York County, PA Parking Rules: Abandoned Vehicles (2026)

York County Code Chapter 343, adopted by the Board of Commissioners on January 24, 2001 by Ord. No. 2001-01, defines an abandoned vehicle as one that has illegally remained on a county public place for more than 48 hours (Section 343-1). County public places, both owned and leased, are supposed to be monitored on a regular basis for abandoned vehicles; an editor's note attached to that section records that, per a communication from the County Sheriff dated August 24, 2000, Rangers of the York County Parks Department have authority to remove abandoned vehicles from county parks and the Rail Trail.

Once a vehicle is flagged, Section 343-2 requires the Sheriff's Department to be contacted to trace the last known address of the registered owner. The department responsible for the county public place then sends a certified, return-receipt letter giving the owner 48 hours to remove the vehicle. That letter must describe, if known, the make, model, title number, vehicle identification number, registration plate number and location of the vehicle, and must state that a vehicle salvor will be called to take possession and haul it to a storage facility if the deadline passes, with the registered owner on the hook for all towing, storage and salvor fees.

Section 343-3 covers what happens after a missed deadline: the responsible department prepares a memorandum requesting Sheriff's Department removal, attaching documentation that the notice procedures were followed; once the Sheriff's Department confirms every requirement was met, it notifies the vehicle salvor in writing to remove the vehicle, and the Sheriff's Department keeps the abandoned-vehicle removal records. The chapter reaches only county-owned and leased public places, meaning county parks, the Heritage Rail Trail, and county office and building grounds, not privately owned land within the county's borders.