Rockville, MD Parking Rules: Abandoned Vehicles (2026)

Under Rockville Police Department General Order 4-14, an abandoned vehicle is any motor vehicle, trailer, or semi-trailer that is inoperable and left unattended on public property for more than 48 hours. Officers must place a conspicuous warning sticker notifying the owner that they have 48 hours to remove the vehicle before it is towed. On private property, the Community Enhancement Code Enforcement division handles junk vehicles defined as any vehicle in an abandoned condition or in such a rusted, wrecked, dismantled, or deteriorated condition as not to be lawfully operable on public roads. A vehicle is also considered junk if its condition creates a breeding ground for rats, mosquitoes, or other vermin. Residents are allowed to park one unlicensed vehicle on their property provided it is maintained in good condition with all tires inflated and body parts intact, and parked on an approved paved surface. Maryland Transportation Article Title 25, Subtitle 2 governs the statewide disposition of abandoned vehicles including notice requirements and title transfer procedures.