State guide
Florida
Florida splits abandoned-vehicle handling between chapter 705 for property on public land and section 713.78 for towing and storage liens. On public property, law enforcement uses a posted notice process; on private property, owners typically work through an authorized towing-storage operator, and any later sale or title transfer follows the lien procedures FLHSMV recognizes.
Checked against official sources on October 4, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
- When a vehicle counts as abandoned
- On public property, Florida's chapter 705 procedure allows removal and disposition after law enforcement posts notice and the vehicle is not removed within 5 days.
- Removing one from private property
- For private-property removals handled through a towing-storage lien, required lien notices precede any sale, and an unclaimed vehicle may be sold free of prior liens after 35 days if older or 57 days if newer.
- Getting title to an abandoned vehicle
- Title transfer depends on the legal path: law-enforcement abandoned-property transfers use FLHSMV Procedure TL-29, while towing-storage lien sales proceed under section 713.78 and require the lien documents FLHSMV accepts.
- State agency
- Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles
- Official forms or instructions
- Official page →
Official resources in Florida
State-law chapter covering lost or abandoned property, including law-enforcement handling on public property.
Explains the public-property notice process and the 5-day removal period after posting.
Florida's towing-storage lien statute for vehicles removed from property and later sold if unclaimed.
FLHSMV instructions hub for title and lien procedures, including abandoned-property related procedures.
FLHSMV procedure for a law enforcement agency to transfer title for lost or abandoned property or unclaimed evidence.
Key facts for Florida
- On public property, a posted notice under section 705.103 gives the owner 5 days to remove the vehicle before disposition.
- For a vehicle in towing-storage custody, the lien notice cannot be sent less than 30 days before sale of an older model.
- For a newer model vehicle in towing-storage custody, the lien notice cannot be sent less than 52 days before sale.
- A towing-storage operator that cannot identify the owner or lienholder must notify the public agency of jurisdiction within 5 business days after tow or storage.
- Owners or lienholders may go to court in the county where the vehicle is stored to contest whether it was wrongfully taken or wrongfully charged.
- FLHSMV Procedure TL-29 is specifically for title transfer by a law enforcement agency, not a private finder.
City abandoned-vehicle reporting in Florida
| City | city | phone | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| 630-CITY / MyJax Duval | Jacksonville | 904-630-CITY (2489) | Official Jacksonville service channel for code violations and neighborhood concerns, including junk or abandoned vehicle complaints. |
| Municipal Code Compliance Duval | Jacksonville | (904) 630-CITY [2489] | Jacksonville code page says private-property junk vehicle issues can be reported online or by calling 630-CITY. |
| Report an Abandoned Vehicle Miami-Dade | Miami | Not published* | City of Miami page says to report an abandoned vehicle by calling 311 and lists Code Compliance contact information. |
| Code Compliance Miami-Dade | Miami | Not published* | City of Miami code page covers inoperable or untagged vehicles and says residents may report by 311 or the department directly. |
| Neighborhood Enhancement Hillsborough | Tampa | Not published* | City of Tampa page includes an official online complaint link for abandoned or inoperative vehicles. |
| Report Nuisance Parking Orange | Orlando | 321.235.5300 | City of Orlando says abandoned or illegally parked cars should be reported to Orlando Police's non-emergency number on this page. |
* Not published: the official page doesn't list it. Call the office to confirm before you rely on it.
What to do next
- If the vehicle is on a public street or other public property, report it to local law enforcement or the city's official service channel rather than arranging a private tow yourself.
- If the vehicle is on private property, document the location and condition, then use a towing-storage operator that follows section 713.78 notice requirements.
- Before paying for or buying a towed vehicle, confirm which legal path applies: chapter 705 law-enforcement disposition or a section 713.78 towing-storage lien sale.
Not seeing your city or county?
Not every city publishes its rules online. Try these, in order:
- General Start with the statewide information above.
- Closest verified Nearest places where we have verified local data outside this state (distance from Florida's population center, for comparison only):
- Code Compliance, Georgia · about 290 miles
- Citizen Services Desk, South Carolina · about 360 miles
- Charleston Police Department non-emergency line, South Carolina · about 360 miles
- Call to confirm Ask the official office.Florida Statutes chapter 705
Website →Phone not shown: use the contact page on the official website above.Your city or county office: Local governments →Not sure who handles it locally? USAGov's free help line, 1-844-872-4681, or the Florida page on USA.gov can point you to the right office. - Know the current info? Tell us with a link to the official page.