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<section article="gtr" article_name="Transportation" number="21-10A-05" title_number="21" title_name="Vehicle Laws -- Rules of the Road" subtitle_number="10A" subtitle_name="Towing or Removal of Vehicles from Parking Lots">
  <level label="a">
    <text>Subject to subsection (b) of this section, if a vehicle is towed or otherwise removed from a parking lot, the person in possession of the vehicle:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Shall immediately deliver the vehicle directly to the storage facility stated on the signs posted in accordance with § 21–10A–02 of this subtitle;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>May not move the towed vehicle from that storage facility to another storage facility for at least 72 hours; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>Shall provide the owner of the vehicle or the owner’s agent immediate and continuous opportunity, at a minimum from 6 a.m. to midnight, 7 days per week, from the time the vehicle was received at the storage facility, to retake possession of the vehicle.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>Before a vehicle is removed from a parking lot, a tower who possesses the vehicle shall release the vehicle to the owner or an agent of the owner:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>If the owner or agent requests that the tower release the vehicle;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>If the vehicle can be driven under its own power;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>Whether or not the vehicle has been lifted off the ground; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>If the owner or agent pays a drop fee to the tower in an amount not exceeding 50% of the cost of a full tow.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, a storage facility that is in possession of a towed vehicle shall:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Accept payment for outstanding towing, recovery, or storage charges by cash or at least two major, nationally recognized credit cards; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>If the storage facility accepts only cash, have an operable automatic teller machine available on the premises.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <level label="i">
        <text>Except as provided in subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph, if a storage facility is unable to process a credit card payment and does not have an operable automatic teller machine on the premises, the storage facility shall accept a personal check as payment for outstanding towing, recovery, and storage charges.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>A storage facility may refuse to accept a personal check as payment if it is unable to process a credit card for the payment because use of the credit card has been declined by the credit card company.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>A storage facility that is in possession of a towed vehicle shall make the vehicle available to the owner, the owner’s agent, the insurer of record, or a secured party, under the supervision of the storage facility, for:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Inspection; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Retrieval from the vehicle of personal property that is not attached to the vehicle.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
