Section 22852 Of Article 2. Vehicle Disposition From California Vehicle Code >> Division 11. >> Chapter 10. >> Article 2.
22852
. (a) Whenever an authorized member of a public agency directs
the storage of a vehicle, as permitted by this chapter, or upon the
storage of a vehicle as permitted under this section (except as
provided in subdivision (f) or (g)), the agency or person directing
the storage shall provide the vehicle's registered and legal owners
of record, or their agents, with the opportunity for a poststorage
hearing to determine the validity of the storage.
(b) A notice of the storage shall be mailed or personally
delivered to the registered and legal owners within 48 hours,
excluding weekends and holidays, and shall include all of the
following information:
(1) The name, address, and telephone number of the agency
providing the notice.
(2) The location of the place of storage and description of the
vehicle, which shall include, if available, the name or make, the
manufacturer, the license plate number, and the mileage.
(3) The authority and purpose for the removal of the vehicle.
(4) A statement that, in order to receive their poststorage
hearing, the owners, or their agents, shall request the hearing in
person, writing, or by telephone within 10 days of the date appearing
on the notice.
(c) The poststorage hearing shall be conducted within 48 hours of
the request, excluding weekends and holidays. The public agency may
authorize its own officer or employee to conduct the hearing if the
hearing officer is not the same person who directed the storage of
the vehicle.
(d) Failure of either the registered or legal owner, or his or her
agent, to request or to attend a scheduled hearing shall satisfy the
poststorage hearing requirement.
(e) The agency employing the person who directed the storage shall
be responsible for the costs incurred for towing and storage if it
is determined in the poststorage hearing that reasonable grounds for
the storage are not established.
(f) This section does not apply to vehicles abated under the
Abandoned Vehicle Abatement Program pursuant to Sections 22660 to
22668, inclusive, and Section 22710, or to vehicles impounded for
investigation pursuant to Section 22655, or to vehicles removed from
private property pursuant to Section 22658.
(g) This section does not apply to abandoned vehicles removed
pursuant to Section 22669 that are determined by the public agency to
have an estimated value of five hundred dollars ($500) or less.