Columbia Abandoning motor vehicle ordinance (§ 16-232)
Chapter 16: Offenses and Miscellaneous Provisions · Article II. Code of Offenses
In short: You may not abandon a motor vehicle on a public road or state highway right-of-way, in state waters or on stream banks, on state, local or federal government land or water, or on someone else's private property without their consent. It's a class A misdemeanor.
Our plain-English summary, not the official text or legal advice. The ordinance below is what counts.
(a) A person commits the crime of abandoning a motor vehicle if he abandons any motor vehicle on the right-of-way of any public road or state highway or on or in any of the waters in this state or on the banks of any stream, or on any land or water owned, operated or leased by the state, any board, department, agency or commission thereof, or any political subdivision thereof or on any land or water owned, operated or leased by the federal government or on any private real property owned by another without his consent.
(b) Abandoning a motor vehicle is a class A misdemeanor.
Official source: City of Columbia official Code of Ordinances (online): look up Sec. 16-232
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.