Seizure and disposition of all-terrain vehicles and off-road motorcycles.
Norfolk City Code § 25-180
in effectSec. 25-180. - Seizure and disposition of all-terrain vehicles and off-road motorcycles.
(a) Any unlawfully operated all-terrain vehicle or off-road motorcycle operated on a highway or sidewalk within the City of Norfolk may be seized and impounded under the direction of a police officer or other person authorized to enforce the provisions of this article (a person other than a police officer means one authorized under the law). The person seizing the all-terrain vehicle or off-road motorcycle pursuant to this section shall immediately make a written report thereof to the police department and to the person in charge of the impound location setting forth the date, time, and place of, and the reason for, such seizure, and a description of the vehicle including the serial or vehicle identification number if one exists.
(b) Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary, upon final adjudication finding the unlawful operation of the motor vehicle on a highway or sidewalk within the City of Norfolk, an all-terrain vehicle or off-road motorcycle seized under the authority granted by this section may be disposed of by the city through lawful means including destruction or sale at public auction.
(c) Prior to disposal of the vehicle, the city shall make a reasonable effort to determine if the vehicle was reported as stolen at the time of seizure. Such efforts may include checking (i) the police department's own records, and (ii) the records of a nationally recognized crime database. If the city determines that the vehicle had been reported as stolen at the time of seizure, a notice of seizure will be sent to the identified owner provided the owner was not also the driver of the vehicle at the time of seizure. The notice of seizure shall be sent by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested. The notice shall describe the vehicle, including if available the year, make, model, and serial or vehicle identification number, and set forth the location where the vehicle is being held. The notice shall inform the owner of their right to redeem the vehicle subject to proof of ownership and payment of costs of towing and impoundment, and notify the owner that unredeemed vehicles may be disposed of by the city within a time certain identified in the notice of seizure.
(d) For the purposes of this section, the following definitions apply. The terms "all-terrain vehicle" and "off-road motorcycle" shall have the meaning set forth within Virginia Code § 46.2-100. The terms "motor vehicle" or "vehicle" shall mean all-terrain vehicles and off-road motorcycles.
(Ord. No. 49,843, § 1, 1-28-25)
Source: City of Norfolk, Virginia, City Code and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/va/norfolk/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COCI_CH25MOVECO_ARTIVOPVEGE_S25-180SEDIARRVEOADMOFetched: 11/1/2026