GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 2015

S                                                                                                                                                     1

SENATE BILL 345

Short Title:        Limit Storage Fees on Damaged Vehicle.		(Public)
Sponsors:	Senators Meredith (Primary Sponsor); and Rabin.
Referred to:	Rules and Operations of the Senate.

March 23, 2015

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT to limit the amount of storage fees that certain parties are responsible for when a motor vehicle is impounded after a crash.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  Article 3 of Chapter 20 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:

"§ 20‑166.3.  Limit storage fees for vehicle damaged as a result of a crash.

(a) Limited Fees. – A law enforcement agency that impounds a motor vehicle that was damaged as a result of a crash shall limit the amount of time that it stores the motor vehicle. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a motor vehicle owner, the insurer of the motor vehicle, and any other person with an ownership interest in the motor vehicle, shall not be liable for storage charges in excess of the sum of five hundred dollars ($500.00). A law enforcement agency may move a motor vehicle subject to this subsection from a commercial storage facility to a public storage facility if the law enforcement agency determines that storage fees may exceed the amount set forth in this subsection.

(b) Application. – This section shall not apply to a motor vehicle (i) seized as a result of a violation of law or (ii) abandoned by the owner."

SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2015, and applies to motor vehicles impounded on or after that date.