§ 26-91. Notice to owner and state.

(a)

Any person who removes a motor vehicle from public or private property at the request of someone other than the owner or who stores any motor vehicle which has been left unattended shall seek the identity of the owner of such vehicle and shall, within 15 days of the day such vehicle became an abandoned motor vehicle, give notice in writing to the Georgia Department of Revenue and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, stating the manufacturer's vehicle identification number, the license number, the fact that such vehicle is an abandoned motor vehicle, and the present location of such vehicle, and requesting the name and address of all owners, lessors, lessees, security interest holders, and lienholders of such vehicle. If a person removing or storing the vehicle has knowledge of facts which reasonably indicate that the vehicle is registered or titled in a certain other state, he shall check the motor vehicle records of that other state in the attempt to ascertain the identity of the owner of the vehicle.

(b)

Upon ascertaining the owner of such motor vehicle, the person removing or storing such vehicle shall within three days, by certified or registered mail, notify the owner, lessors, lessees, security interest holders, and lienholders of the location of such vehicle and of the fact that such vehicle is deemed abandoned and shall be disposed of if not redeemed.

(c)

If the identity of the owner of such motor vehicle cannot be ascertained, the person removing or storing such vehicle shall place an advertisement in a newspaper of general circulation in the county where such vehicle was obtained or, if there is no newspaper in the county, shall post such advertisement at the county courthouse in such place where other public notices are posted. Such advertisement shall run in the newspaper once a week for two consecutive weeks or shall remain posted at the courthouse for two consecutive weeks. The advertisement shall contain a complete description of the motor vehicle, its license and manufacturer's vehicle identification numbers, the location where such vehicle was initially left unattended by the owner, the present location of such vehicle, and the fact that such vehicle is deemed abandoned and shall be disposed of if not redeemed.

(Ord. No. 1264, § I, 12-4-2017)

State law reference

Similar provisions, O.C.G.A. § 40-11-2, as amended.