Portland, ME Parking Rules: Abandoned Vehicles (2026)

Article V of Chapter 12, 'Junked Motor Vehicles,' opens with Section 12-75's stated purpose: protecting public health and safety, maintaining environmental quality by clearing junked vehicles from public and private property, and recovering removal costs from vehicle or property owners. Section 12-76 makes it unlawful to deposit, place, leave or abandon any old, discarded, worn out or junked motor vehicle or its parts on a public street or public place; Section 12-77 lets the city remove any such vehicle from the street and dispose of it without any liability whatsoever.

Section 12-78 applies the same abandonment ban to private property, except in duly authorized locations. Section 12-79 governs vehicles kept on private property: it's unlawful to keep or let a junked vehicle accumulate there after the city manager or a designated official sends written notice ordering removal within not less than 30 days, delivered by hand or certified mail to the property owner, occupant, or known vehicle owner. § 1111-A for vehicles on Portland's islands, while keeping the Section 12-80 appeal process. That appeal must go to the city manager in writing within 30 days of the notice, triggers a hearing before a designated hearing officer, and the officer's written decision to affirm, modify or vacate the order is reviewable in superior court under Maine Rule of Civil Procedure 80B.

If the owner doesn't remove the vehicle within 30 days of the order or a losing appeal, Section 12-81 lets the city remove it from private property without liability, and Section 12-82 makes the vehicle's depositor jointly and severally liable with the property owner for the removal cost, collectible and lienable the same way as other Code of Ordinances assessments under Section 1-16.