Every block seems to have one. A car with a flat tire and a windshield full of leaves, parked in the same spot since summer. Neighbors wonder who to call; the owner often means to deal with it and hasn’t.
This guide covers both sides.
The city’s four tests
The City of Chicago’s abandoned vehicle page says a vehicle can be classified as abandoned if it meets one or more of these:
- It’s on a public way in such disrepair that it can’t be driven as it is.
- It hasn’t been moved or used for more than seven consecutive days and is apparently deserted.
- It’s been left on the public way without state registration or a temporary registration placard for two or more days.
- It’s a hazardous, dilapidated vehicle in full view of the public, whether on public or private property.
Notice that the first and fourth tests don’t need any waiting period at all.
There’s a related rule on the City Clerk’s city sticker FAQ: junk vehicles are prohibited from parking on any residential or business street, citing chapters 9-64 and 9-68 of the Municipal Code.
If you’re the neighbor
Report it through 311, by phone or online. Give the plate if you can see it, the color and make, the exact address or nearest corner, and how long it’s been there. The city decides whether it qualifies; you don’t need to prove it. Don’t arrange a private tow for a car on the street, and don’t put notes threatening to tow it. If you know the owner, telling them a buyer will take it for free sometimes solves it faster than a report.
If you’re the owner
A city tow is the expensive way to get rid of a car. Abandoned vehicles go to auto pound 3S or 3N, and if nobody redeems them they’re sold for scrap, per the city. You get nothing for the car, and fees and tickets tied to your name don’t disappear; the Department of Finance says surrendering a car doesn’t erase what you owe.
Selling it first is simpler:
- Call before anyone reports it. A same-day pickup is often possible.
- Tell us what papers you have. Title, registration, insurance card. We confirm on the call which ones work for the sale.
- Get paid instead of paying. The tow is free, and you’re paid at pickup in cash, Zelle or Cash App.
If the car is in a winter ban zone, the clock is shorter; see our guide on a dead car on a winter ban street.
If the car is in an alley or behind a garage
Cars parked in the alley or on a backyard pad cause the same complaints. Alleys are public ways in Chicago, and a car that blocks the garbage truck tends to get reported quickly. Our alley and garage pickup guide explains how we get these out.
If the dead car is yours, read how we buy cars that don’t run, or get an offer and have it gone before anyone calls 311.