Abandoned vehicle removal in LaPlace
A car sitting too long on a street or lot in LaPlace can get flagged and removed. Here's how the process works.
What Louisiana law says
New Orleans doesn't leave abandoned to guesswork. City rules define it directly: a vehicle counts as abandoned if it's left on a public street or highway in violation of a parking law, left inoperable and unattended on public property for more than 3 days, left on private property without the owner's consent for more than 24 hours, or left on city-owned property for more than 3 days. Reports go through 311, available 24/7 by phone or online at nola311.org. Once a car gets removed this way, it goes into the same system as any other nonconsensual tow, currently the Claiborne Avenue Auto Pound at 400 N. Claiborne Ave, with the same fees and the same requirement to clear any parking citations 90 or more days old before release. This rule matters beyond a car that's simply parked too long: a vehicle stalled and left standing in floodwater at a chronic flood point, like the Carrollton Ave underpass or Claiborne Ave in Uptown, can trip that same 3-day inoperable-and-unattended clock if nobody moves it. Quick Tow New Orleans also offers junk car removal for owners who'd rather skip the pound process entirely on a car that isn't worth reclaiming.
How it works in LaPlace
- 1 Know what counts as abandoned
A car counts as abandoned if it's left on a public street illegally, left inoperable and unattended on public property more than 3 days, left on private property without consent more than 24 hours, or left on city property more than 3 days.
- 2 Report it
Call 311, available 24/7, or file at nola311.org. Outside Orleans Parish, call the local parish sheriff's non-emergency line instead.
- 3 Find out where your car went, if it's yours
The same city pound handles abandoned-vehicle tows as any other nonconsensual tow. Call (504) 658-8100 to confirm.
- 4 Gather what you need for release
Be ready to clear any outstanding parking citations 90 or more days old before the car's released, on top of the tow and storage fees.
- 5 Pay the pound directly
Quick Tow New Orleans doesn't set or collect the city's fees. You pay the pound, not us.
- 6 Consider junk car removal instead
If the car isn't worth reclaiming, ask Quick Tow New Orleans about pickup for an unwanted vehicle instead of paying to get it out.
What this looks like around LaPlace
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The I-10/I-55 junction here is a genuine interstate chokepoint, and it's also where the state's free Motorist Assistance Patrol begins its nighttime route west, patrolling I-10 from US-51 at LaPlace out toward Morrison Road, 7:30 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. every night. The petrochemical and steel-industry employer base, Shell Chemical, Denka, and ArcelorMittal, means a real share of heavy-duty and fleet-vehicle towing calls layered on top of ordinary commuter traffic between LaPlace and New Orleans. LaPlace sits in St. John the Baptist Parish, where a parish-specific towing and storage rate ordinance could not be confirmed in our research. The Louisiana Public Service Commission's statewide cap on nonconsensual towing still applies: $152.50 an hour for Light Duty, or up to $335.00 an hour for Medium Duty, relevant given that petrochemical and steel-industry fleet traffic. Ask the yard for an itemized bill. The Port of South Louisiana's headquarters sits here too. LaPlace was hit hard by Hurricane Ida in 2021 and by an F4 tornado in 1983, both still reference points locally for how fast this corridor turns dangerous. Population reached 28,841 in 2020, with a Hispanic/Latino share of 9.43%.
LaPlace sits right where I-55 meets I-10, a genuine interstate chokepoint that catches long-haul truck and commuter traffic in both directions. The petrochemical and steel-industry employer base here, Shell Chemical, Denka, and ArcelorMittal all run major operations nearby, means a real share of our calls are heavy-duty and fleet-vehicle work layered on top of ordinary commuter traffic between LaPlace and New Orleans on Airline Hwy and I-10. Hurricane Ida hit this corridor hard in 2021, and the area's history with fast-turning severe weather, including an F4 tornado back in 1983, means residents here take a storm warning seriously and often need a pre-storm battery or tire check before evacuating. We reach the I-10/I-55 interchange, the Port of South Louisiana headquarters area, and the Airline Hwy corridor in about 30 to 40 minutes, honestly the longer end of our response map given the distance from central dispatch, and we run heavy-duty flatbed equipment for the petrochemical and steel-plant fleet calls alongside standard wheel-lift for everyday breakdowns.
Common LaPlace questions
How do I report an abandoned vehicle in LaPlace?
Call 311, available 24/7, or file online at nola311.org. Outside Orleans Parish, call the local parish sheriff's non-emergency line instead.
How long can a car sit before it counts as abandoned in LaPlace?
Under the city's own rule, a car counts as abandoned if it's inoperable and left unattended on public property more than 3 days, or left on private property without consent more than 24 hours.
What happens to an abandoned vehicle once it's removed in LaPlace?
It goes into the same city pound system as any other nonconsensual tow, currently the Claiborne Avenue Auto Pound, and the same fees and release process apply.
Does Quick Tow New Orleans buy or remove junk cars in LaPlace?
Yes, we offer junk car removal for owners who'd rather skip the pound process entirely. Contact us about pickup for an old or unwanted vehicle.
Related help for LaPlace
Abandoned vehicles in the rest of the River Parishes area
Need your car towed once it's released in LaPlace?
We can't waive the yard's fees. We can tow it home the moment it clears.