ConnecticutHB 071622025 Regular SessionHouseWALLET

AN ACT REFORMING THE MOTOR VEHICLE TOWING STATUTES.

Summary

To reform motor vehicle towing statutes, provide protections for motor vehicle owners whose vehicles are towed and establish a consumer bill of rights regarding towing.

transportation

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

12 provisions identified: 7 benefits, 2 costs, 3 mixed.

Easier access to towed vehicles

Beginning October 1, 2025, services storing vehicles towed without consent must use secure lots open weekdays, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. They must maintain a 24-hour phone number and provide requested after-hours vehicle release or belongings access within four hours. They cannot charge storage for days when release is unavailable. Vehicle release requires accepted proof of ownership and payment; services must accept cash or cards and provide itemized receipts. Owners have inspection rights, and services cannot claim liens on belongings or demand a general liability release. After-hours release fees must be set by the motor vehicles commissioner; lenders and their representatives can redeem vehicles only during business hours.

Clearer towing rights and complaint steps

The motor vehicles commissioner must prepare an English and Spanish towing rights guide by September 1, 2025. Beginning October 1, state agencies must post it online, and towing services must display it, offer copies, and post it on their websites. It explains charges, vehicle release, belongings, records, sales, and complaints, and must be updated whenever rate schedules are published. Customers can submit written dealer or repairer complaints, including towing disputes, with transaction details, facts, and supporting documents. The commissioner must notify both sides within 14 days; businesses facing complete complaints alleging possible violations must respond within 10 days. The commissioner can mediate or hold hearings, recommend removal from police towing rotations, and suspend licenses for violating settlement or consent-order terms.

Clearer warnings before private property towing

Beginning October 1, 2025, most private-property towing requires signs posted at least 48 hours beforehand, verified by the towing service. Signs must measure at least 12 by 18 inches, with one-inch letters, a towing symbol, possible fees, and contact details. Only nonresidential lots can instead use a driver's-side windshield notice giving at least 48 hours and stating posting and removal times. Sign exceptions cover designated accessible or emergency spaces, vehicles within 10 feet of hydrants, blocked access or traffic, hazardous leaks, and undesignated parking. After notice of an unauthorized tow, police must check the vehicle identification number in two law-enforcement systems within 48 hours. A stolen-vehicle match requires immediate notice to the department that reported the theft.

Drivers get a police towing choice

Beginning October 1, 2025, state and municipal officers must ask present, responsive owners or drivers whether they want to choose a towing service. The chosen service must be on the applicable police rotation and able to respond on time. Otherwise, State Police call the next available service; municipal officers use the next service or choose one when no rotation exists. State Police must maintain a rotation for covered disabled or wrecked vehicles when owners cannot arrange towing or leave the choice to officers. Participation is voluntary, but services must meet certification, equipment, location, and response requirements.

Owners can claim vehicle sale leftovers

Beginning October 1, 2025, sellers must report covered vehicle sales and place proceeds, minus allowed deductions, in escrow within 15 days. Former owners or their legal representatives can claim the remaining money within one year of the sale. Unclaimed money is handled under Connecticut's unclaimed-property rules.

Stronger safeguards against towing pressure

Beginning October 1, 2025, towing rules also cover recovery work, including winching and uprighting, performed without prior consent. This coverage applies to work under the private-property towing law or police or traffic-authority orders. Services cannot require disabled-vehicle owners to sign repair or storage agreements before completing a tow; agreements remain allowed afterward. Services cannot pay property owners, lessees, their agents, or lenders for private-property towing privileges. Covered towing businesses must keep required written authorizations and photos for three years instead of two.

Towns can regulate towing and parking

Municipalities can adopt ordinances governing towing without consent, vehicle storage, and residential and nonresidential parking facilities. Local rules must follow state law and cannot regulate owner-approved towing or repossessions. When a vehicle crosses municipal lines for storage, the towing-origin municipality's ordinance controls under the law's cross-town rule.

Narrower recovery rights for vehicle immobilization

Beginning October 1, 2025, the law narrows an existing cost-recovery rule for improper private-property towing. It removes coverage based only on immobilizing a vehicle or fees for removing a wheel lock. The remaining rule holds property owners, lessees, and lenders responsible for improperly caused towing, removal, storage, and applicable reasonable legal costs.

Higher penalties for vehicle business violations

Beginning October 1, 2025, maximum civil penalties for covered vehicle-business violations rise from $1,000 to $5,000 per violation. The separate maximum for violations of section 14-52 remains $2,000. Civil penalties require notice and a hearing; covered licensees can also face license suspension or revocation. Breaking stored-vehicle requirements is an infraction for a first offense and a class D misdemeanor for later offenses.

Private parking penalties and booting change

The law removes the ban on private-property parking citations imposing monetary penalties; it does not set a penalty amount. It generally bans wheel-locking to collect monetary penalties, with limited exceptions for independent colleges and private secondary schools. It also repeals the former $50 wheel-lock removal fee cap and related police-notice and payment procedures. Beginning October 1, 2025, businesses hired for covered school wheel-locking must notify the local police chief five business days ahead. Violations carry a $50 first-offense fine and higher penalties for later offenses.

Stored vehicle sales face new safeguards

Beginning October 1, 2025, towing and storage providers have liens on vehicles held under covered custody or nonconsensual towing rules. For covered abandoned vehicles, services must seek owner and lienholder information and send certified storage-location and sale notices within 48 hours. Vehicles valued at $1,500 or less require 30 days in storage before sale; sale notices can begin after 15 days. Vehicles worth more require 60 days before public auction; sale notices can begin after 45 days. Sales require notices to owners, known lienholders, and the motor vehicles commissioner, plus state approval. Unresolved related complaints block approval, and reported pending owner hearing requests stop sales. After receiving the state's sale-compliance affidavit, services can charge for no more than 10 additional storage days.

Unclaimed motorized property can be sold

Beginning October 1, 2025, services removing motorized personal property at police or property-owner direction must store it suitably. If the owner is known, the service must send certified notice of custody and location within 48 hours. The service has a lien for removal and storage charges. After 30 days, it can sell or dispose of property that remains unclaimed or has an unknown owner, following applicable law.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

Transportation Committee
Affiliation unavailable

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 219 • No: 48

House vote • 5/5/2025

APP Vote Tally Sheet (Joint Favorable)

Yes: 38 • No: 12

Senate vote • 3/19/2025

Senate Roll Call Vote 299

Yes: 33 • No: 3

House vote • 3/19/2025

House Roll Call Vote 184 AS AMENDED

Yes: 126 • No: 21