(a)No person shall abandon a vehicle upon any highway.
(b)No person shall abandon a vehicle upon any public or
private property without the express consent of the owner or
person in lawful possession or control of the property.
(c)Any police officer who has reasonable grounds to
believe that a vehicle has been abandoned may remove the
vehicle, or cause it to be removed, at the expense of the owner
to a place of impoundment designated by the county commissioners
of the county in which the vehicle is impounded. Removal of an
abandoned vehicle from private property by a police officer
shall be upon the written request, upon a form prescribed by the
department, of the owner or person in lawful possession or
control of the property. The police department having
jurisdiction shall immediately
Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI
(a) No person shall abandon a vehicle upon any highway.
(b) No person shall abandon a vehicle upon any public or
private property without the express consent of the owner or
person in lawful possession or control of the property.
(c) Any police officer who has reasonable grounds to
believe that a vehicle has been abandoned may remove the
vehicle, or cause it to be removed, at the expense of the owner
to a place of impoundment designated by the county commissioners
of the county in which the vehicle is impounded. Removal of an
abandoned vehicle from private property by a police officer
shall be upon the written request, upon a form prescribed by the
department, of the owner or person in lawful possession or
control of the property. The police department having
jurisdiction shall immediately send a written report of the
removal by a police officer to the sheriff of the county in
which the vehicle is impounded, which report shall include a
description of the vehicle, the date, time and place of removal,
the grounds for removal, and place of impoundment of the
vehicle. The sheriff of the county in which the vehicle is
impounded shall submit the report provided by the police
department to the department with a determination of the fair
market value of the vehicle as required in this subsection. Upon
receipt of a report as provided, the department shall provide
written notification to the vehicle owner of record and to
lienholders of record, stating the grounds for removal by a
police officer and the name of the place of impoundment of the
vehicle. Notice shall not be required if the fair market value
of an abandoned vehicle removed by a police officer is less than
two thousand dollars ($2,000.00) as determined by the sheriff of
the county in which the vehicle is impounded. As to vehicles not
registered in this state, the department shall make a reasonable
effort to notify the owner or any lienholder of removal by a
police officer and the place of impoundment of the vehicle. The
department shall forward a copy of the notice to the owner or
person in charge of the place of impoundment of a vehicle
removed by a police officer. As used in this subsection,
"abandoned vehicle" means as defined in W.S. 31-13-101(a)(x)(A)
and (B).
(d) A transportable home impounded pursuant to this
section shall be disposed of in accordance with W.S. 31-13-109.
(e) Except as otherwise provided by law, title to any
vehicle impounded by a police officer not reclaimed by the
registered owner or any lienholder within thirty (30) days of
the notice provided by subsection (c) of this section shall vest
with the county government where the vehicle is impounded.
(f) A notice of intent to impound an abandoned vehicle by
a police officer shall be placed in a prominent position on a
vehicle when a police officer reasonably believes it is
abandoned. The notice of intent shall remain on the vehicle at
least twenty-four (24) hours prior to removal if abandoned on a
highway and five (5) days if abandoned on public or private
property and impounded by a police officer.
(g) Any towing and recovery service that tows a vehicle
which is not otherwise under the control of a city, town or
county and is defined as abandoned under W.S. 31-13-101(a)(x)
shall:
(i) Notify the sheriff of the county in which the
vehicle is located within thirty (30) minutes upon completion of
tow and report a complete description of the vehicle, including
license plate number and state indication, make, year, model,
vehicle identification number, and the date, time and place of
towing and the current location of the vehicle; and
(ii) Request a title search report upon a form
prescribed by the department within three (3) business days
after towing the vehicle. Upon receipt of the request, the
department shall make reasonable efforts to identify the owner
and any lienholders of record. The department shall forward the
information obtained to the towing and recovery service within
five (5) business days of receipt of the request for any vehicle
registered in Wyoming or within seven (7) business days of
receipt of the request for any vehicle registered in another
jurisdiction; and
(iii) Send, by certified mail, return receipt
requested, notice to the latest known address of the vehicle
owner and all lienholders of record, if identified by the
department under paragraph (ii) of this subsection or by other
means, which shall notify the owner and all lienholders that the
vehicle has been towed and may be disposed of pursuant to this
act. The notice shall be sent within three (3) business days of
identifying of the latest known address of the vehicle owner and
all lienholders of record.