply to any vehicle enclosed within a building, nor to a junkyard or salvage business lawful under the zoning ordinances of St. Louis County. Provided, further, that nothing in this ordinance shall be construed to prevent a person from keeping on the person's private property for a period of time not to exceed thirty (30) days one junked trailer and junked motor vehicle for the purpose of making minor repairs or modifications to it, nor to prevent a person from keeping a motor vehicle of historic interest, as defined in RSMo 301.131. The presence on private property of one or more junked trailers or junked motor vehicles or parts thereof contrary to the preceding subsection is hereby declared to be a public nuisance which may be abated as such in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 85 | Traffic: Supplement 80).
Full Breakdown
131. 100 requires the county Superintendent to notify both the vehicle's owner, if known, and the property owner or occupant at least five days before the compliance deadline, either by mail or by leaving notice at the residence and on the vehicle itself; that notice must cite the violation, order removal within five days, and advise of the right to a hearing. 120 stays the clock until the Superintendent rules, and if a violation is found, the Superintendent orders removal and can set the terms.
110 lets the Superintendent enter the property and remove the vehicle, and interfering with that removal is itself a separate offense. 090, and the county can pursue payment against either.
Violations & Fines
Section 1216.150 makes violating Section 1216.080, as well as Sections 1216.060 and 1216.110, a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500, with 'each act in violation of any of the provisions of this chapter' treated as a separate offense, so a vehicle left in place across multiple notice periods can generate more than one charge. Interfering with the Superintendent's authorized removal under Section 1216.110 is a separate violation subject to the same penalty.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long can a junked car sit in my yard in St. Louis County?
What happens after the county notices my junked vehicle?
Who pays if the county tows my junked vehicle?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in St. Louis County
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