Columbia Driving motor vehicle without permission ordinance (§ 14-162)
Chapter 14: Motor Vehicles and Traffic · Article IV. Operation
In short: It's a misdemeanor to use, drive, injure or tamper with someone else's motor vehicle in the city without the owner's permission. A conviction can bring a fine of up to $500, up to six months in the city jail, or both.
Our plain-English summary, not the official text or legal advice. The ordinance below is what counts.
Any person using, operating, driving, injuring, or tampering with a motor vehicle within the corporate limits of the city without the permission of the owner of such motor vehicle shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction before the municipal judge shall be punished by a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars ($500.00) or imprisonment in the city jail for not more than six (6) months, or by both such fine and imprisonment.
Official source: City of Columbia official Code of Ordinances (online): look up Sec. 14-162
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.