N.J. Admin. Code § 13:21-11A.4

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 21, November 4, 2024

Section 13:21-11A.4 - Notice to owner of intent to remove and store

(a) Prior to the removal and storage of a motor vehicle pursuant to the provisions of this subchapter, an authorized representative of a motor vehicle repair facility shall give the owner of the motor vehicle or other person having a legal right to it 30 days notice of the facility's intent to remove and store the motor vehicle. The notice shall be sent to the owner, or other person having a legal right to the vehicle, as determined by a search of the records of the Commission using forms to be supplied by the Commission, accompanied by the fee specified by the Commission for the search.

1. If the Commission reports having no record of ownership of the motor vehicle on file, the motor vehicle repair facility shall then obtain either a title search through the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS), or a title and lien search from each of the following states: New York, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Maryland. If a search using NMVTIS results in a record of ownership of the motor vehicle, the motor vehicle repair facility or authorized representative shall contact the state in which the motor vehicle was last titled to verify the owner and any holder of a security interest in the motor vehicle. If a NMVTIS search does not result in a record of ownership of the motor vehicle, the motor vehicle repair facility or authorized representative shall obtain a lien search from each of the following states: New York, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Maryland.

2. Proof of ownership and the identity of any holder of a security interest required to be notified in accordance with this subchapter, must be certified and issued by the state in which the motor vehicle was last titled. Third-party searches are not acceptable as proof of ownership or as proof of liens.

3. If the Commission has reason to believe that the vehicle may have been titled, registered, or primarily operated in another state, the Commission may also require a motor vehicle repair facility to perform a title and lien search in any state where the abandoned motor vehicle is titled, registered, or primarily operated in, and submit the title and lien search results to the Commission.

N.J. Admin. Code § 13:21-11A.4

Adopted by 53 N.J.R. 1012(a), effective 6/7/2021