SCPD Towing Vehicles With Expired Registration, Parking Tickets

SANTA CRUZ, CA — If you have an expired car registration and/or a pile of unpaid parking tickets, there's a good chance the Santa Cruz Police Department will tow your vehicle if it's found on a city street.

In a post Friday on social media, the SCPD warned its officers will tow vehicles with an expired registration of more than six months or more than five unpaid parking citations.

"SCPD continuously responds to illegal parking and storage of oversized vehicles in residential and commercial areas throughout the city," the department said in the post.

To clean things up, the SCPD appears to be cracking down. Several vehicles have been towed, according to the department.

Some lawmakers have been working to prevent towing of vehicles in violation, but the bill they've drafted — AB-516 — has stalled in committee.

In the meantime, Santa Cruz police are urging residents to take action by contacting the city with their parking complaints: (831) 420-5185.

If a vehicle appears to be abandoned, the contact the SCPD's Vehicle Abatement hotline at (831) 420-5863. Be prepared to leave the following information about the abandoned vehicle:
Location of the vehicle
Color of the vehicle
Make and model of the vehicle
License plate number