New Jersey § 39:10a-1

§ 39:10a-1.

a. When the State or any county, county park commission, municipality or any authority

created by any thereof, hereinafter referred to as a “public agency,” shall have taken

possession of a motor vehicle found abandoned, such taking of possession shall be

reported immediately to (1) The Chief Administrator of the Motor Vehicle Commission on a form prescribed by

the administrator, for verification of ownership and (2) The National Insurance Crime Bureau. (3) Upon receipt of verification of ownership of the vehicle from the administrator,

the public agency shall within three business days provide notice of possession of

the vehicle to the owner of record and the holder of any security interest filed with

the administrator by telephone, mail, facsimile or electronically. The public agency may assess the person claiming the vehicle, be it the owner of

record or the holder of any security interest, for the actual costs of providing the

notice required under this paragraph. (4) The public agency shall also within three business days notify the person storing

the abandoned motor vehicle. The notice shall be given in the same manner as in the case of notification of the

owner of record and the security interest holder and shall include the name and address

of the owner of record and the holder of any security interest in the stored motor

vehicle. (5) Upon receipt of the notice required by paragraph (4) of this subsection, the person

storing the abandoned motor vehicle shall provide notice to the owner of record and

to any security interest holder. (a) The notice shall be by first class mail, with a certificate of mailing, and shall

include a schedule of the costs imposed for storing the motor vehicle and instructions

explaining how the owner of record or the security interest holder may claim the stored

motor vehicle. (b) Except as provided in subparagraph (c) of this paragraph, if the person storing

the motor vehicle fails to provide this notice to the owner of record and to the security

interest holder within 30 days of the date on which the storer of the vehicle received

the notice required under paragraph (4) from the public agency, the maximum amount

that person may charge the owner of record or the security interest holder for storing

that motor vehicle shall be $750, provided that the owner of record or security interest

holder submits a proper claim for the vehicle not later than the 30th day following

the date the notice is delivered from the public agency to the person storing the

motor vehicle. (c) When a vehicle is abandoned due to the death or incapacitation of the driver or

any passenger, the person storing the vehicle shall charge the owner of record or

the security interest holder no more than $100 for the first 72 hours after the vehicle

is placed on the premises. (d) If the owner of record or security interest holder fails to submit a proper claim

for the vehicle on or before that 30th day, the person storing the motor vehicle may

charge the security interest holder reasonable costs for the removal and storage of

the motor vehicle. If the notice is properly provided by the person storing the motor vehicle, that

person may charge the owner of record or the security interest holder reasonable costs

for the removal and storage of the motor vehicle from the date the person removed

and stored the motor vehicle. (e) The public agency may assess the person storing the abandoned motor vehicle, and

the person storing the abandoned motor vehicle may assess the security interest holder,

for the actual costs of providing the notices required under paragraphs (4) and (5)

of this subsection. b. When such motor vehicle which has been ascertained not to be stolen and to be one

which can be certified for a junk title certificate under section 3 of P.L.1964, c.

81 ( C.39:10A-3 ) shall have remained unclaimed by the owner or other person having a legal right

thereto for a period of 15 business days, even if at that time the owner has not been

identified as a result of efforts to make identification by the public agency or the

Motor Vehicle Commission, the same may be sold at auction in a public place. If the certified motor vehicle is sold at auction prior to identification of the

owner, the public agency shall document the condition of the motor vehicle in writing

and with photographs prior to the sale; document the amount obtained from the sale

of the motor vehicle; and notify the owner, if his name and address are identified

after the sale, of the actions taken by the public agency to dispose of the motor

vehicle. c. When a motor vehicle which cannot be certified for a junk title certificate under

section 3 of P.L.1964, c. 81 ( C.39:10A-3 ) remains unclaimed by the owner or other person having a legal right thereto for

a period of 20 business days, the motor vehicle may be sold at auction in a public

place, but shall be sold no later than 90 business days after the public agency takes

possession of the vehicle . d. The public agency shall give notice of a sale conducted pursuant to subsection

b. or c. of this section, by certified mail, to the owner, if his name and address

be known and to the holder of any security interest filed with the administrator,

and by publication in a form to be prescribed by the administrator by one insertion,

at least five days before the date of the sale, in one or more newspapers published

in this State and circulating in the municipality in which such motor vehicle is held.