Pismo Beach, CA Parking Rules: Abandoned Vehicles (2026)
Key Facts
- Nuisance trigger
- Abandoned, wrecked, dismantled or inoperative vehicle on private or public property
- Enforcer
- Chief of police
- Notice period
- Ten-day notice by registered or certified mail
- Hearing request
- Within ten days, before the City Council
- Removal wait
- Five days after the council order or notice of decision
- Cost assessment
- Unpaid after thirty days goes onto the parcel tax bill
Summary
In the City of Pismo Beach, California, an abandoned, wrecked, dismantled or inoperative vehicle on private or public property (not a highway) is a public nuisance. The chief of police enforces Chapter 10.16 by mailing a ten-day notice of intention to abate to the land owner and vehicle owner, and unpaid removal costs are assessed against the parcel after thirty days.
The presence of an abandoned, wrecked, dismantled or inoperative vehicle or parts thereof, on private or public property not including highways, except as expressly permitted in this chapter, is declared to constitute a public nuisance which may be abated as such in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. ... Except as otherwise provided, the provisions of this chapter shall be administered and enforced by the city's chief of police. ... A ten-day notice of intention to abate and remove the vehicle, or parts thereof, as a public nuisance shall be mailed by registered or certified mail to the owner of the land and to the owner of the vehicle, unless the vehicle is in such condition that identification numbers are not available to determine ownership. ... If the administrative costs and the cost of removal which are charged against the owner of a parcel of land pursuant to Section 10.16.130 are not paid within thirty days of the date of the order, such costs shall be assessed against the parcel of land pursuant to Section 38773.5 of the Government Code and shall be transmitted to the tax collector for collection.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 10.16 of the Pismo Beach Municipal Code declares that the presence of an abandoned, wrecked, dismantled or inoperative vehicle, or parts of one, on private or public property not including highways is a public nuisance that can be abated under the chapter. A "highway" is a publicly maintained way open to vehicular travel and includes a street, so a car left on a street is handled under the parking rules in Chapter 10.08, including the seventy-two hour rule in Section 10.08.070.
The chief of police administers and enforces the chapter (Section 10.16.060). The chief and his deputies can enter private or public property to examine a vehicle, obtain information on its identity, and remove it. If the fire chief or a representative finds an immediate, life-endangering threat to public health and safety, Section 10.16.020 allows removal without the notification procedures, and the owner pays towing and storage.
Two exemptions appear in Section 10.16.040: a vehicle completely enclosed within a building in a lawful manner where it is not visible from the street or other property, and a vehicle stored or parked lawfully on private property in connection with a licensed dismantler, licensed vehicle dealer or junk dealer, or as necessary to a lawfully conducted business.
The process starts with a ten-day notice of intention to abate, mailed by registered or certified mail to the owner of the land and the owner of the vehicle (Section 10.16.100). Either owner can request a public hearing before the council within ten days. A sworn written statement from the land owner denying responsibility counts as a hearing request without requiring an appearance (Section 10.16.110). If the vehicle was placed on the land without the owner's consent and the owner has not acquiesced, the council cannot assess costs against the property (Section 10.16.140). After an order, the vehicle can be removed to a scrapyard or dismantler five days later and cannot be rebuilt, and the Department of Motor Vehicles is notified within five days (Sections 10.16.160 and 10.16.170). Costs unpaid within thirty days of the order are assessed against the parcel under Government Code Section 38773.5 and go to the tax collector (Section 10.16.180).
Violations & Fines
Chapter 10.16 prints no fine schedule. The remedy is abatement: removal of the vehicle, plus administrative costs and removal costs charged to the owner of the land. If unpaid thirty days after the council's order, the costs are assessed against the parcel, transmitted to the tax collector, and carry the same priority as other city taxes. Section 10.16.050 states the chapter supplements, and does not replace, other city and outside regulations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a vehicle a nuisance in Pismo Beach?
Is a car stored in my garage covered?
How much time do I get after the notice?
Who pays for removal and what if the bill goes unpaid?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Pismo Beach
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