Abandoned Vehicles
The City of Norwood Payneham & St Peters can assist in determining whether a vehicle is abandoned.
If certain criteria are met, Council will make reasonable attempts to contact the vehicle’s owner.
If a vehicle is registered and legally parked, Council will not commence an abandoned vehicle investigation. Please note that many vehicles left parked for long periods are not considered abandoned.
When to Contact South Australia Police (SAPOL)?
Some vehicle matters fall under the Road Traffic Act 1961 (RTA) or the Motor Vehicle Act 1959 (MVA) and must be reported directly to SAPOL. These include situations where:
- The vehicle has been involved in a collision and is defective or unroadworthy (Section 145 RTA).
- The vehicle is unregistered (check registration via ezyreg.sa.gov.au) — (Section 9 MVA).
- The vehicle is missing vehicle registration number plates (Section 110C RTA).
Reporting an Abandoned Vehicle to Council
If none of the above conditions apply and SAPOL has no further interest in the matter, you may contact Council if you believe the vehicle may be abandoned.
Before submitting a report, please have the following details ready:
- Vehicle type: (e.g. sedan, ute, trailer),
- Vehicle make and model (if known),
- Location of the vehicle,
- Registration number,
- Colour of the vehicle,
- Approximate length of time the vehicle has been left unattended.
Please be aware that anonymous reports will not be investigated.
Alternatively, contact the Council on 08 8366 4555 or townhall@npsp.sa.gov.au
