Massachusetts Statewide Rule
Massachusetts Abandoned Vehicle Removal And Disposal Law
Key Facts
- Statute
- M.G.L. c. 90 § 22C
- Abandonment Period
- 72 hours minimum
- Notice Method
- Certified mail required
- Disposition
- Public auction allowed
Summary
Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 90 Section 22C governs removal and disposal of abandoned motor vehicles statewide, setting uniform procedures that apply on public ways and private property regardless of municipality.
Section 22C. If the superintendent of streets or other officer having charge of the public ways in a city or town reasonably deems that any motor vehicle apparently abandoned by its owner and standing for more than seventy-two hours upon a public or private way therein or on any property therein without the permission of the owner or lessee of said property or if a captain or lieutenant of the state police reasonably deems that any motor vehicle apparently abandoned by its owner and standing for more than seventy-two hours upon any property under their respective jurisdictions, is worth less than the cost of removal and storage and expenses incident to disposition pursuant to sections seven to eleven, inclusive, of chapter one hundred and thirty-five, sections eighty-nine to ninety-four, inclusive, of chapter ninety-two, or sections forty-five to forty-eight, inclusive, of chapter twenty-two C, he may, without incurring liability on his part or on the part of the city, town or the commonwealth, take possession of such motor vehicle and dispose thereof as refuse.
Full Breakdown
Under M.G.L. c. 90 § 22C, a motor vehicle apparently abandoned and left on a public or private way for more than 72 hours without consent may be removed. Police or authorized agents may have the vehicle towed to a licensed storage facility. Owners must be notified, and after a statutory waiting period unclaimed vehicles may be sold at public auction or otherwise disposed of. The statute applies uniformly across all 351 cities and towns and sets minimum procedural requirements that local rules cannot reduce.
Violations & Penalties
Owners face towing fees, daily storage charges, and potential loss of vehicle through public auction if unclaimed within statutory notice periods.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a Massachusetts city allow towing before 72 hours?
What happens if my abandoned car is auctioned?
Sources
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