Abandoned and unattended vehicles

The rules for abandoned and unattended vehicles are explained in the Public Spaces (Unattended Property) Act 2021. Visit the NSW Government website or click the infographic below to learn more.

What vehicle owners are responsible for

Vehicle owners are responsible for ensuring your vehicle is not left unattended or abandoned in a public place. Vehicles are not considered unattended if the vehicle is:

• under the direct control of the responsible person, or
• under the supervision of the responsible person.

For example, a vehicle that is registered and legally parked in the close vicinity of the responsible persons property is not considered abandoned or unattended.

Under the Public Spaces (Unattended Property) Act 2021, unattended vehicles may remain in a public place for up to 28 days provided they are:

• registered (if on public road),
• legally parked,
• not causing obstruction or impacting public amenity.

Unregistered vehicles are not permitted on public roads under any circumstances.

What Council can and can't do

We follow the rules set out in the Public Spaces (Unattended Property) Act 2021 and prioritise cases where vehicles are unsafe, unregistered, or being stored long-term and interfering with people in public places.

We can't remove vehicles that are:

• parked legally for less than 28 days,
• parked on private property or driveways
• under the direct control or supervision of the responsible person,
• causing obstruction to line of sight if the vehicle is legally parked and complies with other legislation.

Registered caravans, boats and trailers

Under NSW law, registered vehicles including caravans, boat trailers and other trailers, must not be left unattended on public land in the same place for longer than 28 days. These vehicles must also be:

• registered,
• legally parked,
• not obstruct footpaths, roads or public access, and
• not interfere with safe and enjoyable use of public spaces.

Council may notify the owners of these vehicles to remove them from public land. If the owner doesn't comply, Council can take further action.

Fines of $660 may apply for leaving a vehicle unattended in a public place.

Rules for oversize and overweight vehicles also apply - see our Caravans, Boats and Trailers page for more information.

Unregistered vehicles

It is an offence to leave an unregistered vehicle on a road or road-related area anywhere in NSW. Council can issue on the spot fines to the last registered owner of the vehicle and start regulatory action to have the unregistered vehicle removed from the public place.

Fines of more than $280 apply.

Unregistered vehicles are also unlikely to be covered by Compulsory Third Party insurance, which may increase liability in the event of an incident.

How to report an abandoned or unattended vehicle

If you believe a vehicle has been abandoned or has been left unattended for more than 28 days, or is unregistered, report it using the button below or call us on (02) 4227 7111.

If the vehicle is illegally parked (e.g. in a No Stopping zone) please report this as a parking issue.

What information you'll need to provide

To help us assess your report, you'll need to include information including:

• vehicle registration number (if plates are visible),
• vehicle make, model and colour,
• exact location (street name) and where it's parked (e.g. road, footpath etc),
• how long it's been there,
• is the vehicle unregistered of undrivable (use the free Service NSW registration checker)
• any known details about the owner,
• photos if available.

Please make sure you answer all questions and provide enough information when reporting an abandoned vehicle. If we don't have enough detail, we may not be able to investigate your report.