Abandoned vehicle removal in Scott's Addition
A car sitting too long on a street or lot near Scott's Addition 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 Scott's Addition
- 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 Scott's Addition
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.
Nine-plus breweries, cideries, and a distillery earned Scott's Addition VinePair's title as the world's top beer destination for 2018, and that heavy nightlife crowd pours into a district where new apartment towers keep going up faster than the parking supply, close to the I-195/I-64 interchange. That imbalance is already a known source of private-lot towing disputes, and weekend crowds overflow into whatever open lot they can find near Broad St, Boulevard, or Robin Hood Rd. Virginia law requires those lots to post signage at every entrance listing the local non-emergency number before towing without consent. The 1926 Jones Motor Car Company building and the 1923 Nabisco Factory, added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2005, mark how fast this former industrial strip has turned residential, now the fastest-changing population base in the Richmond Core. A Scott's Addition tow runs through Seibert's Towing, Richmond's exclusive contractor since 1992. The city's towed-vehicle listing, apps.richmondgov.com/applications/towviewing, or the non-emergency line, (804) 646-5100, confirms a police-directed tow fast. Richmond's 2025 ordinance reportedly moved the local hookup cap toward $195, still under Virginia's $210 statewide maximum; confirm the current number with Seibert's or the city before paying. The first 24 hours of storage is always free by law. Older rail-corridor drainage under this former industrial land means flash flooding still pools at low points after a hard summer storm.
Common Scott's Addition questions
How do I report an abandoned vehicle in Scott's Addition?
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 Scott's Addition?
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 Scott's Addition?
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 Scott's Addition?
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 Scott's Addition
Abandoned vehicles in the rest of the Richmond Core area
Need your car towed once it's released in Scott's Addition?
We can't waive the yard's fees. We can tow it home the moment it clears.