Part 4 – Impoundment Procedures

To assist in effectuating the purposes of this subtitle, the Director of Transportation shall provide an auto pound or storage area of sufficient size and staffed with sufficient personnel and equipment to receive, hold, and dispose of the motor vehicles delivered to it.

In carrying out the provisions of this subtitle with respect to vehicles abandoned, parked, stopped, left unattended in violation of law, or obstructing traffic, the Police Commissioner shall cause the vehicle to be removed.

When a private tower is used, said Commissioner shall prepare a vehicle report for the vehicle and have it verified and signed by such tower on forms provided by the Commissioner:

The Commissioner may promulgate and adopt rules to implement the enforcement hereof, such rules to be published.

The Mayor shall appoint a hearing officer, who shall not be a member of any state or local police department, to hear applications to determine whether or not the vehicle was abandoned and, therefore, subject to impoundment under the Baltimore City Code.

Subject to Title 4 {“Administrative Procedure Act – Regulations”} of the <cite data-path="|general">City General Provisions Article</cite>, the Director of the Transportation shall establish by regulation the procedures for holding these hearings.

is more than 8 years old; and

has no engine or otherwise is totally inoperable.

In researching ownership, the Director of Transportation is not required to go beyond the name and address of the person who is the legal or title owner of the vehicle, as noted in the records of the Motor Vehicle Administration of the State of Maryland, or similar agency in any other state or country.

In those instances where:

If an owner appears to claim the owner’s vehicle, then it shall be returned to the owner or the owner’s authorized representative upon payment of all charges which have accrued thereon by virtue of its towing and storage, including collateral equivalent to the maximum fine for illegal parking where the vehicle was impounded.

If a vehicle is claimed by the owner or the owner’s authorized representative upon payment of all charges accrued, the payment will not affect the owner’s right to a hearing prescribed above or be taken as an admission of whether or not the towing of the vehicle was authorized under the Baltimore City Code.

An owner or the owner’s authorized representative whose vehicle has been impounded as abandoned and who claims the vehicle within 48 hours after the vehicle has been removed to the auto pound:

The charges imposed by this section are in addition to any other fine, penalty, or charge imposed for violation of any traffic law.

If following trial in the District Court of Baltimore City or other tribunal, the owner or operator of any vehicle so removed is found not guilty upon a traffic charge, even though the hearing officer ruled otherwise with respect to the towing of an abandoned vehicle, the sums advanced or posted by the vehicle’s owner or operator shall be returned to the owner or to the person who advanced or posted them.

When a vehicle is thus reclaimed its owner or operator shall sign a receipt therefor.

such claim shall be noted on the aforesaid receipt;

the matter of the missing property left open for future determination; and

the vehicle, together with its contents, duly released to its owner or operator.

the Director of Transportation shall proceed to sell or dispose of the vehicle at public auction, as provided in Part 5 of this subtle; and

no vehicle held at the auto pound may be released without the written approval of the Director, whose approval however, may not be unreasonably withheld.