How do I report an abandoned vehicle in Philadelphia?
Report it now: four ways
Under Pennsylvania law, a vehicle counts as abandoned if it doesn't run, is parked illegally, or is missing its license plate, inspection sticker or Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) while sitting on a public street for more than 48 hours. On private property, the limit is 24 hours without the owner's OK.
Abandoned vehicle reports go to the Neighborhood Services Unit, part of the Philadelphia Police Department’s Neighborhood Nuisance Enforcement Division, not the Philadelphia Parking Authority.
What to do
Write down details about the vehicle. You'll need the street address where it's parked, plus the make (such as Honda), model (such as Civic) and body style (such as four-door sedan). The more detail, the better. If you can, take a picture.
Save your service request number. You can use it to check on your case through the app or by calling 311.
What's supposed to happen next
A police officer is supposed to check the vehicle and decide if it counts as abandoned. The owner should get a written notice and a chance to move or fix the vehicle first, according to Philadelphia Police Directive 12.6. If the vehicle is a safety hazard, or if both its registration and inspection have been expired for more than 90 days, it can be towed right away.
In practice, it takes a while. The process can take up to 120 business days, according to the Jenkins Law Library. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported in 2023 that the city had a backlog of 34,000 open complaints and that most cases took about six months.
Good to know
Try your council office. Some residents have gotten faster results by calling their City Council member's office, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer. Not sure who your council member is? Look it up by address here.
Sources: Demand data from Philadelphia 311 open data via Carto API, queried March 19, 2026. "Abandoned vehicle" defined in 75 Pa.C.S. § 102. Reporting process from Philly 311 (April 19, 2021) and phila.gov. Police rules from PPD Directive 12.6. Call center hours from phillypolice.com (Jan. 14, 2026). Timeline from Jenkins Law Library (May 13, 2021). Backlog reporting from The Philadelphia Inquirer (Nov. 5, 2023). Council lookup from City of Philadelphia via ArcGIS.
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Produced by Kensington Voice. Last updated March 24, 2026.
This guide was researched and drafted with AI assistance. All sources were verified by Kensington Voice staff.
This guide was researched and drafted with AI assistance. All sources were verified by Kensington Voice staff.