2016 Oklahoma Statutes
Title 42. Liens
§42-91. Lien on certain personal property for service thereon - Foreclosure - Notice - Purchaser - Unpaid checks - Repossession.

A. 1. a.This section applies to every vehicle, all-terrain vehicle, utility vehicle, manufactured home, motorcycle, boat, outboard motor, or trailer that has a certificate of title issued by the Oklahoma Tax Commission or by a federally recognized Indian tribe in the State of Oklahoma, except as otherwise provided in subsection D of this section. This section does not apply to farm equipment as defined in Section 91.2 of this title. The items of personal property to which this section applies are collectively referred to as "Section 91 Personal Property". If personal property is apparently covered both by this section and by Sections 191 through 200 of this title, the procedures set out in this section shall apply instead of Sections 191 through 200.

b.Salvage pools as defined in Section 591.2 of Title 47 of the Oklahoma Statutes and class AA licensed wrecker services taking possession of a vehicle pursuant to an agreement with or at the direction of, or dispatched by, a state or local law enforcement or government agency, or pursuant to the abandoned vehicle renewal provisions of Section 954A of Title 47 of the Oklahoma Statutes, shall not be subject to the provisions of this section, but shall be subject to the provisions of Section 91A of this title. Unless otherwise provided by this subparagraph, class AA licensed wrecker services performing consensual tows shall be subject to the provisions of this section.

2. Any person who, while lawfully in possession of an article of Section 91 Personal Property, renders any service to the owner thereof by furnishing storage, rental space, material, labor or skill for the protection, improvement, safekeeping, towing, right to occupy space, storage or carriage thereof, has a special lien thereon, dependent on possession, for the compensation, if any, which is due to such person from the owner for such service.

3. This special lien shall be subordinate to any perfected security interest unless the claimant complies with the requirements of this section. Failure to comply with any requirements of this section shall result in denial of any title application and cause the special lien to be subordinate to any perfected lien. Upon such denial, the applicant shall be entitled to one resubmission of the title application within fifteen (15) business days of receipt of the denial, and proceed to comply with the requirements of this section. "Failure to comply" includes, but is not limited to:

a.failure to timely provide additional documentation supporting or verifying any entry on submitted forms as requested by the Tax Commission, including but not limited to, United States Postal Service proof of return receipt requested such as Form 3811 or United States Postal Service electronic equivalent,

b.failure to provide the documentation supporting lawful possession as defined in paragraph 3 of subsection I of this section,

c.claimant or the agent being other than the individual who provided the service giving rise to the special lien, as in paragraph 2 of this subsection,

d.claimant not being in possession of the vehicle,

e.notice of lien not filed in accordance with paragraph 4 of this subsection, or

f.foreclosure notification and proceedings not accomplished in accordance with paragraph 6 of this section.

4. Any person claiming the special lien provided in paragraph 2 of this subsection shall mail a notice of such lien, no later than sixty (60) days after the first services are rendered, by regular, first class United States mail, and by certified mail, return receipt requested, to all interested parties who reside at separate locations. (If services provided are pursuant to a contract primarily for the purpose of storage or rental of space, the beginning date of the sixty-day period provided in the previous sentence shall be the first day of the first period or partial period for which rental or storage charges remain unpaid.) The notice shall be in writing and shall contain, but not be limited to, the following:

a.a statement that the notice is a notice of a possessory lien,

b.the complete legal name, physical and mailing address, and telephone number of the claimant,

c.the complete legal name, physical and mailing address of the person who requested that the claimant render service to the owner by furnishing material, labor or skill, storage, or rental space, or the date the property was abandoned if the claimant did not render any other service,

d.a description of the article of personal property, including a photograph if the property is Section 91 Personal Property, and the complete physical and mailing address of the location of the article of personal property,

e.an itemized statement describing the date or dates the labor or services were performed and material furnished, and the charges claimed for each item, the totals of which shall equal the total compensation claimed,

f.a statement by the claimant that the materials, labor or skill furnished, or arrangement for storage or rental of space, was authorized by the owner of the personal property and was in fact provided or performed, and written proof of authority to perform the work, labor or service, or that the property was abandoned by the owner if the claimant did not render any other service, and that storage or rental fees will accrue as allowed by law, and

g.the signature of the claimant which shall be notarized and, if applicable, the signature of the claimant's attorney. If the claimant is a business, then the name of the contact person representing the business must be shown. In place of an original signature and notary seal, a digital or electronic signature or seal shall be accepted.

5. For services rendered or vehicles abandoned on or after November 1, 2005, storage charges or charges for rental of space (unless agreed to by contract as part of an overall transaction or arrangement that was primarily for the purpose of storage of the Section 91 Personal Property or rental of space) may only be assessed beginning with the day that the Notice of Possessory Lien is mailed as evidenced by certified mail. Provided, however, in the case of contractual charges incurred for storage or rental of space in an overall transaction primarily for the purpose of storage or rental, charges subject to the special lien may only be assessed beginning with a date not more than sixty (60) days prior to the day that the Notice of Possessory Lien is mailed, and shall accrue only at the regular periodic rate for storage or rental as provided in the contract, adjusted for partial periods of storage or rental. The maximum allowable compensation for storage shall not exceed the fees established by the Corporation Commission for nonconsensual tows.

