No Warrant Needed for Vehicle Tire Chalking, Ninth Circuit Says

San Diego parking enforcement officers don’t need a warrant to chalk tires, the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit said on Wednesday, affirming summary judgment for the city in the would-be class action.

Even if chalking tires amounts to a “search” within the meaning of the Fourth Amendment, it falls within the administrative search exception, the Ninth Circuit said in a divided ruling.

The decision creates a possible circuit split, as the Sixth Circuit has held that the administrative search exception doesn’t apply to tire chalking.

According to the Ninth Circuit, tire chalking is reasonable in terms of ...