Sanford, FL Parking Rules: Abandoned Vehicles (2026)

Sanford's junked and abandoned property division, §§ 38-171 through 38-181, targets vehicles that are 'partially or wholly dismantled, wrecked, junked and/or nonoperating' or unlicensed for 20 days. Section 38-172 makes it unlawful for an owner or person in control to abandon such a vehicle on any road, street, alley, highway, or public easement, or on private property outside the terms of the division. Section 38-173 separately bars letting a dismantled, wrecked, junked, or nonoperating vehicle 'remain on such property longer than 20 days,' with narrow exceptions for a vehicle inside an enclosed building attached to the dwelling, on a lawfully operating business's premises when necessary to that business, or in an approved storage facility, expressly stating that 'in no event shall a carport be considered an appropriate storage place.' Under § 38-171, a vehicle left unattended on a road or public easement is deemed abandoned immediately, on other public property after ten days, and on private property after 20 days.

The city posts a weatherproof notice on the vehicle under §§ 38-177 and 38-178, giving the owner ten days to remove it from public property or 20 days from private property, with a right to appeal to the city commission before removal, after which the enforcement officer can have the vehicle towed to an approved storage facility and disposed of, with removal, storage, and disposal costs charged to the vehicle owner or property owner. Section 38-174 makes any violation of § 38-172 or § 38-173 a misdemeanor, with each day of continuing violation a separate offense, enforceable by civil action as well under § 38-175.