The owner of a motor vehicle or lienholder of the vehicle abandoned in violation of Section 901 et seq. of this title, or the owner of any vehicle or lienholder of the vehicle or insurer accepting liability for paying a claim on a vehicle or purchasing the vehicle as a total loss vehicle from the registered owner which shall have been lawfully removed from any highway or other public property may regain possession of the vehicle in accordance with regulations of the Department of Public Safety upon payment of the reasonable cost of removal and storage of such vehicle. The operator is authorized to collect all lawful fees from the owner, lienholder that seeks possession of a vehicle under a security interest, agent, or insurer accepting liability for paying the claim for a vehicle or purchasing the vehicle as a total loss vehicle from the registered owner of the towed vehicle for the performance of any and all such services. An operator shall release the vehicle from storage upon authorization from the owner, agent or lienholder of the vehicle or in the case of a total loss, the insurer accepting liability for paying the claim on the vehicle or purchasing the vehicle where the vehicle is to be moved to an insurance pool yard for sale.

The cost of removal and storage shall be paid to the wrecker or towing service.

Added by Laws 1967, c. 363, § 4, emerg. eff. May 22, 1967. Amended by Laws 1985, c. 140, § 2, emerg. eff. June 7, 1985; Laws 1987, c. 233, § 4, eff. Nov. 1, 1987; Laws 1988, c. 290, § 18, operative July 1, 1988; Laws 1993, c. 153, § 3, eff. Sept. 1, 1993; Laws 1996, c. 175, § 1, eff. July 1, 1997; Laws 2000, c. 303, § 1, eff. July 1, 2000; Laws 2002, c. 133, § 2, eff. Nov. 1, 2002; Laws 2006, c. 158, § 1, emerg. eff. May 15, 2006.

NOTE: Laws 1987, c. 205, § 70 repealed by Laws 1988, c. 290, § 25, operative July 1, 1988.