{"data":{"id":"us-md/md.-code-transportation-21-10a-05","jurisdiction":"us-md","citation":"Md. Code, Transportation § 21–10A–05","heading":"","body":"(a) Subject to subsection (b) of this section, if a vehicle is towed or otherwise removed from a parking lot, the person in possession of the vehicle:\n(1) Shall immediately deliver the vehicle directly to the storage facility stated on the signs posted in accordance with § 21–10A–02 of this subtitle;\n(2) May not move the towed vehicle from that storage facility to another storage facility for at least 72 hours; and\n(3) Shall provide the owner of the vehicle or the owner’s agent immediate and continuous opportunity, at a minimum from 6 a.m. to midnight, 7 days per week, from the time the vehicle was received at the storage facility, to retake possession of the vehicle.\n(b) Before a vehicle is removed from a parking lot, a tower who possesses the vehicle shall release the vehicle to the owner or an agent of the owner:\n(1) If the owner or agent requests that the tower release the vehicle;\n(2) If the vehicle can be driven under its own power;\n(3) Whether or not the vehicle has been lifted off the ground; and\n(4) If the owner or agent pays a drop fee to the tower in an amount not exceeding 50% of the cost of a full tow.\n(c) (1) Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, a storage facility that is in possession of a towed vehicle shall:\n(i) Accept payment for outstanding towing, recovery, or storage charges by cash or at least two major, nationally recognized credit cards; and\n(ii) If the storage facility accepts only cash, have an operable automatic teller machine available on the premises.\n(2) (i) Except as provided in subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph, if a storage facility is unable to process a credit card payment and does not have an operable automatic teller machine on the premises, the storage facility shall accept a personal check as payment for outstanding towing, recovery, and storage charges.\n(ii) A storage facility may refuse to accept a personal check as payment if it is unable to process a credit card for the payment because use of the credit card has been declined by the credit card company.\n(3) A storage facility that is in possession of a towed vehicle shall make the vehicle available to the owner, the owner’s agent, the insurer of record, or a secured party, under the supervision of the storage facility, for:\n(i) Inspection; or\n(ii) Retrieval from the vehicle of personal property that is not attached to the vehicle.","path":["Article - Transportation"],"source_url":"https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=gtr\u0026section=21-10A-05","current_through":"2026-01-01","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T20:01:38Z","sha256":"267b5d5e1b9a427a7a363c179c7fbc803d73660f39b982a5cf76b7bf419a9b63","source_id":"us-md","stale":false,"prev":"us-md/md.-code-transportation-21-10a-04","next":"us-md/md.-code-transportation-21-10a-06"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}