Virginia's automobile dealers need to know about a new law that takes effect on October 1, 2009 that will automate the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles' abandoned vehicle process. Getting rid of an abandoned vehicle, and searching for the location of an abandoned vehicle, will be faster and easier.
The new procedure allows eligible individuals, businesses, or government agencies in possession of an abandoned vehicle to remove it from their property and to initiate a records request on DMV's website, dmvNOW.com. The process costs $25.
If a Virginia vehicle owner or lienholder is found, DMV sends a certified letter to the vehicle's owners or lienholders requesting them to remove the vehicle from the property. If the vehicle is not claimed after 15 days (120 days for manufactured homes), DMV's online process is used again to post an intent to auction the vehicle. The intent to auction must remain posted for 21 days before auctioning, titling or demolishing the vehicle. However, if no vehicle owner is located, the vehicle may be demolished without posting an intent to auction.
The former process required the person in possession of the abandoned vehicle to mail certified letters to the vehicle's owners or lienholders. If there was no vehicle owner found, the former process required that an inquiry be made to the other 49 states and the District of Columbia. If the abandoned vehicle owners or lienholders have Virginia addresses, DMV will mail those letters under the new process. If the abandoned vehicle owner lives in another state, only one letter will be required. DMV will provide that specific state's contact information for use in a letter requesting the vehicle's owners or lienholders.
In addition to the new automated process, a searchable database of identified abandoned vehicles will be available on DMV's website after October 1. Using the vehicle’s identification number, owners, lienholders and law enforcement can conduct a search to find the location of missing vehicles.
Effective October 1, Virginia code defines an abandoned vehicle as any motor vehicle, trailer or semitrailer or parts of a motor vehicle, trailer or semitrailer that:
- is left unattended on public property for more than 48 hours in violation of a state law or local ordinance, or
- has remained for more that 48 hours on private property without the consent of the property’s owner, regardless of whether it was brought onto the private property with the consent of the owner or person in control of the private property
- is left unattended on the shoulder of a primary highway
- has remained unclaimed in a garage for more than 10 days or for more than 10 days beyond the period the vehicle was to remain on the premises, or
- has remained unclaimed in a self-service storage unit under the provisions of Chapter 23 of Chapter 23 of Virginia Code § 55-416 to 423 of Title 55.