Abandoned vehicle removal in Ottawa helps property owners deal with vehicles left behind by people who are no longer around. A tenant skipped out on the lease and left their 2006 Civic in your condo parking spot. An unknown van with no plates appeared in your commercial lot two weeks ago and nobody has claimed it. The previous owner of your house left a rusted-out truck in the backyard and you have been mowing around it since you moved in. Ontario Towing removes these vehicles legally and handles the process from start to finish.
Why abandoned vehicle removal is not as simple as calling a tow truck
This is the most important thing to understand about abandoned vehicles. You cannot just call any tow company and have an unknown car hauled away. The vehicle belongs to someone, even if you do not know who. Ontario law and City of Ottawa bylaws protect vehicle owners from having their property towed without due process. If you skip the legal steps, the vehicle owner can come back and hold you liable for towing costs, storage fees, and even damages.
Ontario Towing knows these bylaws inside and out. We walk you through the proper process for your specific situation so the removal is legally defensible. Once the legal requirements are met, we dispatch a flatbed and remove the vehicle from your property.
The legal process for abandoned vehicle removal in Ottawa
Steps required before an abandoned vehicle can be towed
1
Determine if the vehicle is on public or private propertyPublic roads and city property are handled by Ottawa Bylaw Services (call 311). Private property is where Ontario Towing comes in.
2
Attempt to identify the ownerIf the vehicle has plates, a registration check through the police non-emergency line can identify the owner. If there are no plates, other identification methods may be needed.
3
Post proper noticeIn many cases, you need to provide written notice on the vehicle giving the owner a specific number of days to remove it. This notice needs to include your contact information and the deadline.
4
Document everythingTake photos of the vehicle, the notice, and the dates. This documentation protects you if the owner disputes the removal later.
5
Call Ontario Towing after the notice periodOnce the legal requirements are met and the owner has not responded, call (613) 619-4545 and we remove the vehicle.
Do not skip the notice step. Towing a vehicle from your property without following the proper notice process exposes you to legal liability. The vehicle owner can argue their property was taken without due process. The notice period and requirements vary by situation. Call (613) 619-4545 and we walk you through exactly what is needed before we dispatch a truck.
Common abandoned vehicle situations in Ottawa
Scenarios we handle regularly
Former tenant left a vehicle behindThe tenant moved out of a rental property in Sandy Hill, Vanier, or Centretown and left their car in the driveway or parking spot. Landlords deal with this frequently in student-heavy neighbourhoods near the University of Ottawa and Carleton.
Unknown vehicle in a commercial lotA car with no plates and no identification showed up in your business parking lot in Kanata, Barrhaven, or on St. Laurent Boulevard. Nobody has claimed it in weeks. It is taking up customer space and you want it gone.
Vehicle left by a previous property ownerYou bought a house and the seller left a non-running car in the garage or backyard. The sale closed, they are gone, and the car is your problem now.
Condo parking spot occupied by an unknown vehicleSomeone is using your reserved underground parking spot in a Centretown or Glebe condo building and the condo board cannot identify the owner.
Vehicle dumped on rural propertyPeople occasionally dump old cars on rural properties in south Ottawa near Manotick, Greely, Osgoode, and Metcalfe to avoid paying for proper disposal. The property owner discovers it and needs it removed.
Estate vehicle after a deathA family member passed away and their vehicle is on a property that needs to be sold or cleared. The estate executor needs the vehicle removed as part of the estate settlement.
Abandoned vehicles on public roads vs. private property
If the abandoned vehicle is on a public road, sidewalk, or city-owned property, it falls under the City of Ottawa's jurisdiction. Call 311 and Bylaw Services will handle it through their own process, which involves tagging the vehicle and giving the owner a notice period before towing.
If the abandoned vehicle is on your private property, that is where Ontario Towing comes in. The city will not tow vehicles from private property. That is the property owner's responsibility. We handle the towing and guide you through the legal steps that need to happen first.
What happens to the abandoned vehicle after removal
If the owner is identified and can be contacted, the vehicle is held at a secure facility and the owner is notified of the towing and storage fees. If the owner does not claim the vehicle within the legally required holding period, it is processed as an unclaimed vehicle. Depending on the condition, it may be sold at auction, parted out, or sent to a recycling facility for scrapping.
All fluids, batteries, and tires are handled according to Ontario environmental regulations regardless of what happens to the vehicle. Nothing hazardous goes into a landfill.
Never attempt to move an abandoned vehicle yourself. If the vehicle is not registered to you, moving it without following the proper legal process could be considered theft or conversion under Ontario law. Even if the car looks like junk and the owner is clearly gone, follow the proper steps. Call (613) 619-4545 and we tell you exactly what to do.
Coverage across Ottawa
We handle abandoned vehicle removal from private properties across all of Ottawa. Rental properties in Sandy Hill and Vanier. Condo buildings in Centretown, the Glebe, and Westboro. Commercial lots in Kanata, Nepean, and on St. Laurent. Rural properties in Manotick, Greely, Metcalfe, Cumberland, and Navan. And across the river in Gatineau, Hull, and Aylmer.
Frequently asked questions about abandoned vehicle removal ottawa
Not without following the proper legal process. Abandoned vehicle removal requires notice to the owner and a waiting period. Call (613) 619-4545 and we walk you through the exact steps for your situation.
If the owner is identified and claims the vehicle, they pay all fees. If the owner cannot be found, the property owner may need to cover the towing cost. We discuss pricing upfront before any work begins.
The notice period varies by situation, typically 7 to 15 days. Once the legal requirements are met, the actual removal takes a few hours from your call to the vehicle being off your property.
No plates makes identification harder but not impossible. VIN checks through the police non-emergency line can identify the registered owner. If the owner truly cannot be identified, the process proceeds differently and we guide you through it.
Yes. We have low-clearance equipment for underground garages. We work with condo boards and property managers to handle the legal process and the physical removal.
Yes. An abandoned vehicle may still have an identifiable owner who needs to be notified. A junk vehicle that you own can be removed immediately with proof of ownership. We handle both situations.
Abandoned vehicle on your Ottawa property?
We handle the process from notice to removal. Call us first.