Can you claim a car that's been abandoned on your property?

The removal sections of Indiana Code 9-22-1 let you have the car taken away; they don't make it yours. For ownership questions, ask the BMV or a lawyer.

How long before I can have an abandoned car towed in Indiana?

If you handle it yourself, the notice tag has to say the car will be removed after 24 hours, and IC 9-22-1-16 lets you have it towed once those 24 hours pass. In an emergency it can be removed right away.

Can I sell an abandoned car to a junk car buyer?

No. Only the owner can sell a car. Cash for Junk Cars West Gary buys cars from their owners, so we can't take one that was left on your property.

Abandoned Car on Your Property in Indiana

A car you don't recognize has sat on your lot for a week. Or it's across the end of your driveway and nobody is coming back for it. In Indiana, a property owner can get an abandoned car removed from private property under Indiana Code 9-22-1-15 and 9-22-1-16: either ask a police officer for help, or tag the car with a notice and wait 24 hours before having it towed. Here is how each route works, and the one thing you can't do.

We're Cash for Junk Cars West Gary. We buy junk cars from their owners, which is exactly why this note ends with "don't call us for a car that isn't yours."

How to get an abandoned car removed in Indiana

Choose your route. Under IC 9-22-1-15, you can get a police officer's help to have the car removed, or arrange the removal yourself.
If you arrange it yourself, tag the car. Attach a notice tag in a prominent place on the vehicle.
Put the required details on the tag (the list is below).
Wait 24 hours. The owner gets that long to move the car.
Have it towed. Under IC 9-22-1-16, if the owner hasn't removed it after 24 hours, the person who owns or controls the property may have it towed.

The law applies to private property that you own or control, and it names rental property specifically. So a landlord can use it for a car left in a tenant lot.

What the notice tag must say

IC 9-22-1-15(b) lists what goes on the tag:

The date, the time, the name and address of the person who owns or controls the property, and a phone number to contact for information.
That the vehicle is considered abandoned.
That the vehicle will be removed after 24 hours.
That the vehicle's owner will be held responsible for all costs of removal, storage and disposal.
That the vehicle's owner can avoid those costs by removing the vehicle or its parts within 24 hours.

Write the tag clearly and put it where nobody could miss it, such as under a wiper on the driver's side. Take a photo of the tagged car with the time showing. If anyone disputes it later, the photo shows you followed the steps.

When a car can go right away

The 24-hour wait has an exception. IC 9-22-1-16(b) says a car believed to be abandoned on private property may be removed immediately in an emergency, and it defines an emergency as the car physically interfering with the normal business operations of the person who owns or controls the property, or posing a threat to the safety or security of people or property.

A car blocking the only way into a loading dock could fit the first part. A car parked where it blocks a fire lane or leaks fuel could fit the second. If you're not sure your situation counts, use the police route instead.

Asking the police instead

IC 9-22-1-15 lets you "obtain the assistance of an officer" to have the vehicle removed, under section 18 of the same chapter. If you'd rather not handle the tag and the tow yourself, or you're not sure the car is abandoned, call the police non-emergency line and ask for that help.

What you can't do

You can't sell it. You can't junk it. And the removal steps don't make it yours.

The sections above cover getting the car off your property. They don't hand you the title. Only the car's owner can sell it, and in Indiana a junk car sale needs the title or a BMV certificate of authority, which the owner applies for with proof the car is theirs. A car that was left on your land doesn't come with either.

If you want to keep the car or claim ownership of it, that's a separate legal question. Ask the Indiana BMV or a lawyer before you do anything with it beyond removal.

Check with the City of Gary

Many Indiana cities and towns add abandoned-vehicle rules of their own in their city codes. We haven't described Gary's rules here, so check with the City of Gary before you act, especially if the car is on the street rather than on your property.

If the car is yours

Maybe you're on the other side of this: it's your old car, sitting on a lot or at a relative's place, and you've been meaning to deal with it. Sell it before someone tags it. We buy junk cars in West Gary as they are, with free towing and payment at pickup. Send the details and we'll call with an offer. The FAQ covers titles, keys and pickup.

General information based on Indiana Code 9-22-1-15 and 9-22-1-16 as published on FindLaw (current as of January 1, 2026). Not legal advice.