When the county takes into custody an abandoned motor vehicle, the county administrator
shall notify within fifteen days thereof, by registered mail, return receipt requested,
the owner of record of the motor vehicle and all persons having security interests
therein of record that the vehicle has been taken into custody. The notice shall describe
the year, make, model and serial number of the abandoned motor vehicle, set forth
the location of the facility where the motor vehicle is being held, inform the owner
and any persons having security interests of their right to re-claim the motor vehicle
within three weeks after the date of the notice, upon payment of all towing, preservation
and storage charges resulting from placing the vehicle in custody, and state that
the failure of the owner or persons having security interests to exercise their right
to reclaim the vehicle within the time provided shall be deemed a waiver by the owner,
and all persons having any security interests, of all right, title and interest in
the vehicle, and consent to the sale of the abandoned motor vehicle at a public auction.
If records of the state division of motor vehicles contain no address for the owner
or no address of any person shown by such records to have a security interest, or
if the identity and addresses of the owner and all persons having security interests
cannot be determined with reasonable certainty, notice by publication once in a newspaper
of general circulation in the area where the motor vehicle was abandoned shall be
sufficient to meet all requirements of notice as to any person who cannot be notified
pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph of this section. Such notice
by publication may contain multiple listings of abandoned motor vehicles. Any such
notice shall be within the time requirements prescribed for notice by mail and shall
have the same contents required for a notice by mail.
The consequences and the fact of failure to reclaim an abandoned motor vehicle shall
be as set forth in a notice given in accordance with and pursuant to this section.
(10-3-74, § 3; 9-21-17.)
