ABANDONED VEHICLES
90.02 ABANDONMENT
PROHIBITED.
No person shall abandon any vehicle within the city and no person shall
leave any
vehicle at any place within the city for such time and under
such
circumstances as to cause such vehicle reasonably to appear to
have been
abandoned.
90.03 INOPERABLE CAR ON STREET PROHIBITED
No person shall leave any partially dismantled, non-operating, wrecked
or
junked vehicle on any street or highway in the city.
90.04 INOPERABLE VEHICLES A NUISANCE.
Inoperable motor vehicles, whether on public or private property
are herby
declared to be a nuisance.
ILLINOIS STATE LAW
625 ILCS 5/4-201
ABANDONED, LOST, STOLEN OR UNCLAIMED VEHICLES
A vehicle or any part thereof so abandoned on private property shall be authorized for
removal, by a law enforcement agency having jurisdiction, after a waiting period of 7 days
or more, or may be removed immediately if determined to be a hazardous dilapidated motor
vehicle under Section 11-40-3.1 of the Illinois Municipal Code. A violation of subsections
(a) or (b) of this Section is subject to penalties as set forth under Section 4-214 of
this Chapter.
(625 ILCS5/4-201) Sec. 4-201.
ARTICLE II. ABANDONED, LOST, STOLEN OR UNCLAIMED VEHICLES Abandonment of vehicles
prohibited. (a) The abandonment of a vehicle or any part thereof on any highway in this
State is unlawful and subject to penalties as set forth under Penalty Section 4-214 of
this Chapter. (b) The abandonment of a vehicle or any part thereof on private or public
property, other than a highway, in view of the general public, anywhere in this State is
unlawful except on property of the owner or bailee of such abandoned vehicle. A vehicle or
any part thereof so abandoned on private property shall be authorized for removal, by a
law enforcement agency having jurisdiction, after a waiting period of 7 days or more, or
may be removed immediately if determined to be a hazardous dilapidated motor vehicle under
Section 11-40-3.1 of the Illinois Municipal Code. A violation of subsections (a) or (b) of
this Section is subject to penalties as set forth under Section 4-214 of this Chapter. (c)
A towing service may begin to process an unclaimed vehicle as abandoned by requesting a
record search by the Secretary of State up to 10 days after the date of the tow, or any
later date acceptable to the Secretary of State. This subsection (c) shall not apply to
vehicles towed by order or authorization of a law enforcement agency. (Source: P.A.
90-330, eff. 8-8-97.) (625 ILCS 5/4-202) Sec. 4-202. Abandoned, lost, stolen or unclaimed
vehicle notification to law enforcement agencies. When an abandoned, lost, stolen or
unclaimed vehicle comes into the temporary possession or custody of a person in this
State, not the owner of the vehicle, such person shall immediately notify the municipal
police when the vehicle is within the corporate limits of any city, village or town having
a duly authorized police department, or the State Police or the county sheriff when the
vehicle is outside the corporate limits of a city, village or town. Upon receipt of such
notification, the municipal police, State Police or county sheriff will authorize a towing
service to remove and take possession of the abandoned, lost, stolen or unclaimed vehicle.
The towing service will safely keep the towed vehicle and its contents, maintain a record
of the tow as set forth in Section 4-204 for law enforcement agencies, until the vehicle
is claimed by the owner or any other person legally entitled to possession thereof or
until it is disposed of as provided in this Chapter. (Source: P. A. 78-858.) 625 ILCS
5/4-203 Sec. 4-203. Removal of motor vehicles or other vehicles; Towing or hauling away.
(a) When a vehicle is abandoned, or left unattended, on a toll highway, interstate
highway, or expressway for 2 hours or more, its removal by a towing service may be
authorized by a law enforcement agency having jurisdiction. (b) When a vehicle is
abandoned on a highway in an urban district 10 hours or more, its removal by a towing
service may be authorized by a law enforcement agency having jurisdiction. (c) When a
vehicle is abandoned or left unattended on a highway other than a toll highway, interstate
highway, or expressway, outside of an urban district for 24 hours or more, its removal by
a towing service may be authorized by a law enforcement agency having jurisdiction. (d)
When an abandoned, unattended, wrecked, burned or partially dismantled vehicle is creating
a traffic hazard because of its position in relation to the highway or its physical
appearance is causing the impeding of traffic, its immediate removal from the highway or
private property adjacent to the highway by a towing service may be authorized by a law
enforcement agency having jurisdiction.
625 ILCS 5/11-1302
(b) Any police officer is hereby authorized
to remove or cause to be removed to a place of safety any unattended vehicle illegally
left standing upon any highway, bridge, causeway, or in a tunnel, in such a position or
under such circumstances as to obstruct the normal movement of traffic.
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