Abandoned Vehicle Abatement Program
The Sheriff’s Office administers the County’s Abandoned Vehicle Abatement (AVA) Program to respond to complaints involving potentially abandoned vehicles. The Community Service Officer (CSO) conducts on-site inspections to determine whether a vehicle meets the criteria for abatement under County Code Chapter 9.57.
How Complaints Are Evaluated
Not every vehicle that appears to be abandoned qualifies for removal under the County’s AVA Program. An on-site inspection by an AVA Community Service Officer is required to determine whether a vehicle meets the applicable criteria.
The following circumstances may not meet the Abandoned Vehicle Abandoned Program criteria:
- Currently registered vehicles: If a vehicle is currently registered and appears to belong to a resident or someone in the area, the matter may be considered a parking-related issue rather than an abandoned vehicle. For parking-related concerns, please contact the California Highway Patrol (CHP) for assistance.
- Vehicles on private property or private roads: Vehicles located on private property or private roads generally fall outside the scope of the County’s AVA Program. Property owners, property managers, or Homeowners Associations (HOAs) may be better positioned to address these concerns.
- Vehicles being used as a residence: A vehicle that is occupied or being used as a place of residence does not meet the criteria for abatement. If you believe a vehicle is being occupied or used as a residence and have concerns about the occupants or circumstances, please contact the Sheriff’s Office non-emergency line and request that a deputy respond to assess the situation.
Please note that reporting a vehicle does not guarantee that it will qualify for removal.
Vehicle Removal Process
When a vehicle is determined to meet the requirements for abatement, a Community Service Officer will mark the vehicle and post a ten-day notice of intent to remove. Once the notice period has expired, the Sheriff’s Office coordinates with independent tow operators and salvage storage facilities to arrange for the vehicle’s removal.
Although the Sheriff’s Office may mark a vehicle for abatement, delays may occasionally occur. Because these services are provided by independent operators, these circumstances are outside of Sheriff’s Office control and may affect the timeline for removal. In these situations, the Sheriff’s Office will continue working with its partners to facilitate removal as soon as possible.
We appreciate the community’s assistance in reporting potential abandoned vehicles and patience as we work through the required process to address these complaints.
Report an abandoned vehicle online or call (831) 454-7602. Be prepared to report the following information about the vehicle you are reporting:
- Location
- Color
- Make and model
- License plate number
- How long it has been since it was last moved, if known