An Act Regarding Abandoned Motor Vehicle Storage Fees
Maine Legislature, Session 130, LD 1876
Committee Amendment CA_A_H765 (House)
Amends: 29-A MRSA §1854

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "II-" to H.P. 1386, L.D. 1876, "An Act Regarding 
Abandoned Motor Vehicle Storage Fees" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'An Act Regarding Abandoned Motor Vehicle Storage Fees and Lienholder 
Notification' 
Amend the bill by inserting before section 1 the following: 
'Sec. 1. 29-A MRSA §1854, as amended by PL 2017, c. 240, §§1 to 4, is further 
amended to read: 
§1854. Notification of vehicle owner 
1. Notification in writing. Except as provided in subsection 1-A, the owner of the 
premises where a vehicle described in section 1851 is located or the owner's agent shall 
notify the Secretary of State that the owner or the owner's agent is in possession of that 
vehicle. The notification must be in writing and on a form provided by the Secretary of 
State. 
1-A. Notification in writing; auto repair and storage facilities. The owner of the 
premises where a vehicle described in section 1851, subsection 5 or 7 is stored or the 
owner's agent shall notify the Secretary of State that the owner or the owner's agent is in 
possession of the vehicle within 14 days after the earliest date on which the vehicle owner 
is responsible for any unpaid charges for authorized repair or for storage and any related 
towing expenses incurred by the owner or the owner's agent. The notification must be in 
writing and on a form provided by the Secretary of State. 
1-B. Notification to lienholder, The owner of the premises where a vehicle described 
in section 1851, subsection 5 or 7 is stored or the owner's agent shall determine if the title 
is issued by the Secretary of State under section 657. If the title is issued by the Secretary 
of State under section 657. the owner of the premises or the owner's agent shall determine 
if a lienholder is identified on the title of the vehicle. If a lienholder is identified on the title 
of the vehicle, the owner of the premises or the owner's agent shall notify the lienholder 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
ROSJ 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ,A "to H.P. 1386, L.D. 1876 
that the owner or the owner's agent is in possession of the vehicle within 14 days after the 
earliest date on which the lienholder is responsible for any unpaid charges for authorized 
repair or for storage and any related towing expenses incurred by the owner or the owner's 
agent. 
2. Contents of notification, A notification under this section subsection 1 or 1-A 
must include the vehicle's make, model, year, body type, vehicle identification number and 
any registration and plates on the vehicle. This notification also must include the date the 
vehicle came into possession of the owner, the owner's agent or person in charge of the 
premises where the vehicle is located, under what circumstances the vehicle came into that 
person's possession and whether the vehicle is salvage. 
3. Response. On receipt of a notification under this section subsection 1 or 1-A, the 
Secretary of State shall inform the vehicle owner and lienholder, if any, by regular mail 
that the vehicle is being claimed under the abandoned vehicle law. The notice to the vehicle 
owner and lienholder, if any, must identify the vehicle by the year, make, model and vehicle 
identification number, give the name and address of the party claiming ownership, state the 
charges against the vehicle that the owner and lienholder, if any, must pay to retrieve the 
vehicle, and the date that the title or letter of ownership will pass to the new owner. If the 
party is claiming ownership of the vehicle pursuant to section 603, subsection 6, the notice 
must inform the vehicle owner and lienholder that the owner must pay to the Secretary of 
State the fee required in section 603 to transfer the title. A copy of this letter must be 
provided to the person claiming ownership. 
4. Publication. If the Secretary of State finds no record of the~ vehicle with respect 
to which the Secretary of State is notified under subsection 1 or 1-A, the owner of the 
premises where the vehicle is located shall publish a notice once in a newspaper of general 
circulation in the county where the premises is located. That notice must clearly: 
A. Describe the vehicle by the year, make, model and vehicle identification number; 
B, State that if the owner of the vehicle or lienholder has not properly retrieved it and 
paid all reasonable charges for its towing, storage and repair within 14 days from the 
publication, ownership of the vehicle passes to the owner of the premises where the 
vehicle is located; and 
C. State how the owner of the premises may be contacted.' 
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or section 
number to read consecutively. 
SUMMARY 
This amendment requires that the owner of the premises where a vehicle has been 
stored after having been abandoned at a place of business after being repaired or abandoned 
at a storage facility, or the owner's agent, must determine ifthere is a lienholder on the title 
of the vehicle and notify that lienholder of any unpaid charges for authorized repair or for 
storage and any related towing expenses within 14 days of those charges being accrued. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT