Westminster, CA Parking Rules: Abandoned Vehicles (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing chapter
- Westminster Code Ch. 8.44
- State authority
- Veh. Code § 22660 et seq.
- Notice period
- 10 days before abatement
- Hearing body
- Planning commission, appeal to city council
- No-notice threshold
- Vehicle valued under $200, unimproved land
- Cost recovery
- Lien on parcel, taxed like property taxes
Summary
Westminster treats any abandoned, wrecked, dismantled, or inoperative vehicle on public or private property as a public nuisance under Chapter 8.44, adopted pursuant to California Vehicle Code § 22660 et seq. A vehicle counts as inoperative if it is missing or has deteriorated engine, transmission, axle, tire, or wheel components, or if it lacks current DMV registration or the safety equipment Division 12 of the Vehicle Code requires.
As used in this chapter, "inoperative vehicle" includes all vehicles which, through absence or deteriorated condition of mechanical parts including engine, transmission, driving axle, tires and wheels is unable to be operated on a highway. Additionally, vehicles which are (1) without current registration pursuant to California Vehicle Code Section 4000.4 unless exempted therefrom; or (2) are without the safety equipment required by Division 12 of the California Vehicle Code shall also be considered "inoperative."
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4982734; v10 updated 2026-06-10).
Full Breakdown
The chapter exempts vehicles fully enclosed inside a building and out of public view, vehicles lawfully stored at a licensed dismantler, dealer, or junk yard as part of an authorized business, and vehicles qualifying as a Vehicle of Historic Value or Special Interest Vehicle under Vehicle Code §§ 5004 and 5051(b) (§ 8.44.030). For everything else, city employees may enter private property with the owner's consent, or with an inspection or forcible warrant if consent is refused, to identify and abate a nuisance vehicle (§ 8.44.040).
Removal starts with a ten-day notice of intention mailed to the landowner and to the vehicle's registered and legal owners (§ 8.44.060); the recipient can request a hearing before the planning commission within that ten-day window (§ 8.44.070). No notice is required at all if the vehicle sits on unimproved or agricultural land, is worth less than $200, lacks a motor, transmission, or wheels, and the owner has signed a release. If no hearing is requested, the chief of police can remove and scrap the vehicle without further notice (§ 8.44.130); a decision after a hearing can be appealed to the city council within five days (§ 8.44.120).
The city bills administrative and removal costs to the landowner unless the vehicle was dumped without that owner's consent or acquiescence (§ 8.44.100), and unpaid costs become a recorded lien against the parcel, collected the same way as delinquent property taxes (§§ 8.44.150, 8.44.160).
Violations & Fines
Failure to remove a nuisance vehicle after the ten-day notice period lets the chief of police abate and dispose of it by delivery to a scrap yard or dismantler, with no right to later reconstruct it except for a qualifying historic or special-interest vehicle (§ 8.44.130). Unpaid removal and administrative costs are assessed against the parcel and transmitted to the tax collector as a lien with the same priority as city property taxes (§ 8.44.150, § 8.44.160).
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a vehicle inoperative under Westminster's code?
Can I store a non-running car in my garage?
How much notice does Westminster give before towing an abandoned vehicle?
Who pays if someone dumps a car on my property without permission?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Westminster
California rules heatmap·Compare Westminster to another location·View the California parking rules overview
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