How to Remove an Abandoned Vehicle From Your Property in South Carolina

Who removes the vehicle and how long it takes

You cannot simply tow an abandoned vehicle off your property yourself — South Carolina law requires you to follow a specific process first, and the timeline depends on whether you own the land or rent it. If you own the property, you contact your local police department's non-emergency line to report the vehicle. They will document it and run the vehicle identification number (VIN) to locate the registered owner. If you rent or lease the property, you report it to your landlord or property manager, who then contacts police on behalf of the property.

Once police have the registered owner's information, they send a notice to that person giving them a set number of days to remove the vehicle. That notice period varies — typically 10 to 30 days depending on your city or county. If the owner does not respond or cannot be located, the vehicle is considered abandoned and you can move forward with removal. The entire process from your first report to the point where you can legally have the vehicle towed usually takes 4 to 8 weeks.

Key Takeaways

• Report the abandoned vehicle to your local police department's non-emergency line; do not attempt to tow it yourself.
• Police will attempt to contact the registered owner and give them a notice period (typically 10 to 30 days) to remove it.
• If the owner does not claim the vehicle after the notice period expires, you can hire a towing company to remove it at your cost.
• Keep all documentation from police, including the report number and any notices sent, in case the owner later disputes the removal.
• Some municipalities have programs to cover towing costs for abandoned vehicles on residential property; ask your police department whether yours does.

What counts as abandoned under South Carolina law

South Carolina defines an abandoned vehicle as one that has been left on property without the owner's permission and shows signs of being inoperable or neglected. The vehicle does not have to be completely non-functional — it counts as abandoned if it has expired tags, broken windows, flat tires, or has simply sat unused for an extended period. The key is that it is on your property without your consent and the owner is not actively maintaining or moving it.

A vehicle parked on your property by a guest or tenant is different from an abandoned vehicle. If someone you know left a car there, even if it has been sitting for weeks, you may need to resolve it through a lease dispute or small claims court rather than the police abandonment process. The police report process is specifically for vehicles where you cannot identify the owner or the owner is not responding to your requests to remove it.

Steps to report and document the vehicle

Start by taking photographs of the vehicle from multiple angles, including close-ups of the license plate, VIN (visible on the dashboard through the windshield), and any damage or neglect. Write down the date you first noticed it, the color, make, model, and license plate number. This documentation protects you if there is later a dispute about when the vehicle arrived or its condition.

Contact your local police department's non-emergency number — not 911 — and report the abandoned vehicle. Provide the officer with your photographs, the vehicle's location on your property, and the information you collected. Ask for a report number and the name of the officer taking the report. Request a copy of the report for your records. The police department will use the VIN and license plate to search their database and attempt to locate and notify the registered owner.

If you are a tenant or renter, give your landlord or property manager a copy of the police report and the photographs. They will need this documentation to pursue removal on behalf of the property. Do not sign any agreement to pay for towing unless your lease specifically requires you to do so — removal of an abandoned vehicle is typically the property owner's responsibility.

What happens after police send notice to the owner

Once police locate the registered owner, they send a written notice to the address on file with the Department of Motor Vehicles. This notice informs the owner that the vehicle has been reported as abandoned and gives them a deadline — usually 10 to 30 days — to remove it or contact police to explain. The owner may respond by claiming the vehicle, arranging to pick it up, or providing information about why it is there.

If the owner responds and claims the vehicle, police will typically give them additional time to remove it, or the owner may dispute that it is abandoned. If the owner does not respond by the deadline, or if police cannot locate them, the vehicle is officially classified as abandoned and you can proceed with removal. Police will notify you when this status is reached and provide you with a clearance letter or document stating the vehicle can be removed.

Hiring a towing company and covering the cost

Once you have police clearance, contact a licensed towing company in your area to remove the vehicle. You are responsible for paying the towing fee, which typically ranges from $150 to $400 depending on the distance and the towing company's rates. Some companies charge additional storage fees if the vehicle sits in their lot before being sold or scrapped. Get a written estimate before authorizing the tow, and ask the company for a receipt and documentation of where the vehicle is being taken.

Before paying for towing, check whether your city or county has a program that covers or reimburses removal costs for abandoned vehicles on residential property. Some municipalities do offer this assistance. Contact your local city council office or county administration to ask. If you are a tenant, your landlord may also have insurance or a maintenance budget that covers this expense — ask before you pay out of pocket.

Keep all receipts and documentation from the towing company, including the date of removal, the vehicle's final location, and any fees paid. This protects you if the original owner later contacts you claiming the vehicle was removed improperly.

What happens to the vehicle after it is towed

Once a licensed towing company removes the vehicle, it goes to their impound lot. The towing company is required by South Carolina law to attempt to contact the registered owner and notify them of the vehicle's location and the charges owed. The owner then has a set period — typically 30 days — to claim the vehicle by paying all towing and storage fees. If the owner does not claim it within that time, the towing company can sell the vehicle at auction or send it to a scrap yard.

You do not need to track what happens to the vehicle after removal — that is the towing company's responsibility. Your role ends once the vehicle is off your property and you have paid the towing fee. The towing company handles all further communication with the owner and the disposition of the vehicle.

If the owner disputes the removal

In rare cases, the registered owner may contact you or police after the vehicle has been towed, claiming it was removed improperly or without their knowledge. If this happens, provide the owner with copies of all documentation: the police report, the notice police sent them, the clearance letter, and the towing receipt. This shows you followed the legal process and did not act without cause.

If the owner believes the removal was illegal, they can file a complaint with the police department or pursue a civil claim against you. However, if you followed the abandonment reporting process and obtained police clearance before towing, you have a strong legal defense. The burden is on the owner to prove they did not abandon the vehicle or that you failed to follow proper procedure. Keep all documents for at least one year after removal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I tow the vehicle myself without calling police first?

No. South Carolina law requires you to report the vehicle to police and allow them to attempt to contact the owner before removal. Towing without this process could expose you to a civil lawsuit from the owner for conversion (taking property without legal right). Always get police clearance in writing before hiring a tow truck.

What if the vehicle is on the street in front of my house, not on my property?

If the vehicle is parked on a public street, contact your city or county code enforcement or parking enforcement office, not police. Public street parking violations are handled differently than abandoned vehicles on private property. They can issue citations or arrange removal through the city's process.

How long does police usually take to contact the owner?

Police typically send notice within 5 to 10 business days of your report. The owner then has 10 to 30 days to respond, depending on local ordinance. The total time from your report to clearance for removal is usually 4 to 8 weeks, though it can be faster if the owner cannot be located.

Do I have to pay for towing if I am renting the property?

No. As a tenant, the property owner is responsible for removing abandoned vehicles and paying towing costs. Report it to your landlord or property manager with a copy of the police report. If they refuse to act, you may have grounds to withhold rent or break the lease depending on your state's tenant laws.

What if the towing company loses the vehicle or it gets damaged in the lot?

The towing company is liable for the vehicle's condition while in their possession. If damage occurs, the owner can file a claim against the towing company's insurance. You are not responsible for damage that happens after the vehicle leaves your property, provided you hired a licensed, insured towing company.