Richland, WA Parking Rules: Abandoned Vehicles (2026)

Chapter 10.06 RMC defines a 'junk vehicle' as one meeting three or more of five criteria under § 10.06.020: three years old or older, extensively damaged (a broken window or windshield, or missing wheels, tires, motor, or transmission), apparently inoperable, without a valid current registration, or worth only its scrap value. An 'inoperable motorized vehicle' is any vehicle that has sat stationary more than 14 calendar days, appears inoperable or needs repair to run, or cannot move 20 feet under its own power. Section 10.06.030 makes it unlawful to keep either type on public or private property unless it is fully enclosed in a building or behind a 100 percent sight-obscuring fence, or is on a licensed dismantler or dealer's fenced lot under RCW 46.80.130; once the city manager, chief of police, or a designated official identifies a junk vehicle, the vehicle or property owner has 10 days from notice to abate or remove it.

Section 10.06.040 treats an inoperable vehicle outside a building as a nuisance, with one narrow exception: a single inoperable vehicle may sit in a fenced residential rear yard, and in the agricultural zone up to five inoperable vehicles are allowed outside a building if the lot has at least one acre per vehicle. Under § 10.06.050, before removal the city must notify the last registered owner and the property owner of record, who can request a hearing before the code enforcement board; if the vehicle was placed without the landowner's consent and the landowner has not since acquiesced, the city cannot assess removal costs against that landowner.