A bill to amend the act establishing a code of law for the District of Columbia to prohibit the unauthorized use of a motor vehicle obtained under a written rental or other agreement.
PL 94-526 (H.R.10826), enacted 10/17/1976

PUBLIC LAW 94-526—OCT. 17, 1976 
90 STAT. 2479 
Public Law 94-526 
94th Congress 
An Act 
To amend the Act establishing a code of law for the District of Columbia to 
Oct. 17, 1976 
prohibit the unauthorized use of a motor vehicle obtained under a written 
[H.R. 108261 
rental or other agreement. 
Be it endbcted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress a^semhled^ That section 826b D.C. 
of the Act entitled "An Act to establish a code of law for the District Motor vehicles, 
of Columbia", approved March 3, 1901 (D.C. Code, sec. 22-2204), is unauthorized use. 
amended to read as follows: 
"SEC. 826b. UNAUTHORIZED U S E OF A VEHICLE.— (a) Any person 
who, without the consent of the owner, shall take, use, operate, or 
remove or cause to be taken, used, operated, or removed, from a garage, 
stable, or other building, or from any place or locality on a public 
or private highway, park, parkway, street, lot, field, enclosure, or 
space, a motor vehicle^ and operate or drive or cause the same to be 
operated or driven for his own profit, use, or purpose shall be punished 
by a fine not exceeding $1,000 or imprisoned not exceeding five years, 
or both such fine and imprisonment. 
"(b) (1) It shall be a violation of this subsection for any person, 
after renting, leasing, or using a motor vehicle under a written agree-
ment which provides for the return of the vehicle to a particular place 
at a specified time, to knowingly fail to return the vehicle to such place 
(or to any authorized agent of the party from Avhom the vehicle was 
obtained under the agreement), within eighteen days after written 
demand is made for its return, if the conditions set forth in para-
graph (2) are met. Any person who violates this subsection shall be 
fined not more than $1,000 or imprisoned not more than three years, 
or both. 
"(2) The conditions referred to in paragraph (1) are as follows: 
" ( A ) The written agreement under which the motor vehicle 
is obtained contains the following statement: 'WARNING— 
failure to return this vehicle in accordance Avith the terms of this 
rental agreement may result in a criminal penalty of up to three 
years in jail'. Such statement shall be clearly and conspicuously 
printed in a contrasting color, set off in a box, and signed by the 
person obtaining the motor vehicle in a space specially provided. 
"(B) There is clearly and conspicuously displayed on the dash-
board of the motor vehicle the following notice: 'NOTICE— 
failure to return this vehicle on time may result in serious criminal 
penalties.'. 
"(C) The party from whom the motor vehicle was obtained 
under the agreement makes a written demand for the return of the 
vehicle, either by actual delivery to the person who obtained the 
vehicle, or by deposit in the United States mails of a postpaid 
registered or certified letter, return receipt requested, addressed 
to such person at each address set forth in the written agreement 
or otherwise provided by such person. Such written demand shall 
clearly state that failure to return the vehicle may result in prose-
cution for violation of the criminal law of the District of Colum-
bia punishable by up to three years in jail. Such written demand 
shall not be made prior to the date specified in the agreement for 
90 STAT. 24«0 
PUBLIC LAW 94-526—OCT. 17, 1976 
the return of the vehicle, except that, if the parties or their author-
ized agents have mutually agreed to some other date for the return 
of the vehicle, then such written demand shall not be made prior to 
such other date. 
"(3) This subsection shall not apply in the case of a motor vehicle 
obtained under a retail installment contract as defined in paragraph 
(9) of the first section of the Act of April 22, 1960 (D.C. Code, sec. 
40-901(9)). 
" (4) It shall be a defense in any criminal proceeding brought under 
this subsection that a person failed to return a motor vehicle for 
causes beyond his control. The burden of raising and going forward 
with the evidence with respect to such defense shall be on the person 
asserting it. In any case in which such defense is raised, evidence that 
the person obtained the vehicle by reason of any false statement or 
representation of a material fact, including a false statement or repre-
sentation regarding his name, residence, employment, or operator's 
license, shall be admissible to determine whether the failure to return 
such vehicle was for causes beyond his control. 
"Motor vehicle." 
" (c) For the purposes of this section the terms 'motor vehicle' and 
'vehicle' mean any automobile, self-propelle\i mobile home, motorcycle, 
truck, truck tractor, truck tractor with semi or full trailer, or bus.". 
Approved October 17, 1976. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: 
HOUSE REPORT No. 94-898 (Coram, on the District of Columbia). 
SENATE REPORT No. 94-1344 (Coram, on the District of Columbia). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 122 (1976): 
Apr. 12, considered and passed House. 
Sept. 30, considered and passed Senate.