§ 16-303.1. Impoundment or immobilization of vehicles
West's Annotated Code of MarylandTransportationEffective: May 15, 2018
Effective: May 15, 2018
MD Code, Transportation, § 16-303.1
§ 16-303.1. Impoundment or immobilization of vehicles
(a) In this section, “police department” has the meaning stated in § 25-201 of this article.
(b)(1) For the purpose of impounding or immobilizing a vehicle under this section, the police department may use its own personnel, equipment, and facilities or, subject to the provisions of paragraph (2) of this subsection and except as provided in § 25-115 of this article, use other persons, equipment, and facilities for immobilizing vehicles or removing, preserving, and storing impounded vehicles.
(c)(1) As a sentence, a part of a sentence, or a condition of probation, a court may order, for not more than 180 days, the impoundment or immobilization of a solely owned vehicle used in the commission of a violation of § 16-303(c) or (d) of this subtitle if, at the time of the violation:
(3)(i) Subject to subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph, a court may not order impoundment or immobilization of a vehicle under this section if the registered owner of the vehicle made a bona fide sale, gift, or other transfer of the vehicle to another person before the date of the finding of a violation of § 16-303(c) or (d) of this subtitle.
(d)(1) The registered owner of a vehicle impounded or immobilized under this section is responsible for all actual costs incurred as a result of the immobilization of the vehicle or the towing, preserving, and storing of the impounded vehicle.
(2) The court may require the registered owner of a vehicle impounded or immobilized under this section to post a bond or other adequate security equal to the actual costs of immobilizing the vehicle or towing, preserving, and storing the vehicle and providing the notices required under subsection (f) of this section.
(3) Subject to this section, a police department that impounds a vehicle by taking the vehicle into custody or immobilizes a vehicle under this section promptly shall return possession or use of the vehicle to the registered owner of the vehicle on payment of all actual costs of immobilizing the vehicle or towing, preserving, and storing the impounded vehicle and providing the notices required under subsection (f) of this section.
(e) If a court orders the impoundment or immobilization of a vehicle under this section, the court shall provide for the execution of the impoundment or immobilization by a police department.
(f)(1) If a court orders the impoundment or immobilization of a vehicle under this section, the police department that executes the immobilization or the impoundment by taking the vehicle into custody, shall, as soon as reasonably possible and within 7 days after the police department executes the court order, send a notice by certified mail, return receipt requested, bearing a postmark from the United States Postal Service, to:
(g)(1) This section may not be construed to prohibit a lienholder from exercising its rights under applicable law, including the right to sell a vehicle that has been impounded or immobilized under this section, in the event of a default in the obligation giving rise to the lien.
(ii) The proceeds of any sale shall be applied first to the actual costs of immobilization or towing, preservation, and storage of an impounded vehicle and the actual costs of the notices required under subsection (f) of this section, then as provided by law for distribution of proceeds of a sale by the lienholder.
(ii) If the vehicle has been repossessed or otherwise lawfully taken by the lienholder and the time specified by a court order under this section has not expired, the lienholder shall return the vehicle within 21 days after the redemption to the police department that impounded or immobilized the vehicle.
Credits
Added by Acts 2017, c. 55, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2017. Amended by Acts 2018, c. 777, § 1, eff. May 15, 2018.
MD Code, Transportation, § 16-303.1, MD TRANS § 16-303.1
Current through legislation effective through April 9, 2023, from the 2024 Regular Session of the General Assembly. Some statute sections may be more current, see credits for details.
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