Abandoned and Disabled Vehicles
Current through End of 2009 Legislative Session
K.S.A. 8-1101 Abandoning and leaving on highways; definitions.
K.S.A. 8-1102 Motor vehicle abandoned on public highway or property open to use by public; public agency may impound; disposition; motor vehicle abandoned on private property; criminal trespass; impounding and disposition of vehicle.
K.S.A. 8-1103 Towed motor vehicles, lien thereon; procedure; personal property; providing notice of fee.
K.S.A. 8-1104 Sale of vehicles and personal property; verification; notice.
K.S.A. 8-1105 Sale, public auction.
K.S.A. 8-1107 Notices, publications and affidavit filed with clerk of the county.
K.S.A. 8-1108 Invalidity of lien, when.
8-1101. Abandoning and leaving on highways; definitions.
As used in this act:
(a) 'Public agency' means and includes the department of transportation, the Kansas turnpike authority, a county, city and township.
(b) 'Motor vehicle' means every vehicle, or tractor trailer combination, which is self-propelled by which any person or property is or may be transported or drawn upon a highway except vehicles used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks.
(c) 'Highway' means the entire width between the boundary lines of every way publicly maintained when any part thereof is open to the use of the public for the purposes of vehicular travel.
(d) 'Law enforcement officer' means and includes the Kansas highway patrol, police, sheriff, who are vested with the power and authority of peace, police, and law enforcement, or those authorized to direct or regulate traffic or to make arrests for violations of traffic regulations.
History: L. 1961, ch. 60, § 1; L. 1975, ch. 426, § 38; L. 1992, ch. 78, § 1; July 1.
8-1102. Motor vehicle abandoned on public highway or property open to use by public; public agency may impound; disposition; motor vehicle abandoned on private property; criminal trespass; impounding and disposition of vehicle.
(a) (1) A person shall not use the public highway to abandon vehicles or use the highway to leave
vehicles unattended in such a manner as to interfere with public highway operations. When a
person leaves a motor vehicle on a public highway or other property open to use by the public,
the public agency having jurisdiction of such highway or other property open to use by the
public, after 48 hours or when the motor vehicle interferes with public highway operations, may
remove and impound the motor vehicle.
(2) Any motor vehicle which has been impounded as provided in this section for 30 days or more
shall be disposed of in the following manner: If such motor vehicle has displayed thereon a
registration plate issued by the division of vehicles and has been registered with the division, the
public agency shall request verification from the division of vehicles of the last registered owner
and any lienholders, if any. Such verification request shall be submitted to the division of
vehicles not more than 30 days after such agency took possession of the vehicle. The public
agency shall mail a notice by certified mail to the registered owner thereof, addressed to the
address as shown on the certificate of registration, and to the lienholder, if any, of record in the
county in which the title shows the owner resides, if registered in this state. The notice shall state
that if the owner or lienholder does not claim such motor vehicle and pay the removal and
storage charges incurred by such public agency on it within 15 days from the date of the mailing
of the notice, that it will be sold at public auction to the highest bidder for cash. The notice shall
be mailed within 10 days after receipt of verification of the last owner and any lienholders, if any,
as provided in this subsection.
After 15 days from date of mailing notice, the public agency shall publish a notice once a week
for two consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the county where such motor
vehicle was abandoned and left, which notice shall describe the motor vehicle by name of maker,
model, serial number, and owner, if known, and stating that it has been impounded by the public
agency and that it will be sold at public auction to the highest bidder for cash if the owner thereof
does not claim it within 10 days of the date of the second publication of the notice and pay the
removal and storage charges, and publication costs incurred by the public agency. If the motor
vehicle does not display a registration plate issued by the division of vehicles and is not
registered with the division, the public agency after 30 days from the date of impoundment, shall
request verification from the division of vehicles of the last registered owner and any lienholders,
if any. Such verification request shall be submitted to the division of vehicles no more than 30
days after such agency took possession of the vehicle. The public agency shall mail a notice by
certified mail to the registered owner thereof, addressed to the address as shown on the certificate
of registration, and to the lienholder, if any, of record in the county in which the title shows the
owner resides, if registered in this state. The notice shall state that if the owner or lienholder does
not claim such motor vehicle and pay the removal and storage charges incurred by such public
agency on it within 15 days from the date of the mailing of the notice, it will be sold at public
auction to the highest bidder for cash. The notice shall be mailed within 10 days after receipt of
verification of the last owner and any lienholders, if any, as provided in this subsection. After 15
days from the date of mailing notice, the public agency shall publish a notice in a newspaper of
general circulation in the county where such motor vehicle was abandoned and left, which notice
shall describe the motor vehicle by name of maker, model, color and serial number and shall
state that it has been impounded by said public agency and will be sold at public auction to the
highest bidder for cash, if the owner thereof does not claim it within 10 days of the date of the
second publication of the notice and pay the removal and storage charges incurred by the public agency.
