Abandoned vehicle removal in Manchester
A car sitting too long on a street or lot near Manchester can get flagged and removed. Here's how Virginia's rules and Richmond's process actually work.
What Virginia law says
Virginia doesn't leave "abandoned" to guesswork. Under § 46.2-1213, a vehicle counts as abandoned on public property if it's a traffic hazard, illegally parked, left unattended more than 10 days without permission, or immobilized on a public roadway by weather or an emergency. On private property, § 46.2-1215 sets a different clock: a car left without the owner's consent for more than 72 hours can be removed at the property owner's request, and any lot normally open to public parking has to post warning signs about that 72-hour policy first. In Richmond, an abandoned-vehicle tow runs through the same city towing contract as any other city-directed tow, currently handled by Seibert's Towing, so start with the non-emergency line at (804) 646-5100 or check the online listing at apps.richmondgov.com/applications/towviewing. Henrico County runs its own Tag N Tow Program instead: Community Maintenance or police post a brightly colored warning tag on the vehicle, reinspect after 48 hours, and arrange a tow if it hasn't moved, only one inoperable vehicle is allowed per property outdoors, and it has to be screened from view, a tarp doesn't count, with a civil penalty up to $500 for violating the rule. Reach Henrico's program at the police non-emergency line, (804) 501-5000, or the Community Maintenance hotline, (804) 501-4757, staffed 24/7. Chesterfield handles abandoned-vehicle reports through its own police non-emergency line, (804) 748-1251, or CCPD@chesterfield.gov, using its rotation of approved towing companies rather than a dedicated program. Once a car removed from private property is finally unclaimed, state law requires it be held at least 60 days after a diligent search and notice before final disposal. Quick Tow Richmond also offers junk car removal for owners who'd rather skip the process entirely on a car that isn't worth reclaiming.
How it works in Manchester
- 1 Know what counts as abandoned
Under Virginia law, a car on public property counts as abandoned if it's a traffic hazard, illegally parked, left unattended more than 10 days, or immobilized by weather or an emergency. On private property, the clock is 72 hours without consent.
- 2 Report it in Richmond
Call the non-emergency line at (804) 646-5100. The tow runs through the same city contract as any other Richmond-directed tow.
- 3 Report it in Henrico
Henrico's Tag N Tow Program posts a warning tag and reinspects after 48 hours. Reach it through the police non-emergency line, (804) 501-5000, or the 24/7 Community Maintenance hotline, (804) 501-4757.
- 4 Report it in Chesterfield
Call the police non-emergency line at (804) 748-1251 or email CCPD@chesterfield.gov. Chesterfield uses its own rotation of approved towing companies.
- 5 Find out where your car went, if it's yours
Check Richmond's online listing at apps.richmondgov.com/applications/towviewing, or call the non-emergency line for the jurisdiction that ordered the tow.
- 6 Consider junk car removal instead
If the car isn't worth reclaiming, ask Quick Tow Richmond about pickup for an unwanted vehicle instead of paying to get it out.
What this looks like around Manchester
Abandoned vehicles in {c} go through the city's own towing contract, so start with the non-emergency line at (804) 646-5100 or the online listing. Towing activity in general runs heaviest in the Fan, where an abandoned car can sit for days on a block that's already short on parking.
Every tow in Richmond answers to the same contractor: Seibert's Towing has held the city's exclusive contract since 1992. In Manchester, that contract covers a district whose river-crossing geography has shaped towing demand since long before Richmond absorbed it as its own independent city in 1910. Four US routes, US-1, US-60, US-301, and US-360, converge here alongside I-95, and the Lee, Mayo, and Manchester bridges all carry that traffic across the James into downtown, so through-traffic breakdowns concentrate hard at the bridge approaches. The 1901 Hull Street Station, the 1871 Manchester Courthouse, and the old Southern States Cooperative silos sit inside a district that keeps converting older industrial buildings into apartments with underbuilt parking, layering private-lot enforcement on top of the bridge-traffic tows. The city-owned Richmond Marine Terminal, an inland barge port on the James about four miles south of downtown, adds its own commercial-fleet traffic to the district. Check apps.richmondgov.com/applications/towviewing or call the non-emergency line, (804) 646-5100. The city's 2025 ordinance reportedly set the local hookup cap near $195, under Virginia's statewide $210 ceiling; confirm the current figure with Seibert's or the city before you pay. Manchester sits low along the James River bank, with real flood exposure in the older industrial blocks closest to the water, and Spanish skew here runs moderate, reflecting its position at the northern edge of the Southside Latino corridor.
Common Manchester questions
How do I report an abandoned vehicle in Manchester?
In Richmond, call the non-emergency line at (804) 646-5100. In Henrico, call (804) 501-5000 or the Community Maintenance hotline at (804) 501-4757. In Chesterfield, call (804) 748-1251.
How long can a car sit before it counts as abandoned in Manchester?
On public property, Virginia's rule is more than 10 days unattended, or sooner if it's a traffic hazard. On private property, it's more than 72 hours without the owner's consent.
What happens after an abandoned vehicle is removed in Manchester?
It goes into the same towing and storage process as any other nonconsensual tow, and state law requires at least a 60-day hold, after notice and a diligent search, before it can be finally disposed of.
Does Quick Tow Richmond buy or remove junk cars in Manchester?
Yes, we offer junk car removal for owners who'd rather skip the process entirely. Contact us about pickup for an old or unwanted vehicle.
Related help for Manchester
Abandoned vehicles in the rest of the Richmond Core area
Need your car towed once it's released in Manchester?
We can't waive the yard's fees. We can tow it home the moment it clears.