Detroit issues an average of ~2,000 blight tickets monthly. Enforcement is currently active across all zones.
1) The Context
With enforcement running citywide, inoperable-vehicle tickets are one of the fastest ways Detroit stacks $100 fines onto otherwise stable properties. The reason is simple: inspectors can verify the condition from the street or sidewalk, the ticket is easy to write, and the City doesn’t need to prove much beyond what’s visible—an unlicensed, dismantled, or clearly non-operational vehicle sitting on private property.
For investors, landlords, and owner-occupants, Violation 8-15-110 is a “low-effort, high-volume” ticket. That means it’s also one of the easiest to fix—if you respond correctly and document it the way the City wants.
2) The Trap
Most people lose these cases (or pay unnecessarily) because they make one of these mistakes:
- They argue instead of curing. “It’s my car,” “I’m working on it,” or “it runs” doesn’t address the enforcement standard if the vehicle appears unlicensed/dismantled.
- They upload the wrong photo. A close-up of a tire, engine, or a random angle doesn’t prove compliance. The hearing officer needs to see the vehicle is gone or stored inside a garage.
- They cure it but don’t prove it. Compliance without evidence can still result in liability if the record doesn’t clearly show the condition was corrected.
- They wait. The longer it sits, the easier it is for the City to claim ongoing noncompliance, and the harder it becomes to build a clean timeline.
The “trap” is thinking this is a debate about ownership or intent. It isn’t. It’s a documentation game.
3) The Law (What the City Actually Requires)
Detroit Municipal Code 8-15-110 targets unlicensed or dismantled vehicles on private property. In practice, the City is looking for vehicles that are:
- Unlicensed (no valid plate/registration displayed), and/or
- Dismantled/inoperable (missing parts, visibly non-roadworthy), and
- Stored outdoors on private property in a way that constitutes a blight condition.
Fine: $100.
What matters at the hearing is not whether you plan to fix it, but whether the condition was abated—meaning the vehicle is no longer outdoors in violation.
4) The Defense (Loophole-Focused, Step-by-Step)
Detroit’s own best defense strategy is straightforward: prove the vehicle has been removed or is now stored inside a garage. Your job is to create a clear, timestamped story the hearing officer can understand in 10 seconds.
Step 1 — Cure the condition immediately
Pick one option:
- Remove the vehicle from the property (tow it, scrap it, move it off-site), or
- Store it fully inside a garage (not in the driveway, not under a tarp, not behind a fence—inside a fully enclosed structure).
If you’re trying to “beat” the ticket, curing fast prevents the City from arguing continuing violation.
Step 2 — Take the right photos (Required Evidence)
Required evidence: photo. Don’t give them an artsy shot—give them proof.
Take at least two clear photos:
- Wide-angle photo from the street/sidewalk viewpoint showing the driveway/yard area where the vehicle was cited—now empty, or showing the garage exterior with context.
- Photo showing the vehicle fully inside the garage with the garage framing visible (door tracks/frame help). If removed, take a second wide photo from another angle showing the area is clear.
If possible, use photos that preserve metadata (date/time). Avoid heavy editing.
Step 3 — Upload evidence with a tight, compliance-based statement
Your written defense should be one paragraph, focused on abatement:
- Identify the property and ticket number.
- State the cure: vehicle removed or stored inside garage.
- Point the hearing officer to the photos.
Example language:
“Violation 8-15-110 has been abated. The vehicle cited is no longer stored outdoors on the property. Attached photos show the driveway/yard area clear / and the vehicle stored fully inside the garage.”
Do not argue about why it happened. Don’t over-explain. Compliance wins.
Step 4 — Keep a backup record
Save:
- Original ticket
- Photos you uploaded
- Any tow/scrap receipt (optional but helpful)
If the City later claims it wasn’t cured, you have a clean paper trail.
5) The Reality (If You Ignore It)
Ignoring 8-15-110 typically means you:
- Lose by default or get found responsible,
- Pay the $100 fine (and potentially added costs if it escalates),
- Stay on the City’s radar for repeat inspections—especially if the vehicle remains visible.
In blight enforcement, the cheapest outcome is almost always: cure fast + prove it with the exact evidence requested.
Check your property at DetroitCompliance.com.