(A) When a motor vehicle has been involuntarily towed or transported pursuant to order of police, other public authority, or private person or business for any reason or when the vehicle has been stolen or misappropriated and its removal from the public ways has been ordered by police, other public authority, or by private person or business, or in any other situation where a motor vehicle has been involuntarily towed or transported by order of police, other authority, or by private person or business, the police, other authority, or private person or business shall attempt to ascertain from the State Transportation Cabinet the identity of the registered owner of the motor vehicle or lessor of a motor carrier as defined in KRS Chapter 281 and within ten business days of the removal shall, by certified mail, attempt to notify the registered owner at the address of record of the make, model, license number, and vehicle identification number of the vehicle, of the location of the vehicle, and of the requirements for securing the release of the motor vehicle.
(B) In the event that a vehicle described in division (A) is placed in a garage or other storage facility, the owner of the facility shall attempt to provide the notice provided in division (A) by certified mail to the registered owner at the address of record of the motor vehicle or lessor of a motor carrier as defined in KRS Chapter 281 within ten business days of recovery of, or taking possession of the motor vehicle. This notice shall contain the information as to the make, model, license number, and vehicle identification number of the vehicle, the location of the vehicle, and the amount of reasonable charges due on the vehicle. When the owner of the facility fails to provide notice as provided herein, the motor vehicle storage facility shall forfeit all storage fees accrued after ten business days from the date of tow. This division (B) shall not apply to a tow lot or storage facility owned or operated by the city.
(C) Any person engaged in the business of storing or towing motor vehicles in either a private capacity or for the city who has substantially complied with the requirements of divisions (A) and (B) above shall have a lien on the motor vehicle for the reasonable or agreed charges for storing or towing the vehicle as long as it remains in his or her possession. If after a period of 45 days, the reasonable or agreed charges for storing or towing a motor vehicle have not been paid, the motor vehicle may be sold to pay the charges after the owner has been notified by certified mail ten days prior to the time and place of the sale. Should the proceeds of the sale of any vehicle pursuant to this section be insufficient to satisfy accrued charges for towing, transporting, and/or storage, said sale and collection of proceeds shall not constitute a waiver or release of responsibility for payment of unpaid towing, transporting, and/or storage charges by the owner or responsible casualty insurer of the vehicle. This lien shall be subject to prior recorded liens.
(Am. Ord. 1649-2012, passed 12-11-12)
Statutory reference:
For similar state provisions, see KRS 376.275