Our Community in Fairfax County, Virginia
The law defines junked or inoperable vehicles as any motor vehicle which for a period of over 60 days has been disabled by the removal of tires and wheels, engine, or other essential parts required for operation of the vehicle. The purpose of this law is to allow residents to work on their vehicles for a reasonable amount of time, but to keep our neighborhood from becoming an automobile junkyard.
In Fairfax County, it is illegal for any person to keep any inoperable motor vehicle on any residential property for more than 60 days unless such vehicle is kept within a fully enclosed building or is shielded from view. Tarpaulins, tents or other similar temporary structures do not count.
If you wish to report an inoperable vehicle, call the Fairfax County Police Impound Unit at 703-280-0587, or Supervisor Gross's office at 703-256-7717. Citizens are asked to provide as much information on vehicles as possible, including the year, the make and model, the color, the tag number and the exact location of the vehicle. Officers will come to inspect the property and if they see a violation, they will issue a warning notice. If the vehicle is not removed, repaired, or placed in a fully enclosed structure, it can be towed and the owners charged with a class two misdemeanor. However, according to the police, a warning is usually enough.
Officer John Burdette, Fairfax County Police Impoundment Officer, has been busy ridding Mason District of junk cars. Since joining the Junk Car Division in May of 1996, Officer Burdette has been vigorously and enthusiastically investigating and enforcing Chapter 110 of the Fairfax County Code which prohibits junk or inoperative vehicles. From May 1996 to December 1996, Officer Burdette investigating 1,260 cases of junk vehicles (315 of those in Mason District alone), issued 182 notices of violations and towed 67 cars that did not come into compliance.
If you would like to report unlicensed, unregistered, inoperative or junk vehicles, please call Officer Burdette at 280-0587, or Supervisor Gross's office at 256-7717. Hats off to John for helping maintain our community standards!
"Any motor vehicle which is not in operating condition or which for a period of sixty days or longer has been partially or totally disabled by the removal of tires and wheels, engine, or other essential parts required for operation of the vehicle is considered to be an inoperable vehicle for purposed of enforcing applicable Fairfax County ordinances."
The Fairfax County Code regulates the keeping of inoperable motor vehicles. The ordinance states: "It shall be unlawful for any person . . . to keep any inoperable motor vehicle . . . on any property zoned for residential purposes unless such vehicle is kept within a fully enclosed building or is shielded from view. Tarpaulins, tents or other similar temporary structures shall not be deemed to satisfy the requirements of the Chapter."
The ordinance permits the Fairfax County Police Department to order the towing of inoperable vehicles from private property if the owners do not remove them within ten days after receiving a violation notice from the Police Department.
If you wish to report an inoperable vehicle, call the Fairfax County Police Impound Unit at 280-0582 or 280-0587. Citizens are asked to provide as much information on vehicles as possible, including the year, the make and model, the color, the tag number and the exact location of the vehicle.
The Impound Unit will follow up inoperable vehicle complaints with inspections in the field and enforcement action as appropriate. An officer from the unit will conduct an on-site inspection to determine if a violation exists. If so, a warning letter will be sent to the property owner explaining the county ordinance and requesting compliance within ten days. After ten days have elapsed, a second inspection will be made to verify compliance. If the violation still exists, a notice of violation will be served, which compels the property owner or agent to reach compliance within ten working days. Compliance is reached by either: 1) demonstrating that the vehicle starts and engages in gear; 2) placing it in a fully enclosed structure; or 3) removing the vehicle from the property to a legal disposal site. Failure to do so may result in the violator being charged with a class two misdemeanor, and the vehicle being towed at the violator's expense.