Vehicle Audit Unit (VAU)

4920 Ritchie Malboro Rd. Upper Marlboro, MD 20772
Phone:301-952-1873
Fax:301-952-0416
Hours of Operation: 8:00 am to 3:30 pm Monday through Friday
Closed on all weekends, holidays, and public auction days

How to make a Complaint of an abandoned vehicle

• A vehicle failing to display license plates.
• A vehicle displaying expired license plates.
• A vehicle displaying license plates that are issued to another vehicle.
• A vehicle that is visibly inoperable; i.e., two or more flat tires or missing one or more of its major mechanical parts.

Under the current Code, an abandoned vehicle must be tagged with an abandoned vehicle sticker for a minimum of forty-eight hours before impoundment can be effected. An Inspector will investigate the vehicle and if it meets the above listed criteria, he will tag the vehicle and return after the forty-eight hour period has expired. Please keep in mind this is a minimum waiting period. The Inspector is responsible for a geographical area and in an effort to be efficient he groups complaints together and satisfies one area at a time. We ask that if the vehicle is not tagged within seventy-two hours and impounded within a ten-day period, you contact the VAU for a status update.

Property Owners Request

The Vehicle Audit Unit will also remove a vehicle that is owned by a citizen which is no longer wanted. The citizen need only to complete the standard "Owner Request Form" that is available from the Vehicle Audit Unit. The citizen can also request a vehicle removal by sending or faxing a written correspondence in which the citizen gives specific permission to VAU to enter the property and remove the vehicle. This request must include the vehicle description and the vehicle must be accessible at all times. The request will need to be signed and dated by the property/vehicle owner.

If You Have a Vehicle Impounded by Vehicle Audit

If you have a vehicle impounded you may also contact VAU at the above listed telephone number. You will need to provide the clerical staff with either the vehicle's license plate number or the Vehicle Identification Number. To release a vehicle from the Impound facility you will need to respond in person to VAU with a clear title (not signed over), or current registration in the vehicle owner's name only. You will need a valid State Issued picture I.D., and to satisfy all towing, storage and notification fees. Fees will be accepted only in the form of cash, certified check, money order or Discover Card. (There is a fee applied by Discover for any transactions.)

• Towing Fee: $125.00 per vehicle up to ? ton GVW.
• Towing Fee: $250.00 per each vehicle over ? ton GVW
• Storage Fee: $25.00 per day. (Including weekends, holidays, and auction days.)
• Notification Fee: $20.00 per certified letter

Once the above conditions have been satisfied the owner must remove the vehicle from the impound facility that day. Failure to do so will result in additional storage fees and after twenty-one days the vehicle is subject to re-impoundment. The vehicle may be driven if the vehicle is drivable and has the current registration and license plates. If the vehicle is not drivable, the owner may remove the vehicle on either a tow bar, tow dolly, or a legally licensed trailer attached to a legally licensed towing vehicle. The final option is to have the vehicle removed by a towing company that has a current Prince George's County towing license.

Public Auctions

The VAU conducts public auctions on site. These auctions are held once every three to four weeks (contact VAU for next date). The auctions are held on Fridays and begin at 9:30 a.m. You will need a valid State issued driver's license and must be a minimum of sixteen years of age to enter the facility. No one will be permitted to enter the facility after 9:30 a.m. All vehicles must be paid for in cash or with a Discover card by 2:00 p.m. that day. You have five working days from the date of the auction to remove the vehicle by the same means as described in the above "Impoundment Section". Failure to remove the vehicle will result in re-impoundment of the vehicle and applicable fees will be assessed. A complete set of rules and regulations are available upon entering the facility.

The Vehicle Audit Unit is constantly evaluating the needs of the community and will make all necessary adjustments to provide exceptional service to all of Prince George's County.

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