Columbia Mechanically defective vehicles ordinance (§ 14-116)
Chapter 14: Motor Vehicles and Traffic · Article III. Motor Vehicles
In short: You can't drive a vehicle on a city street if it's in such poor mechanical condition that it would reasonably be likely to cause injury to people or damage to property while being driven.
Our plain-English summary, not the official text or legal advice. The ordinance below is what counts.
No person shall drive a vehicle on a street which is in a defective mechanical condition, and which, because of such defective mechanical condition, would be reasonably likely to cause damage to person or property while being driven.
Official source: City of Columbia official Code of Ordinances (online): look up Sec. 14-116
Text from Supplement 139 (September 3, 2026).
Last checked November 1, 2026. The city's official copy controls; this page is a reading copy, not legal advice.