6. The lien may be foreclosed by a sale of such personal property upon the notice and in the manner following: The notice of sale shall be in writing and shall contain, but not be limited to:

a.a statement that the notice is a Notice of Sale,

b.the names of all interested parties known to the claimant,

c.a description of the property to be sold, including a photograph if the property is Section 91 Personal Property and if the condition of such property has materially changed since the mailing of Notice of Possessory Lien required pursuant to paragraph 4 of this subsection,

d.a notarized statement of the nature of the work, labor or service performed, material furnished, or storage or rental of space, and the date thereof, and the name of the person who authorized the work, labor or service performed, or the storage or rental arrangement, and written proof of authority to perform the work, labor or service, or that the property was abandoned if the claimant did not render any other service,

e.the date, time and exact physical location of sale,

f.the name, complete physical address, mailing address and telephone number of the party foreclosing such lien. If the claimant is a business, then the name of the contact person representing the business must be shown. In place of an original signature and notary seal, a digital or electronic signature or seal shall be accepted, and

g.itemized charges which shall equal the total compensation claimed.

7. Such notice of sale shall be posted in two public places in the county where the property is to be sold at least ten (10) days before the time therein specified for such sale, and a copy of the notice shall be mailed to all interested parties at their last-known post office address by regular, first class United States mail and by certified mail, return receipt requested, at least ten (10) days before the date of the sale. If the item of personal property is a manufactured home, notice shall also be sent by certified mail to the county treasurer and to the county assessor of the county where the manufactured home is located.

8. Interested parties shall include all owners of the article of personal property as indicated by the certificate of title issued by the Tax Commission or by a federally recognized Indian tribe in the State of Oklahoma; lien debtors, if any, other than the owners; any lienholder whose lien is noted on the face of the certificate of title; and any other person having any interest in the article of personal property, of whom the claimant has actual notice.

9. Any interested party shall be permitted to inspect and verify the services rendered by the claimant prior to the sale of the article of personal property during normal business hours. The lienholder shall be allowed to retrieve the Section 91 Personal Property without being required to bring the title into the lienholder's name, if the lienholder provides proof it is a lienholder and any payment due the claimant for lawful charges where the claimant has complied with the requirements of this section. Upon the release of personal property to an insurer or representative of the insurer, wrecker operators shall be exempt from all liability and shall be held harmless for any losses or claims of loss.

10. The claimant or any other person may in good faith become a purchaser of the property sold.

11. Proceedings for foreclosure under this act shall be commenced no sooner than ten (10) days and no later than thirty (30) days after the Notice of Possessory Lien has been mailed as evidenced by certified mail. The date actually sold shall be within sixty (60) days from the date of the Notice of Sale as evidenced by certified mail.

B. 1. a.Any person who is induced by means of a check or other form of written order for immediate payment of money to deliver up possession of an article of personal property on which the person has a special lien created by subsection A of this section, which check or other written order is dishonored, or is not paid when presented, shall have a lien for the amount thereof upon the personal property.

b.The person claiming such lien shall, within thirty (30) days from the date of dishonor of the check or other written order for payment of money, file in the office of the county clerk of the county in which the property is situated a sworn statement that:

(1)the check or other written order for immediate payment of money, copy thereof being attached, was received for labor, material or supplies for producing or repairing an article of personal property, or for other specific property-related services covered by this section,

(2)the check or other written order was not paid, and

(3)the uttering of the check or other written order constituted the means for inducing the person, one possessed of a special lien created by subsection A of this section upon the described article of personal property, to deliver up the said article of personal property.

2.a.Any person who renders service to the owner of an article of personal property by furnishing storage, rental space, material, labor, or skill for the protection, improvement, safekeeping, towing, right to occupy space, storage, or carriage thereof shall have a special lien on such property pursuant to this section if such property is removed from the person's possession, without such person's written consent or without payment for such service.

b.The person claiming such lien shall, within five (5) days of such nonauthorized removal, file in the office of the county clerk of the county in which the property is located, a sworn statement including:

(1)that services were rendered on or in relation to the article of personal property by the person claiming such lien,

(2)that the property was in the possession of the person claiming the lien but such property was removed without his or her written consent,

(3)an identifying description of the article of personal property on which the service was rendered, and

(4)that the debt for the services rendered on or in relation to the article of personal property was not paid. Provided, if the unpaid total amount of the debt for services rendered on or in relation to the article of personal property is unknown, an approximated amount of the debt due and owing shall be included in the sworn statement but such approximated debt may be amended within thirty (30) days of such filing to reflect the actual amount of the debt due and owing.

3. The enforcement of the lien shall be within sixty (60) days after filing the lien in the manner provided by law for enforcing the lien of a security agreement and provided that the lien shall not affect the rights of innocent, intervening purchasers without notice.