When any public agency has complied with the provisions of this section with respect to an
abandoned motor vehicle and the owner thereof does not claim it within the time stated in the
notice and pay the removal and storage charges and publication costs incurred by the public
agency on such motor vehicle, the public agency may sell the motor vehicle at public auction to
the highest bidder for cash.
(3) After any sale pursuant to this section, the purchaser may file proof thereof with the division
of vehicles, and the division shall issue a certificate of title to the purchaser of such motor
vehicle. All moneys derived from the sale of motor vehicles pursuant to this section, after
payment of the expenses of the impoundment and sale, shall be paid into the fund of the public
agency which is used by it for the construction or maintenance of highways.
(b) Any person who abandons and leaves a vehicle on real property, other than public property or
property open to use by the public, which is not owned or leased by such person or by the owner
or lessee of such vehicle shall be guilty of criminal trespass, as defined by K.S.A. 21-3721, and
amendments thereto, and upon request of the owner or occupant of such real property, the public
agency in whose jurisdiction such property is situated may remove and dispose of such vehicle in
the manner provided in subsection (a), except that the provisions of subsection (a) requiring that
a motor vehicle be abandoned for a period of time in excess of 48 hours prior to its removal shall
not be applicable to abandoned vehicles which are subject to the provisions of this subsection.
Any person removing such vehicle from the real property at the request of such public agency
shall have a possessory lien on such vehicle for the costs incurred in removing, towing and
storing such vehicle.
(c) Whenever any motor vehicle has been left unattended for more than 48 hours or when any
unattended motor vehicle interferes with public highway operations, any law enforcement officer
is hereby authorized to move such vehicle or cause to have the vehicle moved as provided in
K.S.A. 8-1103 et seq., and amendments thereto.
(d) The notice provisions of this section shall apply to any motor vehicle which has been
impounded as provided in K.S.A. 8-1567, and amendments thereto.
(e) Any person attempting to recover a motor vehicle impounded as provided in this section or in
accordance with a city ordinance or county resolution providing for the impoundment of motor
vehicles, shall show proof of valid registration and ownership of the motor vehicle to the public
agency before obtaining the motor vehicle. In addition, the public agency may require payment of
all reasonable costs associated with the impoundment of the motor vehicle, including
transportation and storage fees, prior to release of the motor vehicle.
History: L. 1961, ch. 60, § 2; L. 1963, ch. 60, § 1; L. 1970, ch. 60, § 1; L. 1974, ch. 42, § 12; L.
1978, ch. 37, § 1; L. 1986, ch. 207, § 1; L. 1992, ch. 78, § 2; L. 2004, ch. ___, § 1, (SB 380); L.
2004, ch. ___, § 3 (HB 2949); July 1.
8-1103. Towed motor vehicles, lien thereon; procedure; personal property; providing
notice of fee.
