2006 Code of Virginia § 46.2-1204 - Vehicles abandoned in garages

46.2-1204. Vehicles abandoned in garages.

Notwithstanding 46.2-1200, any motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, or partthereof shall be considered abandoned and may be reported by the garagekeeperto the political subdivision if it has been left in a garage for more thanten days or for more than ten days beyond the period the vehicle was toremain on the premises pursuant to a contract, after notice by registered orcertified mail, return receipt requested, to the owner of record and allpersons having security interests of record therein, to reclaim the vehiclewithin fifteen days of the notice. Any abandoned motor vehicle left in agarage may be taken into custody by the locality in accordance with 46.2-1201 and shall be subject to the notice and sale provisions contained in 46.2-1202 and 46.2-1203. If, however, the vehicle is reclaimed inaccordance with 46.2-1202, the person reclaiming it, in addition to theother charges required to be paid, shall pay the reasonable charges of thegaragekeeper, unless otherwise provided by contract or ordinance. If thevehicle is sold pursuant to 46.2-1203, any garagekeeper's charges shall bepaid from, and to the extent of, the excess of the proceeds of sale afterpaying the expenses of the auction, the costs of towing, preserving, andstoring the vehicle which resulted from placing the vehicle in custody andall notice and publication costs incurred pursuant to 46.2-1202. Except asotherwise provided in this article, nothing in this section shall restrictany rights conferred on any person under 43-32 through 43-36.

For the purposes of this section, "garage" means any commercial parkingplace, motor vehicle storage facility, or establishment for the servicing,repair, maintenance, or sale of motor vehicles whether or not the vehicle hadbeen brought to that location with the consent of the owner or person incontrol of the premises and "garagekeeper" means the operator of a garage.

(1968, c. 421, 46.1-555.6; 1984, c. 143; 1989, c. 727.)