San Rafael, CA Parking Rules: Abandoned Vehicles (2026)
Key Facts
- Legal basis
- Veh. Code § 22660 authority, SRMC § 11.38.010
- Notice before removal
- 10-day registered mail notice (§ 11.38.090)
- Hearing request window
- 10 days of notice (§ 11.38.100)
- Appeal window
- 5 days of city manager decision (§ 11.38.120)
- Exempt
- Vehicles behind 6-ft solid fence, not visible (§ 11.38.030)
- Abandonment fine
- Minimum $100, not suspendable (§ 11.38.160)
Summary
San Rafael treats any abandoned, wrecked, dismantled or inoperative vehicle on private or public property as a public nuisance under state Vehicle Code authority, and the code enforcement officer can order its removal after a ten-day mailed notice. Owners get the right to a hearing before the city manager, and abandoning a vehicle on a highway or someone else's property draws a fine of at least $100.
The accumulation and storage of abandoned, wrecked, dismantled or inoperative vehicles or parts thereof on private or public property is hereby found to create a condition tending to reduce the value of private property, to promote blight and deterioration, to invite plundering, to create fire hazards, to constitute an attractive nuisance creating a hazard to the health and safety of minors, to create a harborage for rodents and insects and to be injurious to the health, safety and general welfare. Therefore, the presence of an abandoned, wrecked, dismantled or inoperative vehicle or parts thereof on private or public property... is declared to constitute a public nuisance which may be abated as such in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. ... A ten (10) day notice of intention to abate and remove the vehicle, or parts thereof, as a public nuisance shall be mailed by registered mail to the owner of the land and to the owner of the vehicle. ... Any person convicted of a violation of this section shall be punished by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars ($100.00) and shall provide proof that the costs of removal and disposition of the vehicle have been paid.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 37).
Full Breakdown
Section 11.38.010 invokes the authority the state gives cities under Vehicle Code Section 22660 and declares that an abandoned, wrecked, dismantled or inoperative vehicle, or parts of one, on private or public property is a public nuisance that may be abated under the chapter, because such vehicles reduce property values, promote blight, invite plundering, create fire hazards, attract minors into danger, and harbor rodents and insects. The rules exclude vehicles fully enclosed in a building out of public view, vehicles stored lawfully as part of a licensed dismantler's, dealer's or junk dealer's business, and vehicles screened behind a solid fence at least six feet tall or otherwise not plainly visible from a highway (§ 11.38.030).
The code enforcement officer or a designated police employee enforces the chapter and may enter private or public property to inspect a vehicle or determine its identity (§ 11.38.050). Before removal, the city must mail a ten-day notice of intention to abate, by registered mail, to both the owner of the land and the last registered and legal owner of the vehicle, unless identification numbers are unavailable (§ 11.38.090). Either owner can request a hearing within that ten-day window; if no request comes in, the code enforcement officer may abate and remove the vehicle without a hearing (§ 11.38.100).
A hearing, held before the city manager or a designee, is not bound by technical rules of evidence, and if the vehicle was placed on the land without the landowner's consent or subsequent acquiescence, the city cannot assess removal or administrative costs against that owner (§ 11.38.110). Any interested party may appeal the city manager's decision to the city council within five days (§ 11.38.120), and once the order is final, the vehicle may go to a scrap yard or dismantler within five to fifteen days depending on the appeal timeline (§ 11.38.130). The city must also notify the Department of Motor Vehicles and Department of Justice of the removal within five days (§ 11.38.140).
Violations & Fines
If administrative and removal costs charged to a landowner go unpaid within thirty days of the final order, the city assesses them against the parcel under Government Code Section 25845 and sends the assessment to the tax collector with the same priority as other city taxes (§ 11.38.150). Separately, Section 11.38.160 makes it a standalone offense to abandon a vehicle on a highway, or on public or private property without consent; a conviction carries a fine of at least $100, none of which may be suspended, plus proof that removal and disposal costs have been paid.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can San Rafael remove a wrecked car from my private property?
Is my car exempt if it's behind a fence or in my garage?
How much notice do I get before San Rafael removes an abandoned vehicle?
What is the penalty for abandoning a vehicle in San Rafael?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in San Rafael
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