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<section article="gtr" article_name="Transportation" number="25-204" title_number="25" title_name="Vehicle Laws -- Respective Powers of State and Local Authorities; Disposition of Abandoned Vehicles" subtitle_number="2" subtitle_name="Abandoned Vehicles">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>As soon as reasonably possible and within 7 days at most after it takes an abandoned vehicle into custody, a police department shall send a notice, by certified mail, return receipt requested, bearing a postmark from the United States Postal Service, to:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, the last known registered owner of the vehicle; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Subject to paragraph (3) of this subsection, each secured party, as shown on the records of the Administration.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A police department may notify the last known registered owner electronically through the Administration if:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>The Administration sends the notice to the owner using the e–mail address the owner provided to the Administration, as shown in the records of the Administration; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The police department sends the owner notice by certified mail, return receipt requested, and first–class mail, if the owner does not respond within 7 days after the electronic notice was sent by the Administration.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>A police department may send notice to any secured party electronically, if that form of notice is agreed to by the police department, the tower, and the secured party in writing or by electronic communication.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>The notice shall:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>State that the abandoned vehicle has been taken into custody;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Describe the year, make, model, and vehicle identification number of the vehicle;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>Give the location of the facility where the vehicle is held;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <level label="i">
        <text>Inform the owner and secured party of the owner’s and secured party’s right to reclaim the vehicle within 3 weeks after the date of the notice, on payment of all towing, preservation, and storage charges resulting from taking or placing the vehicle in custody; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>In Baltimore City and Montgomery County, subject to subsection (a)(2) and (3) of this section, be sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, and inform the owner and secured party of the owner’s and secured party’s right to reclaim the vehicle within 11 working days after the receipt of the notice, on payment of all towing, preservation, and storage charges resulting from taking or placing the vehicle in custody; and</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>State that the failure of the owner or secured party to exercise this right in the time provided is:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>A waiver by the owner or secured party of all of the owner’s or secured party’s right, title, and interest in the vehicle;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>A consent to the sale of the vehicle at public auction; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>A consent by the owner other than a lessor to the retention of the vehicle for public purposes as provided in § 25–207 of this subtitle.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>In Baltimore City, Prince George’s County, and Montgomery County, a police department or its agent may seek to recover costs of impoundment, storage, and sale of a vehicle as provided by §§ 25–206.1 and 25–206.2 of this subtitle. If a police department or its agent seeks to apply the provisions of §§ 25–206.1 and 25–206.2 of this subtitle, the notice required by this section shall also state that the failure of the owner or secured party to exercise the right to reclaim the vehicle in the time provided may cause:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Continuing liability of the owner for costs of:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Impoundment;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Storage within the chargeable limit for storage as provided in § 25–206.1(b) of this subtitle; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>Sale of the vehicle; and</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Denial of any application by the owner to renew the registration of any vehicle as required by § 25–206.2 of this subtitle.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>The Administration shall adopt regulations to allow for electronic notification to the last known registered owner of a vehicle under subsection (a)(2) of this section.</text>
  </level>
</section>
