§ 5-12006 — Vehicle removal

(a) In any county with 500,000 or more inhabitants, but fewer than 3,000,000, when a vehicle is abandoned or left unattended on a highway other than a toll highway, interstate highway, or expressway, outside of an urban district for 24 hours or more, its removal by a towing service may be authorized by the administrative official charged with such duty. (b) When a vehicle removal from either public or private property is authorized, the owner of the vehicle shall be responsible for all towing costs. Vehicles removed from public or private property and stored by a commercial vehicle relocator or any other towing service in compliance with the Illinois Vehicle Code shall be subject to a possessory lien for services pursuant to "An Act concerning liens for labor, services, skill or materials furnished upon or storage furnished for chattels", filed July 24, 1941, as amended and the provision of Section 1 of that Act relating to notice and implied consent shall be deemed satisfied by compliance with Section 18a-302 and subsection (6) of Section 18a-300 of The Illinois Vehicle Code. In no event shall such lien be greater than the rate established in accordance with subsection (3) of Section 18a-200 of The Illinois Vehicle Code. In no event shall such lien be increased or altered to reflect any charge for services or materials rendered in addition to those authorized by this Division. Every such lien shall be payable by use of any major credit card, in addition to being payable in cash. (c) When a vehicle is authorized to be towed away under this Division, the administrative official authorizing the towing shall keep and maintain a record of the vehicle towed, listing the color, year of manufacture, manufacturer's trade name, manufacturer's series name, body style, vehicle identification number, license plate year and number and registration sticker or digital registration sticker year and number displayed on the vehicle. The record shall also include the date and hour of tow, location towed from, location towed to, reason for towing and the name of the officer authorizing the tow. The administrative official authorizing the towing shall further follow the procedures for notification of record owner or other legally entitled person, or if such person cannot be identified, procedures for tracing vehicle ownership by the Illinois State Police as set forth in The Illinois Vehicle Code and procedures for disposing of unclaimed vehicles with or without notice.

Legislative History

(Source: P.A. 101-395, eff. 8-16-19.)