Springfield, OR Parking Rules: Abandoned Vehicles (2026)

Section 6.335 sets the abandonment threshold at more than 48 consecutive hours parked or placed on any street, alley, highway or other public way, subject to the parking-permit exception in Section 6.020. Section 6.340 then makes it an offense to abandon a vehicle on the city's streets, alleys, highways or other public ways, and specifically closes the loophole of shuffling the car within the same block to reset the clock. Before removal, Section 6.345 requires the police department to post notice on the vehicle stating when it will be impounded, the code section it violates, a phone number to locate it after impoundment, that towing and storage charges and a lien will attach, that it may be sold to satisfy those charges if unpaid, and that the owner is entitled to a hearing under ORS 819.190 to contest the removal and the charges, along with the deadline to request that hearing.

Once impounded, Section 6.320 lets the city sell the vehicle if the owner has not claimed it within 15 days, and Section 6.315 requires the owner to pay all applicable towing, seizing and storage charges under ORS 819.150 and 819.160 before the vehicle is released. A vehicle held as part of a criminal investigation is exempt from these removal provisions under Section 6.350 unless the investigation concerns the vehicle's theft.