Opinion ID: 2110894
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: BMV Abandoned Vehicle Procedures

Text: Randolph does not claim that the BMV failed to follow statutory procedure in towing and impounding her automobile. Rather, she challenges the sufficiency of the statutory notice provided to owners of abandoned vehicles. A review of the statutory provisions and BMV's procedures is therefore in order. The Statutory Provisions. Ind. Code § 9-9-1.1, et seq., the Indiana abandoned vehicle scheme in existence at the time of this case, allows the disposal of vehicles defined as abandoned vehicle[s] under Ind. Code § 9-9-1.1-2. [4] The definition includes vehicles located on public property illegally, Ind. Code § 9-9-1.1-2(1), and vehicles that are six or more model years old and mechanically inoperable, and left on private property continuously in a location visible from public property for more than thirty days, Ind. Code § 9-9-1.1-2(7). Moreover, under Ind. Code § 9-9-1.1-10, a vehicle may be towed upon complaint of a private property owner that a vehicle has been left on the property for forty-eight hours or more without the consent of the property owner. [5] Both the current and repealed chapters on abandoned vehicles provide for pre-tow and post-tow notice to the owner of the vehicle. The section applicable to this case, Ind. Code § 9-9-1.1-5(a), requires an officer to attach a notice tag in a prominent place on the vehicle believed to be abandoned. The tag is to state: (1) The date, time, officer's name, public agency, and address and telephone number to contact for information. (2) That the vehicle or parts are considered abandoned. (3) That the vehicle or parts will be removed after seventy-two (72) hours. (4) That the owner will be held responsible for all costs incidental to the removal, storage, and disposal, and if not paid the owner's registration privileges will be suspended on that car. (5) That the owner may avoid costs by removal of the vehicle or parts within seventy-two (72) hours. Id. [6] If the officer believes the vehicle is worth more than a hundred dollars, the officer must make a reasonable effort to ascertain the owner before tagging it. Ind. Code § 9-9-1.1-5(d). If the vehicle is not removed after seventy-two hours, the officer will require it to be towed to a storage area. Id. [7] Within seventy-two hours after towing, the public agency which authorized the tow must prepare and forward to BMV an abandoned vehicle report containing a description of the vehicle, including its make, model, engine number, identification number, and license plate number. Ind. Code § 9-9-1.1-6(a) [8] After it receives the abandoned vehicle report, the BMV must take steps to identify the vehicle owner and to notify the owner of the impoundment and impending sale. Ind. Code § 9-9-1.1-6(b) [9] charges the BMV to: (1) conduct a reasonable search through the national automobile theft bureau and the Indiana state police department to determine whether the vehicle or parts have been reported as stolen; (2) conduct a reasonable search of bureau records to determine the owner of the vehicle or parts or lienholder of record; and (3) if a reasonable search discloses the name and address of the owner or lienholder, mail a written notice, by first class mail, to: (A) the owner, with a copy to any lienholder if the bureau disposes of the vehicle; or (B) the public agency if the public agency disposes of the vehicle; indicating that the vehicle or parts have been impounded at a certain location and must be removed within fifteen (15) days of the date of mailing of the notice and advising that the vehicle or parts will be disposed of after that time. The BMV must also advise the owner that all costs of removal and storage are the owner's legal responsibility. Ind. Code § 9-9-1.1-6(c). If the owner or lienholder does not reclaim the vehicle within fifteen days after the notice is mailed, the BMV or municipal body will sell the vehicle to the highest bidder at a public sale. Ind. Code § 9-9-1.1-7(b) [10] The statute requires publication of a newspaper announcement one week before the sale. Such announcements usually contain the make, model and years of automobiles scheduled for public auction. BMV Procedure. Processing abandoned vehicle reports and preparing and sending notices of impoundment and impending sale is a multi-step process involving numerous BMV employees. About 50,000 abandoned vehicle reports are filed annually, and approximately 14,000-15,000 are subsequently sold as abandoned vehicles. When the BMV Abandoned Vehicle Department receives abandoned vehicle reports in the mail, department employees enter information from the reports into computer databanks which contain all BMV title and registration files. The system provides the department information on ownership of the vehicles and produces a run in the form of computer-generated letters on the Monday following receipt of the reports. The department sends the letters to an independent mail department, where they are mailed to the appropriate lien holder and/or owner by first class mail. The vehicle file is then placed in the ready to sell file, meaning the department must wait fifteen days before the vehicle becomes available for auction. The department makes no determination as to whether a vehicle is actually abandoned. Absent a return from the post office, the department cannot know for certain if a letter is received by the vehicle owner. It assumes notice letters are received through the ordinary course of first class mail. When a notice letter is returned as undeliverable, the department takes additional steps to ensure delivery only to the extent there were errors manifest on the face of the letter or the post office provides a correct address. The department itself does not contact the post office to obtain a forwarding address for a returned letter, and it makes no additional attempt to obtain the correct address.