May I keep a dead car in my Brentwood driveway, and for how long?

Two weeks. Section 30-7 makes it unlawful for the occupant or owner of residential property to let a disabled or inoperative car be stored or parked there for longer than that.

Can I fix my car on the Brentwood street in front of my house?

Only emergency repairs. Section 66-287 bars washing, greasing or working on a vehicle parked on a public street, and it limits street parking to 24 consecutive hours without the police chief's approval.

If Brentwood tows my car, who covers the cost?

You do. Section 66-90 says towing charges are paid by the vehicle owner, and at a private lot the owner owes all costs unless the violation is dismissed and the impoundment is found to be in error.

Town guide · Tennessee

How to get a broken or junk car out of Brentwood

A Brentwood home lot can hold a broken-down car for two weeks, then time is up. Section 30-7 of the city code makes it "unlawful for the occupant or owner of any real estate in a residentially zoned district to allow a disabled and/or inoperative motor vehicle to be stored, vacated and/or parked" there "for a period longer than two weeks." The rule names the occupant as well as the owner, so it reaches renters too. If the car is not getting fixed inside that window, we buy whole non-running and junk cars. You sell the whole car as it sits, and pickup is free anywhere in the US.

Updated October 11, 2026 · 11 sources

Photo: Concord715 · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons

Brentwood, the short version

Population: 45,313 (Census estimate, July 1, 2025)
County: Williamson
Disabled car on a home lot: Two weeks at most (Sec. 30-7)
Street parking limit: 24 consecutive hours (Sec. 66-287)
Commercial-zone streets: No parking 1 a.m. to 5 a.m.
Emissions test: Ended in Williamson County, January 2022
Notary on the title: Not required
Plates: Follow the owner

The exemptions in Section 66-117

Brentwood's abandoned-vehicle article lists three cases it does not cover. It "shall not apply to any vehicle enclosed within a building on private property," to a vehicle held by a properly licensed and zoned business, "or any vehicle retained by the owner for antique collection purposes."

The same section counts a car as abandoned once it "has been stored in a garage or any type of storage or parking lot for more than 30 consecutive days." That wording can catch a car left sitting at a repair shop or in a storage yard after the owner stopped paying attention to it.

Street rules under Section 66-287

Where land is zoned commercial, you can't park on a public street or alley "between the hours of 1:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m."
On any other public street or alley, no more than "24 consecutive hours without the prior approval of the chief of police."
No working on a car parked on the street, "except to make repairs necessitated by an emergency."

So a car that dies at the curb cannot be fixed there over a weekend. Heavier trucks have their own rule: Section 66-289 bars a commercial vehicle over 10,000 pounds gross weight from a residential street and from any residential lot under five acres.

If the city tows it

The police chief designates where removed vehicles are stored, and the department may use private towing and storage operations (Section 66-86). Under Section 66-90, "Any charges incurred for towing shall be paid by the vehicle owner." When the car sits at a private lot, you owe that operator all costs, unless the violation is dismissed and the impoundment is found to be in error. Our towed or impounded guide covers getting a car released.

Title and plates in Williamson County

In Tennessee the county clerk issues titles, so whoever buys a Brentwood car deals with the Williamson County clerk's office. On a Brentwood sale, the owner's assignment spot is on the title's back; sign and print there exactly as the front spells your name. Tennessee does not ask for a notary. Keep the plate: here it follows you, and moving it to another vehicle costs $1. Williamson County ended emissions testing in January 2022, so the next owner won't need a test first.

Getting an offer

Call (877) 421-6008 or use the form. We collect at Brentwood homes and shops, or a Franklin lot 7.2 miles off. For statewide rules, see Tennessee.

Questions people ask

May I keep a dead car in my Brentwood driveway, and for how long?: Two weeks. Section 30-7 makes it unlawful for the occupant or owner of residential property to let a disabled or inoperative car be stored or parked there for longer than that.
Can I fix my car on the Brentwood street in front of my house?: Only emergency repairs. Section 66-287 bars washing, greasing or working on a vehicle parked on a public street, and it limits street parking to 24 consecutive hours without the police chief's approval.
If Brentwood tows my car, who covers the cost?: You do. Section 66-90 says towing charges are paid by the vehicle owner, and at a private lot the owner owes all costs unless the violation is dismissed and the impoundment is found to be in error.

Sources

Every fact on this page comes from one of these. Checked October 11, 2026.

U.S. Census Bureau: city population estimates, July 1, 2025 www2.census.gov
Brentwood Code 30-7, Storing disabled automobiles on residential property library.municode.com
Brentwood Code 66-117, Definitions; declaration of nuisance library.municode.com
Brentwood Code 66-287, Parking generally; repairing parked vehicles library.municode.com
Brentwood Code 66-289, Parking of certain commercial vehicles restricted library.municode.com
Brentwood Code 66-86, Removal and storage of vehicles library.municode.com
Brentwood Code 66-90, Towing and storage library.municode.com
Tennessee Department of Revenue: Titling a vehicle tn.gov
Sevier County Clerk: Title and registration (signing the assignment, notary) seviercountytn.gov
Tennessee Department of Revenue: Surrendering a plate tn.gov
County clerk FAQ: vehicle emissions testing ending countyclerkanytime.com