In Georgia, a vehicle is treated as abandoned under the state’s abandoned motor vehicle law in three main cases: it sits at a repair shop 30 days past the agreed pickup, it was towed to someone’s property at the owner’s request and left 30 days without the charges paid, or it has been left unattended on private property for 30 days. The law is O.C.G.A. 40-11-1 and the sections that follow it. Only licensed towing and storage firms may remove these vehicles, and they have to follow a notice process first.
So a stranger’s car in your lot does not become yours, and you cannot simply have a friend haul it off.
The three situations, in plain terms
Left at a repair shop. You drop a car off and never come back. Once 30 days pass beyond the date the work was supposed to be done and the car was supposed to be picked up, it can be considered abandoned.
Towed at your request, then left. You asked for a tow to a lot or yard, and the charges were never paid. After 30 days it can fall under the abandoned vehicle rules.
Sitting on private property. A car that stays unattended for 30 days on someone’s lot or land. This is the case most property owners ask about.
The Georgia Department of Revenue summarizes the framework on its abandoned vehicles page.
Who is allowed to remove an abandoned car
The department states that only towing and storage firms are authorized to remove vehicles from public and private property at the request of law enforcement or a private property owner. Repair shops and salvage dealers can also hold liens by following the notice process. A neighbor, a landlord or a property manager is not on that list.
That matters because moving a car yourself can create trouble. If you own the land, the safer first step is to document the car and contact an operator or your local law enforcement agency.
The notice step
Before an authorized business can claim a lien, it has to notify the owner, lienholders and security interest holders. It first finds those contacts. In person, that means filing Form MV-603 at a county tag office or the Motor Vehicle Division at 4125 Welcome All Road in Atlanta, with a $2 research fee. Businesses can also look up the contact information through the Auto Data Direct system, or ask local law enforcement.
Georgia also says a title cannot be obtained for an abandoned vehicle on the basis of a surety bond. A title also cannot be issued for a vehicle not required to be titled in Georgia, which includes 1985 and older models.
Public roads versus private land
On a public road or right of way, enforcement runs through the city, county or state agency that controls the road. Parking rules under O.C.G.A. 40-6-203 also bar stopping in places like sidewalks, crosswalks and intersections. If a car is parked illegally on a street in Atlanta, a police-ordered tow follows the city’s rules, with a $125 towing cap under Atlanta Code 162-227. See how to tow a car from private property in Georgia for owner steps on a lot.
On private land, the owner or manager is the one who makes a same-day request for a tow, and the operator must follow the state’s non-consensual tow rules, including the sign, contract and rate ceilings. Those are explained in our guide to Georgia tow-away signs.
If the car is yours and you want it gone
Maybe the problem is the other way around, and you own a car that has stopped running. Selling it for parts or scrap avoids the abandoned status entirely. The paperwork is covered in what you need to junk a car in Georgia.
A sensible checklist for a property owner
- Photograph the car, the plate and the VIN if visible, with dates.
- Check whether it is visibly in use. Dust and flat tires help your case but are not required evidence.
- Leave a dated note on the windshield and keep a copy.
- Contact local law enforcement, who can sometimes run the plate for owner details.
- Work with a licensed towing and storage firm, not a private favor.
This page is general information, not legal advice. A landlord with a tenant’s car has additional lease questions beyond this law.
Frequently asked questions
How long before a car is considered abandoned in Georgia?
In the situations Georgia lists, 30 days. Which 30-day clock applies depends on where the car sits and why.
Can I have an abandoned car towed myself?
Only towing and storage firms are authorized to remove abandoned vehicles. You can request that a firm do it, but the firm has to follow the notice process.
Can I get a title for an abandoned car I found?
Georgia says a certificate of title cannot be obtained on the basis of a surety bond, and a title cannot be issued for vehicles not required to be titled, including 1985 or older models.
Who pays for the removal?
That depends on the circumstances and any lien. The notice process is how a firm protects its right to charges.
If you need a tow or roadside call in metro Atlanta, the line at (858) 925-5546 takes calls 24/7.