Revised Code of Washington - RCW Title 46 Motor Vehicles - Chapter 46.55 Towing And Impoundment

46.55.010 Definitions
The definitions set forth in this section apply throughout this chapter: (1) "Abandoned vehicle" means a vehicle that a registered tow truck operator has impounded ...

46.55.020 Registration required -- Penalty
(1) A person shall not engage in or offer to engage in the activities of a registered tow truck operator without a current registration certificate ...

46.55.025 Registration or insurance required -- Penalty
A vehicle engaging in the business of recovery of disabled vehicles for monetary compensation, from or on a public road or highway must either be ...

46.55.030 Application -- Contents, bond, insurance, fee, certificate
(1) Application for licensing as a registered tow truck operator shall be made on forms furnished by the department, shall be accompanied by an inspection ...

46.55.035 Prohibited acts -- Penalty
(1) No registered tow truck operator may: (a) Except as authorized under RCW 46.55.037, ask for or receive any compensation, gratuity, reward, or promise thereof ...

46.55.037 Compensation for private impounds
A registered tow truck operator may receive compensation from a private property owner or agent for a private impound of an unauthorized vehicle that has ...

46.55.040 Permit required -- Inspections of equipment and facilities
(1) A registered operator shall apply for and keep current a tow truck permit for each tow truck of which the operator is the registered ...

46.55.050 Classification of trucks -- Marking requirements -- Time and place of inspection -- Penalty
(1) Tow trucks shall be classified by towing capabilities, and shall meet or exceed all equipment standards set by the state patrol for the type ...

46.55.060 Business location -- Requirements
(1) The address that the tow truck operator lists on his or her application shall be the business location of the firm where its files ...

46.55.063 Fees, schedules, contracts, invoices
(1) An operator shall file a fee schedule with the department. All filed fees must be adequate to cover the costs of service provided. No ...

46.55.070 Posting requirements -- Exception
(1) No person may impound, tow, or otherwise disturb any unauthorized vehicle standing on nonresidential private property or in a public parking facility for less ...

46.55.075 Law enforcement impound -- Required form, procedures
(1) The Washington state patrol shall provide by rule for a uniform impound authorization and inventory form. All law enforcement agencies must use this form ...

46.55.080 Law enforcement impound, private impound -- Master log -- Certain associations restricted
(1) If a vehicle is in violation of the time restrictions of *RCW 46.55.010(13), it may be impounded by a registered tow truck operator at ...

46.55.085 Law enforcement impound -- Unauthorized vehicle in right-of-way
(1) A law enforcement officer discovering an unauthorized vehicle left within a highway right-of-way shall attach to the vehicle a readily visible notification sticker. The ...

46.55.090 Storage, return requirements -- Personal property -- Combination endorsement for tow truck drivers -- Viewing impounded vehicle
(1) All vehicles impounded shall be taken to the nearest storage location that has been inspected and is listed on the application filed with the ...

46.55.100 Impound notice -- Abandoned vehicle report -- Owner information, liability -- Disposition report
(1) At the time of impoundment the registered tow truck operator providing the towing service shall give immediate notification, by telephone or radio, to a ...

46.55.105 Responsibility of registered owner
(1) The abandonment of any vehicle creates a prima facie presumption that the last registered owner of record is responsible for the abandonment and is ...

46.55.110 Notice to legal and registered owners
(1) When an unauthorized vehicle is impounded, the impounding towing operator shall notify the legal and registered owners of the impoundment of the unauthorized vehicle ...

46.55.113 Removal by police officer
(1) Whenever the driver of a vehicle is arrested for a violation of RCW 46.61.502, 46.61.504, 46.20.342, or 46.20.345, the vehicle is subject to summary ...

46.55.115 State patrol -- Appointment of towing operators -- Lien for costs -- Appeal
The Washington state patrol, under its authority to remove vehicles from the highway, may remove the vehicles directly, through towing operators appointed by the state ...

46.55.117 Impounds under RCW 64.44.050
An impound under RCW 64.44.050 shall not be considered an impound under this chapter. A tow operator who contracts with a law enforcement agency for ...

46.55.120 Redemption of vehicles -- Sale of unredeemed property -- Improper impoundment
(1) Vehicles or other items of personal property registered or titled with the department that are impounded by registered tow truck operators pursuant to RCW ...

46.55.130 Notice requirements -- Public auction -- Accumulation of storage charges
(1) If, after the expiration of fifteen days from the date of mailing of notice of custody and sale required in RCW 46.55.110(3) to the ...

46.55.140 Operator's lien, deficiency claim, liability
(1) A registered tow truck operator who has a valid and signed impoundment authorization has a lien upon the impounded vehicle for services provided in ...

46.55.150 Vehicle transaction file
The registered tow truck operator shall keep a transaction file on each vehicle. The transaction file shall contain as a minimum those of the following ...

46.55.160 Availability of records, equipment, and facilities for audit and inspection
Records, equipment, and facilities of a registered tow truck operator shall be available during normal business hours for audit or inspection by the department of ...

46.55.170 Complaints, where forwarded
(1) All law enforcement agencies or local licensing agencies that receive complaints involving registered tow truck operators shall forward the complaints, along with any supporting ...

46.55.180 Presiding officer at licensing hearing
The director or the chief of the state patrol may use a hearing officer or administrative law judge for presiding over a hearing regarding licensing ...

46.55.190 Rules
The director, in cooperation with the chief of the Washington state patrol, shall adopt rules that carry out the provisions and intent of this chapter.[1985 ...

46.55.200 Penalties for certain acts or omissions
A registered tow truck operator's license may be denied, suspended, or revoked, or the licensee may be ordered to pay a monetary penalty of a ...

46.55.210 Cease and desist order
Whenever it appears to the director that any registered tow truck operator or a person offering towing services has engaged in or is about to ...

46.55.220 Refusal to issue license, grounds for
If an application for a license to conduct business as a registered tow truck operator is filed by any person whose license has previously been ...

46.55.230 Junk vehicles -- Removal, disposal, sale -- Penalties -- Cleanup restitution payment
(1)(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any law enforcement officer having jurisdiction, or any employee or officer of a jurisdictional health department acting pursuant ...

46.55.240 Local ordinances -- Requirements
(1) A city, town, or county that adopts an ordinance or resolution concerning unauthorized, abandoned, or impounded vehicles shall include the applicable provisions of this ...

46.55.300 Vehicle immobilization
(1) A property owner shall not immobilize any vehicle owned by a person other than the property owner. (2) This section does not apply to ...

46.55.900 Severability -- 1985 c 377
If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application ...

46.55.901 Headings not part of law -- 1985 c 377
Headings and captions used in this act are not any part of the law.[1985 c 377 § 27.] ...

46.55.902 Effective date -- 1985 c 377
This act shall take effect on January 1, 1986.[1985 c 377 § 31.] ...

46.55.910 Chapter not applicable to certain activities of department of transportation
This chapter does not apply to the state department of transportation to the extent that it may remove vehicles that are traffic hazards from bridges ...