Maine Revised Statutes
Subchapter 3: ABANDONED VEHICLES
29-A §1856. Change of ownership

§1856. Change of ownership
1.  Evidence of compliance.  A person who has complied with section 1854, subsection 4 shall present evidence of compliance to the Secretary of State immediately after the 14-day notice period. The Secretary of State may not issue a letter of ownership or certificate of title until at least 21 days after the date on which the person who has possession of and control over the vehicle notified the Secretary of State by complying with section 1854, subsection 1 or 1‑A and section 1854, subsection 2.  
[PL 2017, c. 240, §5 (AMD).]
2.  Issuance of certificate; letter of ownership.  The Secretary of State, upon being satisfied that notice has been made to all parties with an interest in the vehicle, may issue certificates of title or letters of ownership as follows.  
A. For a vehicle not required to be titled, on presentation of sufficient evidence and payment of a $5 fee, the Secretary of State may issue a letter of ownership to the owner of the premises on which the vehicle is located.   [PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
B. For vehicles subject to chapter 7, on presentation of sufficient evidence and application for certificate of title in accordance with section 654 and payment of a fee set forth in section 603, the Secretary of State may issue a certificate of title to the owner of the premises on which the vehicle is located.   [PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
[PL 1999, c. 137, §3 (AMD).]
If the owner or lienholder of the vehicle retrieves it and pays the towing, storage and repair charges before the Secretary of State issues a letter of ownership or certificate of title, the person holding the vehicle must immediately release it to the person paying the charges and must immediately notify the Secretary of State of the release.   [PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
A person who refuses to release a vehicle when reasonable charges are paid or does not notify the Secretary of State that the vehicle is no longer in the person's possession commits a Class E crime.   [PL 1999, c. 137, §3 (NEW).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 1993, c. 683, §A2 (NEW). PL 1993, c. 683, §B5 (AFF). PL 1999, c. 137, §3 (AMD). PL 2007, c. 150, §6 (AMD). PL 2011, c. 46, §3 (AMD). PL 2017, c. 240, §5 (AMD).

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