Abandoned and Unwanted Cars
Got a Code Violation for a Junk Car in the Puget Sound Area?
The envelope is from the city, and it uses words like “public nuisance” and “abatement” about a car you have been meaning to deal with. It feels bigger than it needs to.
A notice like this usually has a fix built in: get the car handled by the deadline and keep proof. What you should not do is put it in a drawer, because these notices come with dates that can pass without another warning.
Short answer
Find the deadline and the code section on the notice, and act before that date. You can usually comply by repairing the car, moving it into a closed building or removing it. Keep proof, and write back to the office named on the notice. Rules differ by city, so the notice itself controls. Ask about a hearing if you dispute it.
Read the notice for these six things
- Which agency sent it, and the name of the officer or inspector.
- The code section it cites.
- The vehicle it describes, and whether that is right.
- What you must do, and by what date.
- How to ask for a hearing, and the deadline for that.
- What happens if you do nothing: a penalty, a tow or a charge against you.
If the letter came from your homeowners association, it is a different thing. See your HOA sent a notice.
What to do this week
Put the dates on your calendar
Use the earliest one. Count back a few days so you are not depending on a same-day tow.
Call or write to the office named
Ask what would close the case, and how they want proof. Ask whether more time is possible if you need it. Get any answer in writing.
Take dated photos
Show the car now, from where the notice describes it.
Choose your fix and book it
Use the table below.
Send proof when it is done
Send a photo of the empty spot, a shop invoice or your report of sale. Keep copies.
What we could verify, city by city
This is not a full summary of any city’s code. Your notice is what applies to you. If it says something different from this table, follow the notice and ask the office about the difference.
| City | What we read at the source |
|---|---|
| Seattle | SDCI: no storing inoperable vehicles as junk outdoors. First penalty $150, additional violations $500, higher in certain zones, and inspection charges may apply. |
| Kent | KCC 8.08: certified junk vehicles on private property are a public nuisance. A hearing happens at least 10 and no more than 45 days after notice, and is cancelled with no penalty if the problem is corrected at least 48 hours before. A violation can be a civil violation, criminal charge or class 1 civil infraction. |
| Renton | RMC 6-1: unlawful to keep a junk, wrecked, dismantled or apparently inoperable vehicle, or any part, on private real property; a violation is a misdemeanor. The notice gives 21 days to request a hearing. Renton’s definition adds a fifth factor about debris, flat or missing tires, missing plates and expired tabs. |
| Federal Way | FWRC 7.20: junk vehicles are public nuisances. Notice comes at least 15 days before impoundment, with a hearing right. Code Compliance: 253.835.2617. |
| Bellevue | The city’s page on inoperable vehicles says they must be in a vented garage, a screened carport, or a side or rear yard meeting setbacks and screened at least six feet. Open storage is allowed for seven days during repair. We could not read the code itself. |
| Auburn | The city’s FAQ calls inoperable vehicles on a property a “public nuisance”. Code Compliance: 253-931-3090. We could not read the code itself. |
| Tacoma | An older print of TMC 8.23 (revised 11/2013) describes a Public Nuisance Vehicle, a 10-calendar-day window to appeal, and removal starting 18 calendar days after an unappealed notice. We could not read the current code, and the city’s current abandoned autos page says it cannot remove vehicles from private property, so ask how these fit together. Tacoma FIRST 311: (253) 591-5000. |
| Kirkland, Lynnwood, Everett | We could not verify the code text. Follow your notice and call the office that sent it. |
| Unincorporated county areas | County codes were not part of what we reviewed. Follow your notice and call the county office that sent it. |
Four ways to comply
| Fix | Good when | Check first |
|---|---|---|
| Repair it | A written quote makes sense against the car’s value. | Ask the office whether a running car closes the case, or whether the tabs must be current too. |
| Enclose it | You have a closed garage and want to keep the car. | RCW 46.55.240 exempts a vehicle fully enclosed in a building and not visible. City rules can say more. |
| Sell it privately | It still has real value to someone, and you have time. | Allow for the deadline. A slow sale can run past the date. |
| Have it hauled away | It is done, or you are short on time. | Have your paperwork ready. See the end of this guide. |
If the car is not yours or you already sold it
RCW 46.55.240 allows a landowner to deny responsibility for a junk vehicle at the hearing, and it lets a city charge costs to the registered owner unless a report of sale was filed. So respond in writing and say what you know.
- You sold it and it is still in your name: send your report of sale. If you never filed one, read this guide.
- Someone left it on your land: see our abandoned car guide.
- You rent: tell your landlord. A former tenant’s car is covered in this guide.
If you dispute the notice or a criminal charge is mentioned, talk to an attorney before the hearing date.
If you have it hauled away
Call us at (206) 941-0612, or send up to 3 photos through our pickup form, and mention your deadline. We call back within 4 hours, and same-day pickup is often possible but never promised, so please do not leave it to the last day. We need a Title, an Affidavit in Lieu of Title, or a Junk Vehicle Affidavit. If you have no title but the car is registered in your name in Washington, call and we will try to help. See scrap car removal for more. We can pick up from driveways, garages and the street, and more than one car is fine if they are registered in your name in Washington.
Common questions
Official sources
- Seattle SDCI: Junk Storage, Cars and Illegal Dumping Rules
- Kent City Code ch. 8.08
- Renton Municipal Code ch. 6-1
- Federal Way Revised Code ch. 7.20
- City of Federal Way: Code Compliance
- City of Bellevue: Storage of Inoperable Vehicles
- City of Auburn: Neighborhood FAQs
- Tacoma Municipal Code Title 8 (print revised 11/2013)
- City of Tacoma: Abandoned Automobiles
- RCW 46.55.240
This post summarizes official Washington guidance as of November 2, 2026. It is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules and fees can change, so check the sources above for your situation.
Keep reading
- Washington Junk Car Seller’s GuideEvery guide, sorted by where you are in the decision
- Washington Junk Car Paperwork GuideThe documents you need before pickup
- Car Impounded and Not Worth Getting Back? Read This First
- An Old Car on Family Land: How to Clear It Legally
- Clearing Several Old Vehicles From an Estate or Farm
- A Junk Car Stuck in Storage: Your Options
- Abandoned Car on Your Property in Washington: Step by Step
- A Tenant Left a Car Behind in Washington: What Landlords Can Do
How we can help
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If you have any questions please call us at 206-941-0612