State guide
Mississippi
Mississippi’s Department of Revenue has a dedicated abandoned-vehicles page and changed some notice procedures effective July 1, 2026. The state page gives concrete abandonment timelines for vehicles left on public roads, public property, repair/dealer/wrecker lots, and law-enforcement tows, but it does not provide a general self-help process for an ordinary private landowner to title a random vehicle left on private land.
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
- In Mississippi, a motor vehicle is considered abandoned if it fits one of the DOR’s listed categories, including 5 days unattended on public roads/public property, 40 days at a dealer/repair shop/wrecker, or 40 days after a law-enforcement tow to another’s property.
- Removing one from private property
- Not published by an official source we could verify. Ask the office.
- Getting title to an abandoned vehicle
- Official DOR materials found here describe sale or disposal by an authorized person using notice, waiting periods, and Form 78-009, but do not clearly set out a general DMV titling path for an ordinary private property owner; use the DOR checklist page or contact Title Customer Service.
- State agency
- Mississippi Department of Revenue, Motor Vehicle Services
Official resources in Mississippi
State overview page with abandonment timelines, notice rules, checklists, vendor notice links, and the Affidavit of Abandonment form.
Official form index confirming Affidavit of Abandonment, form number 78-009, under Motor Vehicle title forms.
Department notice explaining the July 1, 2026 change to certified-mail notice through approved third-party vendors.
Key facts for Mississippi
- A vehicle unattended on a public street, road, highway, or public property for at least 5 days is considered abandoned.
- A vehicle left at a dealer, repair shop, or wrecker and not picked up by the agreed date or within 40 days is considered abandoned.
- A vehicle lawfully towed to another’s property by law enforcement and unclaimed for 40 days is considered abandoned.
- The party authorized to sell or dispose of an abandoned vehicle must notify the owner and lienholder within 7 days of receiving the vehicle.
- Beginning July 1, 2026, towing companies and repair shops must use an approved third-party vendor for certified-mail owner/lienholder notice.
- If no market value exists, the vehicle may be disposed of after obtaining two written statements from licensed automobile dealers confirming worthlessness.
City abandoned-vehicle reporting in Mississippi
| City | city | phone | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Title Customer Service | Jackson | Not published* | State contact listed on the DOR abandonment notice for questions about titling abandoned vehicles. |
| Jackson 311 Hinds County | Jackson | (601) 960-0794 | Official non-emergency service system for vehicle complaints and right-of-way obstructions. |
| Action Center Forrest County | Hattiesburg | 601.545.4500 | Official city reporting center; examples of service requests include abandoned vehicles. |
| Municipal Code Enforcement DeSoto County | Southaven | (662) 280-6523 | Handles municipal code enforcement concerns; city RequestTracker also accepts code-enforcement reports. |
| RequestTracker DeSoto County | Southaven | Not published* | Official online city portal to report concerns, including municipal code enforcement violations. |
| Biloxi community reporting contact Harrison County | Biloxi | 228-435-0841 | Official city contact page says this number is for reporting weeded lots, unsafe buildings, and abandoned vehicles. |
* Not published: the official page doesn't list it. Call the office to confirm before you rely on it.
What to do next
- Start with the DOR abandoned-vehicles page and match your situation to its towing-company or mechanic checklist before sending any notice.
- If you are an authorized seller, send owner/lienholder notice within 7 days and keep proof of delivery and any returned mail.
- If the state page does not squarely cover a private-landowner situation, contact Title Customer Service before towing or selling anything.
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 Mississippi's population center, for comparison only):
- Mobile Police Department Impound Yard, Alabama · about 157 miles
- Mobile Police Department Non-Emergency, Alabama · about 157 miles
- Auto Theft & Impound Division, Louisiana · about 173 miles
- Call to confirm Ask the official office.Mississippi DOR - Abandoned Vehicles
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 Mississippi page on USA.gov can point you to the right office. - Know the current info? Tell us with a link to the official page.