State Codes and Statutes
Statutes > Rhode-island > Title-31 > Chapter-31-42 > 31-42-3SECTION 31-42-3
§ 31-42-3 Notification of owner andlienholders. – (a) A police department which takes into custody an abandoned motor vehicleshall notify within fifteen (15) days of it, by registered mail, return receiptrequested, the last known registered owner of the motor vehicle and alllienholders of record that the vehicle has been taken into custody. The noticeshall describe the year, make, model, and serial number of the abandoned motorvehicle The notice shall set forth the location of the facility where the motorvehicle is being held, inform the owner and any lienholders of their right toreclaim the motor vehicle within three (3) weeks after the date of the notice,upon payment of all towing, preservation, and storage charges resulting fromplacing the vehicle in custody, and state that the failure of the owner orlienholders to exercise their right to reclaim the vehicle within the timeprovided shall be deemed a waiver by the owner and all lienholders of allright, title, and interest in the vehicle and consent to the sale of theabandoned motor vehicle at a public auction.
(b) If the identity of the last registered owner cannot bedetermined, or if the registration contains no address for the owner; or if itis impossible to determine with reasonable certainty the identity and addressesof all lienholders, notice by one publication in one newspaper of generalcirculation in the area where the motor vehicle was abandoned shall besufficient to meet all requirements of notice pursuant to this chapter. Thenotice by publication can contain multiple listings of abandoned vehicles. Thenotice shall be within the time requirements prescribed for notice byregistered mail and shall have the same contents required for a notice byregistered mail.
(c) The consequences and effect of failure to reclaim anabandoned motor vehicle shall be as set forth in a valid notice given pursuantto this section.
