N.Y. Vehicle & Traffic Law § 1204: Officers authorized to remove illegally stopped vehicles

§ 1204. Officers authorized to remove illegally stopped vehicles. (a)

Whenever any police officer, or in a city having a population in excess

of one million any person designated by the commissioner of traffic of

such city or on highways under the jurisdiction of the New York state

thruway authority, the office of parks and recreation, a county park

commission, a parkway authority, a bridge authority or a bridge and

tunnel authority any person designated by such office, commission or

authority, finds a vehicle standing upon a highway in violation of any

of the foregoing provisions of this article such officer is hereby

authorized to move such vehicle, or require the driver or other person

in charge of the vehicle to move the same to a position off the paved or

main-traveled part of such highway.

(b) 1. Whenever any police officer, or in a city having a population

in excess of one million any person designated by the commissioner of

traffic of such city or on highways under the jurisdiction of the New

York state thruway authority, the office of parks and recreation, a

county park commission, a parkway authority, a bridge authority or a

bridge and tunnel authority any person designated by such office,

commission or authority finds a vehicle unattended where it constitutes

an obstruction to traffic, or any place where stopping, standing or

parking is prohibited, such officer is hereby authorized to provide for

the removal of such vehicle, semitrailer or trailer to a garage,

automobile pound or other place of safety.

2. In any city with a population of one million or more, whenever any

police officer, or any person designated by the commissioner of traffic,

finds a semitrailer or trailer without a tractor or towing vehicle

attached, parked or unattended on any city street, such officer or

person designated by the commissioner of traffic is hereby authorized to

provide for the removal of such semitrailer or trailer to a garage,

automobile pound or other place of safety.

(c) The owner or other person lawfully entitled to the possession of

such vehicle may be charged with a reasonable cost for removal and

storage, payable before the vehicle is released.

(d) No police officer or other public, state or municipal employee

shall release a motor vehicle impounded because of any traffic or

parking violation to any person who does not have a currently valid

driver's license and an insurance identification card or other

acceptable evidence indicating current insurance coverage on such

vehicle. The provisions of this subdivision with respect to insurance

coverage shall not apply to a motor vehicle which will not be moved

under its own power but will be transported by a tow truck or upon

another vehicle, provided that the registration for such impounded

vehicle has been surrendered to the commissioner and proof of such

surrender is presented to the police officer or other public, state or

municipal employee.