Pennsylvania § 3356 - Private parking lots.

§ 3356. Private parking lots.

(a) Generally.--The owner or operator of a private parking lot or an agent may establish rules and rates that govern the parking of vehicles on the owner's private parking lot. Rules and rates may include fees or charges for violating the property owner's or operator's rules.

(b) Signage.--The owner or operator of a private parking lot or an agent shall place signage that is legible and clearly visible to individuals entering the area of the private parking lot. The signage shall state that the private parking lot is not operated by a governmental entity and list the rates for parking charges and for fees for violating the rules of the property owner or operator.

(c) Invoices.--An invoice for unpaid parking charges or fees for violating the rules of the property owner or operator of a private parking lot shall be placed on the vehicle in a prominent location or mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle within 10 business days of the use of the private parking lot or of the violation.

(d) Limited informational access.--

(1) An owner or operator of a private parking lot or an agent may, upon the filing of an affidavit certifying the intended use of records and the execution of a contract in a form and manner prescribed by the department, obtain records from the department limited to the name and mailing address associated with a registration plate issued under section 1331 (relating to issuance and reissuance of registration plates).

(2) The affidavit of intended use and contract executed between a private parking lot owner or operator or an agent and the department shall specify that access to records shall be solely for the purpose of obtaining the name and mailing address of the registrant of a vehicle parked unattended on the owner's or operator's private parking lot and for the purpose of mailing the registrant an invoice for unpaid parking charges and fees for violating the rules of the private parking lot.

(3) The owner or operator of a private parking lot, with approval from the department, shall designate in writing an agent to carry out some or all of the duties detailed in this section, including, but not limited to, the duty to obtain, manage and store registered motor vehicle owner information.

(4) The department shall publish guidelines with minimum requirements for owners, operators and agents of a private parking lot.

(5) The owner or an agent, in compliance with this section, shall obtain the records from the department via computer access.

(6) Access to registered motor vehicle owner information by an owner or operator of a private parking lot or an agent shall not be considered a sale, publication or disclosure of a driving record under section 6114(a) (relating to limitation on sale, publication and disclosure of records) and shall be considered a permissible use authorized under 18 U.S.C. § 2721(b)(14) (relating to prohibition on release and use of certain personal information from State motor vehicle records).

(7) The agent shall store the records so the records can be destroyed within 24 hours in a form and manner prescribed by a contract executed under this section. The agent shall destroy records within 24 hours of receipt of invoice payment.

(8) It shall be a violation of this section for an owner or operator of a private parking lot or an agent to intentionally use any information obtained from the department under this section for any purpose not permitted under paragraph (2). A violation of this subsection shall constitute a misdemeanor of the third degree punishable by a $500 fine. Each violation shall constitute a separate and distinct offense.

(9) The department shall have the authority to audit compliance with any contract executed under this subsection. The department's finding of a failure to comply with a contract executed under this section shall be grounds for termination of the contract.

(e) Fees.--The department may charge a reasonable fee for each record request. The following shall apply to the fee for each record request:

(1) The fee may not exceed $2 in the calendar year of the effective date of this paragraph and the calendar year following the effective date of this paragraph.

(2) The department shall have the following duties:

(i) Determine the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers for the period beginning January 1 of the calendar year of the effective date of this paragraph and ending December 31 of the calendar year following the effective date of this paragraph.

(ii) Apply, as of July 1 of each calendar year in which an increase was calculated under subparagraph (i), the increase calculated under subparagraph (i) to the fee.

(iii) Determine the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers for each subsequent 12-month period and apply the increase calculated under this subparagraph to the fee.

(3) The department shall round the adjustments to the fee under paragraph (2) to the nearest multiple of $1.

(f) Definitions.--As used in this section, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Agent." An individual or entity designated in writing by the owner or operator of a private parking lot to carry out some or all of the duties detailed in this section, including, but not limited to, the duty to obtain, manage and store registered motor vehicle owner information.

"Private parking lot." The term shall have the same meaning given to it under section 3353(b)(2) (relating to prohibitions in specified places).

(July 20, 2026, P.L.436, No.36, eff. 21 months)

2026 Amendment. Act 36 added section 3356.