(a) Whenever any person providing wrecker or towing service, as defined by law, while
lawfully in possession of a vehicle, at the direction of a law enforcement officer or the owner, or
as provided by a city ordinance or county resolution, renders any service to the owner thereof by
the recovery, transportation, protection, storage or safekeeping thereof, a first and prior lien on
the vehicle is hereby created in favor of such person rendering such service and the lien shall
amount to the full amount and value of the service rendered. The lien may be foreclosed in the
manner provided in this act. If the name of the owner of the vehicle is known to the person in
possession of such vehicle, then within 15 days, notice shall be given to the owner that the
vehicle is being held subject to satisfaction of the lien. Any vehicle remaining in the possession
of a person providing wrecker or towing service for a period of 60 days after such wrecker or
towing service was provided may be sold to pay the reasonable or agreed charges for such
recovery, transportation, protection, storage or safekeeping of such vehicle and personal property
therein, the costs of such sale, the costs of notice to the owner of the vehicle and publication as
required by this act, after giving the notices required by this act, unless a court order has been
issued to hold such vehicle for the purpose of a criminal investigation or for use as evidence at a
trial. If a court orders any vehicle to be held for the purpose of a criminal investigation or for use
as evidence at a trial, then such order shall be in writing, and the court shall assess as costs the
reasonable or agreed charges for the protection, storage or safekeeping accrued while the vehicle
was held pursuant to such written order. Any personal property within the vehicle need not be
released to the owner thereof until the reasonable or agreed charges for such recovery,
transportation or safekeeping have been paid, or satisfactory arrangements for payment have been
made, except as provided under subsection (c) or for personal medical supplies which shall be
released to the owner thereof upon request. The person in possession of such vehicle and
personal property shall be responsible only for the reasonable care of such property. Any personal
property within the vehicle not returned to the owner shall be sold at the auction authorized by
this act.
(b) At the time of providing wrecker or towing service, any person providing such
wrecker or towing service shall give written notice to the driver, if available, of the vehicle being
towed that a fee will be charged for storage of such vehicle. Failure to give such written notice
shall invalidate any lien established for such storage fee.
(c) A city ordinance or county resolution authorizing the towing of vehicles shall specify in such ordinance or resolution:
(1) The maximum rate such wrecker or towing service may charge for such wrecker or towing service and storage fees;
(2) that an owner of a vehicle towed shall have access to personal property in such vehicle for 48 hours after such vehicle has been towed and such personal property shall be released to the owner; and
(3) that the wrecker or towing service shall report the location of such vehicle to local law
enforcement within two hours of such tow.
History: L. 1987, ch. 209, § 1; L. 1991, ch. 40, § 1; L. 2000, ch. 179 § 12; L. 2004, ch. 37, § 2 ;
L. 2009, ch. 119, § 9, July 1.
8-1104. Sale of vehicles and personal property; verification; notice.
Before any such vehicle and personal property is sold, the person intending to sell such vehicle
shall request verification from the division of vehicles of the last registered owner and any
lienholders, if any. Such verification request shall be submitted to the division of vehicles not
more than 30 after such person took possession of the vehicle. Notice of sale, as provided in this
act, shall be mailed by certified mail to any such registered owner and any such lienholders
within 10 days after receipt of verification of the last owner and any lienholders, if any. The
person intending to sell such vehicle and personal property pursuant to this act shall cause a
notice of the time and place of sale, containing a description of the vehicle and personal property,
to be published in a newspaper published in the county where such sale is advertised to take
place, and if there is no newspaper published in such county, then the notice shall be published in
some newspaper of general circulation in such county. Notices given under this section shall state
that if the amount due, together with storage, publication, notice and sale costs, is not paid within
15 days from the date of mailing, the vehicle and personal property will be sold at public auction.
History: L. 1987, ch. 209, § 2; L. 2000, ch. 179 § 13; L. 2004, ch. ___, § 3 (SB 380); July 1.
All sales under this act shall be at public auction, for cash.
History: L. 1987, ch. 209, § 3; July 1.
8-1107. Notices, publications and affidavit filed with clerk of the county.
Copies of the notices and publications required by this act, and an affidavit of the person providing wrecker or towing service, setting forth the claim and actual expenses of notice, publication and sale, shall be filed with the clerk of the county in which the sale takes place, and such documents or copies thereof duly certified by such clerk shall be received as presumptive evidence of the matters therein contained.
History: L. 1987, ch. 209, § 5; July 1.
8-1108. Invalidity of lien, when.
Failure to give any notice required under the provisions of this act shall stop the
imposition of storage fees, until the notice provisions are complied with in accordance with the
provisions of this act.
History: L. 1987, ch. 209, § 6; L. 2000, ch. 179 § 14; July 1.