State guide
North Carolina
North Carolina splits abandoned-vehicle issues between statewide statutes and local enforcement ordinances. NCDMV’s special-cases guidance says a property owner may call local law enforcement to check whether a vehicle is stolen, may contact a tow company after seven days, and may begin a sale process after 30 days if the vehicle remains unclaimed.
Checked against official sources on October 4, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
Try a ZIP like 30303, “Travis County” or “Columbus, OH”
- When a vehicle counts as abandoned
- Under N.C. Gen. Stat. 20-137.7, an abandoned vehicle is one that has remained illegally on private or public property for more than 10 days without the consent of the owner or person in control of the property.
- Removing one from private property
- NCDMV says a property owner may ask local law enforcement to check if the vehicle is stolen, may contact a tow company after seven days, and counties may also remove vehicles under local ordinance authority.
- Getting title to an abandoned vehicle
- NCDMV says that if a vehicle remains on private property unclaimed for 30 days, it is considered abandoned and the property owner may begin the process to sell it; the state instructions page does not name a general DMV form for that process.
- State agency
- North Carolina Department of Transportation, Division of Motor Vehicles; State Highway Patrol Investigative Services Unit
- Official forms or instructions
- Official page →
Official resources in North Carolina
NCDMV Special Cases
State DMV instructions page for abandoned, bonded, salvaged and other special title situations.
NCDMV Title Documents and Forms
State DMV forms and title-document guide that notes extra requirements for abandoned vehicles.
N.C. Gen. Stat. 20-137.7
State statutory definition of an abandoned vehicle.
N.C. Gen. Stat. 20-137.10
State tagging, notice and sale procedure for abandoned or derelict vehicles.
N.C. Gen. Stat. 153A-132
County ordinance authority for removing abandoned and junked vehicles from public grounds and private property.
Key facts for North Carolina
- State law defines an abandoned vehicle as illegally remaining on private or public property more than 10 days without consent.
- A tagged abandoned or derelict vehicle may be removed if not taken away within five days from the tag date.
- After removal, written notice goes to the last registered owner and lienholder; if not redeemed within 10 days, the vehicle may be sold for recycling.
- NCDMV says a property owner may contact a tow company after seven days and may start sale steps after 30 unclaimed days.
- For county ordinances, a vehicle left more than two hours on private property without consent may qualify as abandoned.
- Vehicles on a state highway right-of-way that interfere with traffic or create a hazard may be removed immediately with law-enforcement concurrence.
City abandoned-vehicle reporting in North Carolina
| City | city | phone | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte Code Enforcement Mecklenburg | Charlotte | Not published* | Handles abandoned, junked and hazardous vehicle issues and reclaim questions for city tows. |
| Charlotte Report a Violation Mecklenburg | Charlotte | Not published* | Official city reporting page for suspected code violations, including abandoned vehicles. |
| Raleigh Public Nuisances Wake | Raleigh | 919-829-1911 | Explains that Raleigh Police handle public-street or city-property vehicle removals and code enforcement handles private property. |
| Raleigh Frequently Called Numbers Wake | Raleigh | 919-996-2444 | Official contact page listing nuisance and abandoned-vehicle reporting numbers, including street and private-property contacts. |
| Greensboro Code Compliance - Nuisances Guilford | Greensboro | Not published* | Official city nuisance page for reporting junked and abandoned vehicle violations. |
| Greensboro Junked & Abandoned Vehicles Guilford | Greensboro | Not published* | Official city page describing Greensboro’s junked and abandoned vehicle rules. |
| Durham Emergency Communications / Abandoned Vehicle Durham | Durham | 919-560-4600 | Official Durham FAQ says public-street abandoned vehicles can be dispatched by this number or reported online under Streets and Sidewalks > Abandoned Vehicle. |
| Durham Neighborhood Improvement Services Durham | Durham | Not published* | City department responsible for abandoned and junk vehicle ordinance enforcement. |
* Not published: the official page doesn't list it. Call the office to confirm before you rely on it.
What to do next
- Check NCDMV Special Cases first, then call local law enforcement to see whether the vehicle is stolen before arranging a tow.
- If the vehicle is on your property, document when it arrived, when notice was posted or mailed, and when any tow occurred.
- If you need title or sale instructions, keep using NCDMV’s abandoned-vehicle special-cases page; local city or county rules may add extra steps.
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 North Carolina's population center, for comparison only):
- Abandoned and Derelict Vehicles - Planning & Development, South Carolina · about 125 miles
- Police Dept. - On City Streets or Right-of-Way, South Carolina · about 125 miles
- Citizen Support Center, South Carolina · about 183 miles
- Call to confirm Ask the official office.NCDMV Special Cases
Website →Phone: (919) 715-7000 (as listed on that page, checked Oct 4, 2026)Your city or county office: Local governments →Not sure who handles it locally? USAGov's free help line, 1-844-872-4681, or the North Carolina page on USA.gov can point you to the right office. - Know the current info? Tell us with a link to the official page.