Proposal would set notice, payment, and retrieval rules for abandoned vehicles

A person who impounds an abandoned vehicle would have to notify specified people and allow 20 days to reclaim it. The rules cover abandoned vehicles impounded by police or garagekeepers, including vehicles towed from public or private property. Notice must go to the registered owner and, when applicable, lienholders and known claimants. Notice must be sent by regular mail and at least one other listed method. If the owner or lienholder cannot be identified with reasonable certainty, newspaper notice may be used. Notice must be given within 10 days after the tow. The 20-day reclaim period starts when notice is given.

Property owners or people in control of private property could hire a garagekeeper to tow and impound an abandoned vehicle. This applies to abandoned vehicles on private property and does not require police to initiate the tow. The garagekeeper must notify the police authority with jurisdiction within two hours after the tow and give the vehicle description and tow and reclaim locations. The garagekeeper must notify police within two hours after towing the vehicle.

Garagekeepers holding abandoned vehicles would have to display contact information, give itemized bills, accept credit cards, and follow fee limits. These rules apply to garagekeepers who tow or hold abandoned vehicles. A card-use surcharge may apply. Garagekeepers could not charge storage for a day they are closed or calculate impound fees by calendar day.

Registered owners could retrieve belongings once, and notified lienholders could inspect an impounded vehicle. The owner retrieval rule applies while a garagekeeper holds the vehicle. Inspection is available to a lienholder who receives notice. Owners must give the garagekeeper a written list of belongings and retrieve them during normal business hours; the garagekeeper may instead allow direct retrieval. A garagekeeper may charge a lienholder up to $100 for an inspection and may apply safety and security procedures. The owner may retrieve belongings once while the garagekeeper has custody of the vehicle.