18.005 Abandoned Low-Value Vehicles/Private Party (California Civil Code (CC) §§1980-1991, 1993-1993.090, 3067, 3068-3074, Vehicle Code (VC) §§22658, 22669 and 22851.3)

Public Agency Requests Abandon Vehicle Disposal/Removal

The public agency must dispose of a vehicle:

• Whenever a peace officer, or any designated employee of a public agency authorized by VC §22669, removes or causes the removal of an abandoned vehicle and the public agency.
• Whenever a peace officer, or any designated employee of a public agency authorized by VC §22851.3 requests, and the lienholder determines the estimated value of the vehicle to be $500 or less.
• If, at the request of the public agency, the lienholder determines the estimated
  value of the vehicle to be $500 or less.

Private Party Lien Sales

• Private parties are not legally able to use the vehicle lien sale process outlined in
  CC §§3067-3074, unless they are lawfully in the business of providing repairs, towing, and/or storage of vehicles and legally entitled to compensation not received.

• Private property owners may have a vehicle removed from their property pursuant to
  VC §22658 when the vehicle is abandoned, and the property owner qualifies and complies with the statute. In these cases, the towing company who removed the vehicle has the authority to conduct a lien sale pursuant to CC §§3067-3074.