Abandoned Vehicles

1. On Public Property

A vehicle is considered abandoned if it is parked continuously at or in one spot for 48 hours or more.  If you have a complaint of a car parked for 48 hours or more in front of your house, place of business or anywhere else on a public street, call the Police Department at 989-781-1300 during business hours or 989-797-4580 after hours.

The police will need the following information about the car:

  1. Specific location
  2. License plate number, if it has one
  3. Year, make, model and color of vehicle

An officer will investigate your complaint and tag the vehicle as abandoned.  After an additional 48 hours the vehicle will be impounded and towed to the nearest storage lot.  Tow and impound fees will be the responsibility of the vehicle owner.

2. On Private Property Open to the Public

Vehicle(s) parked on private property open to the public may be removed as abandoned by the property owner at any time.  Such removal will be at the expense of the property owner.  To avoid this expense, it is highly recommended that the Police Department be called so the vehicle can be tagged as abandoned under township ordinance and removed at the vehicle owner’s expense.

3. On Someone Else’s Property

Community Development Department
249 N. Miller Road
Saginaw, Michigan 48609-4896
989-781-0150

You may want to report parked cars on private property you do not own.  Examples include: neighbors who have unlicensed or inoperable cars parked on their front yard, vacant lots, side driveways or backyards.  When you report such cases, make sure you provide the correct address or location.  A code enforcement officer will make an inspection of your complaint.

Thomas Township