Yucaipa, CA Parking Rules: Abandoned Vehicles (2026)
Key Facts
- Covered vehicles
- Abandoned, dismantled, inoperative or wrecked vehicles
- Screening rule
- Covered or enclosed, shielded from public view
- Notice period
- Not less than ten days to remove or correct
- Hearing decision
- Within ten days; five more days if upheld
- Low-value threshold
- Less than $200; disposal if unclaimed twelve days
- Costs
- Removal, storage and disposal charged to owner
- Enforcement
- Public nuisance; Chapter 1.12 remedies
Summary
In the City of Yucaipa, § 10.16.030 bars openly storing an abandoned, dismantled, inoperative or wrecked vehicle on public or private property unless it is shielded from public view by a cover or enclosure. The City Manager's office gives a notice of not less than ten days before abatement.
A. No person shall cause, permit, maintain, conduct, or otherwise allow an abandoned, dismantled, inoperative, or wrecked vehicle or parts thereof to be openly stored, within any public or private property within the City of Yucaipa unless the vehicle is shielded from public view by means of a cover or enclosure, or otherwise permitted under this ordinance. B. No property owner shall permit the accumulation of abandoned, wrecked, dismantled, or inoperative vehicles on their property, except as allowed for licensed dismantlers or automotive repair businesses in compliance with the Yucaipa Development Code and Vehicle Code Section 22660. C. Any abandoned, wrecked, dismantled, or inoperative vehicles on public or private property within the City of Yucaipa not stored according to this chapter shall constitute a nuisance.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 10.16 of the Yucaipa Municipal Code, Vehicle Abatement, was added by Ord. 455 in 2025. Section 10.16.010 declares the presence of an abandoned, wrecked, dismantled or inoperative vehicle on private or public property a public nuisance, citing rodents and insects, danger to children and fire hazards.
Section 10.16.020 defines the terms. An inoperative vehicle is one unable to be lawfully operated on public roads because of mechanical failure, missing parts, expired registration or other legal restrictions. A dismantled vehicle is missing one or more major components such as the engine, transmission or wheels. Section 10.16.030 puts the duty on any person and on the property owner, and carves out licensed dismantlers and automotive repair businesses complying with the Yucaipa Development Code and Vehicle Code § 22660. Under § 8.16.030(A)(3), single-family and two to four unit residential property must also be free of inoperable or abandoned vehicles unless stored in a structure of four walls and a roof, not visible from the public right-of-way.
The abatement process in § 10.16.040 starts with a written notice from the City Manager or designee to the registered owner and the property owner, giving not less than ten (10) days to remove or correct the violation. A hearing requested within that period goes before a hearing officer appointed by the City Manager, who decides within ten days; if the violation is upheld, the responsible party has an additional five days. Where no hearing is requested, the city can remove the vehicle. Vehicles valued at less than two hundred dollars ($200) and incapable of being towed can follow a shortened path, and low-value vehicles go to final disposition if not claimed within twelve days after the notice is mailed. The city notifies the Department of Motor Vehicles within five days of removal.
Section 10.16.050 exempts vehicles fully enclosed in a building, vehicles at licensed dismantlers, dealers or repair facilities, and vehicles of historic or special interest stored without creating a nuisance.
Violations & Fines
Under § 10.16.060, a violation is unlawful and a public nuisance, and the city can abate it with any remedy provided by law or equity, including those in Chapter 1.12. The registered owner or property owner bears the cost of removal, storage and disposal. A landowner who did not consent to the vehicle's placement is not assessed those costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep an inoperative car on my property in Yucaipa?
How much time do I get after a Yucaipa vehicle abatement notice?
Who pays for towing an abandoned vehicle in Yucaipa?
Which vehicles are exempt from the Yucaipa abandoned vehicle rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Yucaipa
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