Code Compliance & City Ordinances

390 - Abandoned Vehicles

The Municipal Code of the City of Santa Monica requires that all inoperable, junk and unlicensed motor vehicles be parked or stored out of view of the public right-of-way, either within a structure such as a garage or behind a fence. The procedure for handling vehicles that are abandoned or otherwise in violation of the ordinance is shared by the code compliance section of the Building and Safety Division and the Santa Monica Police Department. Jurisdiction is dependent on whether the vehicle is located on public or private property.

To report an abandoned vehicle on private property, please call the Building and Safety Division at (310) 458-4984 between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on alternate Fridays.

To report vehicles on city property, call the Santa Monica Police Dept. at (310) 458-8466, Monday through Friday, between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.

To report a problem after hours or on weekends, you may leave a message at either of the above numbers.