Public Notice Guide: Motor Vehicles
Notification of an abandoned vehicle to owner or lienholders
56-5-5630
If the identity of an owner of an abandoned vehicle is not known then the publication of a notice in a newspaper shall meet the requirements of sufficient notice. The notice shall be placed in a newspaper of general circulation in the area where the abandoned vehicle was found. The notice must meet the same time requirements as registered or certified mail. The notice can contain multiple listings of abandoned vehicles.
Section | Notice | Where | When |
|---|---|---|---|
56-5-5630 | A notice of the abandonment of a vehicle(s) to unknown owners. The notice must meet the same time requirements as registered or certified mail. The notice can contain multiple listings of abandoned vehicles. | A newspaper of general circulation published in the area where the abandoned car was found | The same time requirements of registered or certified mail |
Exact wording:
“2) When an abandoned vehicle has been taken into custody, the towing company and storage facility having towed and received the vehicle shall notify by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, the last known registered owner of the vehicle and all lienholders of record that the vehicle has been taken into custody. Notification of the owner and all lienholders by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, constitutes notification for purposes of this section. This notification must satisfy the notification requirements contained in Section 29-15-10.
(B) If the identity of the last registered owner cannot be determined, or if the registration contains no address for the owner, or if it is impossible to determine with reasonable certainty the identity and addresses of all lienholders, notice by one publication in one newspaper of general circulation in the area where the vehicle was abandoned is sufficient to meet all requirements of notice pursuant to this article. The notice by publication may contain multiple listings of abandoned vehicles. This notice must be within the time requirements prescribed for notice by registered or certified mail and must have the same contents required for a notice by registered or certified mail.”
Notification of unknown vehicle towed by law enforcement
56-5-5635
If a vehicle was towed by law enforcement the proprietor, owner, or operator of the service used must publish a notice when an owner’s name or whereabouts is not known. The notice must be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the area where the vehicle was abandoned. The notice may contain multiple listings of vehicles.
Section | Notice | Where | When |
|---|---|---|---|
56-5-5635 | A notice to unknown owners of abandoned cars that have been towed by law enforcement. The notice may contain multiple listings of vehicles. | A newspaper of general circulation in the area where the car was abandoned/towed | If there is an unknown owner or lienholder |
Exact wording:
(A) Notwithstanding another provision of law, a law enforcement officer who directs that a vehicle be towed for any reason, whether on public or private property, must use the established towing procedure for his jurisdiction. A request by a law enforcement officer resulting from a law enforcement action including, but not limited to, a vehicle collision, vehicle breakdown, or vehicle recovery incident to an arrest, is considered a law enforcement towing for purposes of recovering costs associated with the towing and storage of the vehicle unless the request for towing is made by a law enforcement officer at the direct request of the owner or operator of the vehicle.”
“(C) If the identity of the last registered owner cannot be determined, or if the registration contains no address for the owner, or if it is impossible to determine with reasonable certainty the identity and addresses of all lienholders, the proprietor, owner, or operator of the towing company, storage facility, garage, or repair shop must provide notice by one publication in one newspaper of general circulation in the area from which the vehicle was abandoned which is sufficient to meet all requirements of notice pursuant to this article. The notice by publication may contain multiple listings of abandoned vehicles.”
Publication of notice of hearings on applications for class A, B or D certificates
58-23-300
An application made for an A, B or D certificate for a motor vehicle carrier to operate must be published in at least one newspaper in the county where the proposed operation will take place. The notice shall be placed at least fifteen days prior to such hearing and follow the guidelines set by the Public Service Commission. An affidavit from the publisher of the paper showing publication must be filed by the applicant with the Commission prior to or before the start of the hearing.
Section | Notice | Where | When |
|---|---|---|---|
58-23-300 | Notice of a hearing for the application of a A, B or D certificates in terms of the operation of a motor vehicle service | A newspaper in each county that the operation would pass through | At least fifteen days prior to the hearing |
Exact wording:
“The applicant for a class A, B, or D certificate of public convenience and necessity shall have a notice of the hearing on the application published in one newspaper of each county into or through which the proposed service would operate, at least fifteen days before the date of the hearing, such notice to be in the form prescribed by the commission, and an affidavit of the publisher of such newspaper giving the date of publication of such notice shall be filed with the commission by the applicant at the beginning of the hearing or prior thereto.”
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