C. If the person who renders service to the owner of an article of personal property to which this section applies relinquishes or loses possession of the article due to circumstances described in subparagraph a of paragraph 1 or subparagraph a of paragraph 2 of subsection B of this section, the person claiming the lien shall be entitled to possession of the article until the amount due is paid, unless the article is possessed by a person who became a bona fide purchaser. Entitlement to possession shall be in accordance with the following:

1. The claimant may take possession of an article pursuant to this subsection only if the person obligated under the contract for services has signed an acknowledgement of receipt of a notice that the article may be subject to repossession. The notice and acknowledgement pursuant to this subsection shall be:

a.in writing and separate from the written contract for services, or

b.printed on the written contract for services, credit agreement or other document which displays the notice in bold-faced, capitalized and underlined type, or is separated from surrounding written material so as to be conspicuous with a separate signature line;

2. The claimant may require the person obligated under the contract for services to pay the costs of repossession as a condition for reclaiming the article only to the extent of the reasonable fair market value of the services required to take possession of the article;

3. The claimant shall not transfer to a third party or to a person who performs repossession services, a check, money order, or credit card transaction that is received as payment for services with respect to an article and that is returned to the claimant because of insufficient funds or no funds, because the person writing the check, issuing the money order, or credit cardholder has no account or because the check, money order, or credit card account has been closed. A person violating this paragraph shall be guilty of a misdemeanor; and

4. An article that is repossessed pursuant to this subsection shall be promptly delivered to the location where the services were performed. The article shall remain at the services location at all times until the article is lawfully returned to the record owner or a lienholder or is disposed of pursuant to this section.

D. 1. If a vehicle, all-terrain vehicle, utility vehicle, manufactured home, motorcycle, boat, outboard motor, or trailer has a certificate of title issued by the Tax Commission or by a federally recognized Indian tribe in the State of Oklahoma, but there is no active lien recorded on the certificate of title, Section 91A of this title will apply instead of this section. Likewise, if there is an active lien recorded on the certificate of title but the lien is over fifteen (15) years old and the property is not a manufactured home, Section 91A will apply instead of this section.

2. If personal property that otherwise would be covered by this section has been registered by the Tax Commission or by a federally recognized Indian tribe in the State of Oklahoma, and there is a lien of record but no certificate of title has been issued, Section 91A of this title will apply instead of this section.

3. If personal property otherwise would be covered by this section, but the services were rendered or the property was abandoned prior to November 1, 2005, Section 91A of this title will apply instead of this section.

E. A person who knowingly makes a false statement of a material fact regarding the furnishing of storage, rental space, material, labor or skill for the protection, improvement, safekeeping, towing, right to occupy space, storage or carriage thereof in a proceeding under this section, or attempts to use or uses the provisions of this section to foreclose an owner or lienholder's interest in a vehicle knowing that any of the statements made in the proceeding are false, upon conviction, shall be guilty of a felony.

F. Upon receipt of notice of legal proceedings, the Tax Commission shall cause the sale process to be put on hold until notice of resolution of court proceedings is received from the court. If such notice of commencement of court proceedings is not filed with the Tax Commission, the possessory lien sale process may continue.

G. No possessory lien sale shall be held on a Sunday.

H. For purposes of this section:

1. "Possession" includes actual possession and constructive possession;

2. "Constructive possession" means possession by a person who, although not in actual possession, does not have an intention to abandon property, knowingly has both power and the intention at a given time to exercise dominion or control over the property, and who holds claim to such thing by virtue of some legal right; and

3. "Lawfully in possession" means a person has documentation from the owner or the owner's authorized agent, or an insurance company or its authorized agent, authorizing the furnishing of material, labor or storage, or that the property was authorized to be towed to a repair facility. If the person lacks such documentation, he or she shall not be lawfully in possession of the Section 91 Personal Property and shall not be entitled to a special lien as set forth in this section;

4. "Itemized charges" means total parts, total labor, total towing fees, total storage fees, total processing fees and totals of any other fee groups, the sum total of which shall equal the compensation claimed.

I. For purposes of this section, the United States Postal Service approved electronic equivalent of proof of return receipt requested Form 3811 shall satisfy return receipt requested documentation requirements.

J. If a person claiming a special lien pursuant to this section fails to comply with any of the requirements of this section, any interested party may proceed against the person claiming such lien for all damages arising therefrom, including conversion, if the article of personal property has been sold. If the notice or notices required by this section shall be shown to be knowingly false or fraudulent, the interested party shall be entitled to treble damages. The prevailing party shall be entitled to all costs, including reasonable attorney fees.

K. This section shall apply to all actions or proceedings that commence on or after the effective date of this act.

R.L.1910, § 3852. Amended by Laws 1955, p. 248, § 1; Laws 1973, c. 111, § 1, emerg. eff. May 4, 1973; Laws 1992, c. 309, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1992; Laws 2003, c. 214, § 1, eff. July 1, 2003; Laws 2005, c. 213, § 4, eff. Nov. 1, 2005; Laws 2005, c. 477, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2005; Laws 2006, c. 247, § 1; Laws 2008, c. 98, § 1, eff. July 1, 2008; Laws 2011, c. 355, § 11, eff. Nov. 1, 2011; Laws 2014, c. 405, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2014.