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Ridgefield, CT Parking Rules: Abandoned Vehicles (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Prohibited
Storing unregistered/inoperative vehicles
Exception
Vehicle in building or licensed business
Fine
Up to $100 per offense
Continuing violation
Each day is a separate offense
Fine amended
3-17-2010

Summary

Ridgefield bars keeping, depositing or storing an unregistered motor vehicle or its used parts on any premises under Town Code § 349-1, unless the vehicle is operative and in actual use, with violators fined up to $100 per day of continued violation.

Except as otherwise provided in § 349-2 hereof, no person, firm or corporation shall keep, deposit or store one or more unregistered motor vehicles, or used parts of a motor vehicle or motor vehicles, upon any premises within the Town of Ridgefield unless such motor vehicle or motor vehicles are in an operative condition and in actual use on the premises of the owner.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4717891; v14 updated 2026-01-21; through 01-21-2026).

Full Breakdown

Town Code Chapter 349, adopted in 1974, prohibits any person, firm or corporation from keeping, depositing or storing one or more unregistered motor vehicles, or used parts of a motor vehicle, upon any premises within Ridgefield, unless the vehicle is in operative condition and in actual use on the owner's premises under § 349-1. Section 349-2 carves out an exception for unregistered vehicles kept, deposited or stored within a building, or for a business duly licensed by the State Motor Vehicle Department and approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission of the Town, such as a licensed auto dealer or repair shop. The rule targets outdoor storage of inoperable or unused unregistered vehicles and vehicle parts on residential and commercial lots alike, rather than vehicles that are simply unregistered but still driveable and in use on the property.

Violations & Fines

Any person, firm or corporation violating Chapter 349 is fined not more than $100 for each offense under § 349-3, amended 3-17-2010, and a separate offense is deemed committed for each day during or on which the violation occurs or continues. That means an unregistered, inoperative vehicle left on a property for weeks can generate a fresh $100 exposure daily until it is removed, stored indoors, or brought within the § 349-2 licensed-business exception.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I keep an unregistered car in my Ridgefield driveway?
Only if it is operative and in actual use on your premises. Town Code § 349-1 bars storing an unregistered motor vehicle or its parts on any property unless it meets that operative, in-use standard.
What is the fine for storing a junk car outside in Ridgefield?
Section 349-3 sets a fine of not more than $100 for each offense, and each day the unregistered vehicle remains stored in violation counts as a separate offense, so the exposure grows daily.
Are auto repair shops exempt from Ridgefield's unregistered vehicle rule?
Yes, if licensed. Section 349-2 exempts a business duly licensed by the State Motor Vehicle Department and approved by the Town's Planning and Zoning Commission from the outdoor storage ban in § 349-1.

Sources & Official References

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