Vehicle towing and storage liens

What it does

Summary by the Legislative Reference Bureau, the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.

Under current law, a person authorized to tow or store a motor vehicle who does so at the direction of a traffic officer or the vehicle's owner (towing service provider) has a lien on the motor vehicle for reasonable towing and storage charges and may retain possession of the vehicle until these charges are paid. A towing service provider must, within 30 days after taking possession of a motor vehicle, make a reasonable effort to provide written notice to the vehicle owner and any secured party whose security interest is noted on the vehicle's certificate of title (secured party) that they must take steps to obtain the release of the motor vehicle. Current law specifies that a towing and storage lien has priority over the prior security interest of a secured party only up to a specified dollar amount (the priority amount). Current law also specifies that, to reclaim the towed vehicle, the owner or secured party must pay all towing and storage charges up to the priority amount and all reasonable storage charges accruing more than 60 days after the vehicle was towed. If a towing service provider fails to make a reasonable effort to notify the owner and secured party as required, the towing service provider's lien is void.

Under current law, the procedure for enforcing a towing and storage lien depends upon the value of the vehicle. Under the procedure applicable to motor vehicles with a value of $500 or less, a towing service provider must provide at least 20 days notice by registered mail to the owner and any secured party before selling or junking the vehicle.

Who's behind it

Jeffrey Plale, a Democrat, is its author⁠.

1 more lawmaker signed on in support⁠.