Public Act 103-0756
 
SB2654 EnrolledLRB103 35598 JDS 65671 b

    AN ACT concerning transportation.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
 
    Section 5. The Illinois Vehicle Code is amended by
changing Sections 4-203 and 4-204 as follows:
 
    (625 ILCS 5/4-203)  (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 4-203)
    Sec. 4-203. Removal of motor vehicles or other vehicles;
towing or hauling away.
    (a) When a vehicle is abandoned, or left unattended, on a
toll highway, interstate highway, or expressway for 2 hours or
more, its removal by a towing service may be authorized by a
law enforcement agency having jurisdiction.
    (b) When a vehicle is abandoned on a highway in an urban
district for 10 hours or more, its removal by a towing service
may be authorized by a law enforcement agency having
jurisdiction.
    (c) When a vehicle is abandoned or left unattended on a
highway other than a toll highway, interstate highway, or
expressway, outside of an urban district for 24 hours or more,
its removal by a towing service may be authorized by a law
enforcement agency having jurisdiction.
    (d) When an abandoned, unattended, wrecked, burned, or
partially dismantled vehicle is creating a traffic hazard
because of its position in relation to the highway or its
physical appearance is causing the impeding of traffic, its
immediate removal from the highway or private property
adjacent to the highway by a towing service may be authorized
by a law enforcement agency having jurisdiction.
    (e) Whenever a peace officer reasonably believes that a
person under arrest for a violation of Section 11-501 of this
Code or a similar provision of a local ordinance is likely,
upon release, to commit a subsequent violation of Section
11-501, or a similar provision of a local ordinance, the
arresting officer shall have the vehicle which the person was
operating at the time of the arrest impounded for a period of
12 hours after the time of arrest. However, such vehicle may be
released by the arresting law enforcement agency prior to the
end of the impoundment period if:
        (1) the vehicle was not owned by the person under
    arrest, and the lawful owner requesting such release
    possesses a valid operator's license, proof of ownership,
    and would not, as determined by the arresting law
    enforcement agency, indicate a lack of ability to operate
    a motor vehicle in a safe manner, or who would otherwise,
    by operating such motor vehicle, be in violation of this
    Code; or
        (2) the vehicle is owned by the person under arrest,
    and the person under arrest gives permission to another
    person to operate such vehicle, provided however, that the
    other person possesses a valid operator's license and
    would not, as determined by the arresting law enforcement
    agency, indicate a lack of ability to operate a motor
    vehicle in a safe manner or who would otherwise, by
    operating such motor vehicle, be in violation of this
    Code.
    (e-5) Whenever a registered owner of a vehicle is taken
into custody for operating the vehicle in violation of Section
11-501 of this Code or a similar provision of a local ordinance
or Section 6-303 of this Code, a law enforcement officer may
have the vehicle immediately impounded for a period not less
than:
        (1) 24 hours for a second violation of Section 11-501
    of this Code or a similar provision of a local ordinance or
    Section 6-303 of this Code or a combination of these
    offenses; or
        (2) 48 hours for a third violation of Section 11-501
    of this Code or a similar provision of a local ordinance or
    Section 6-303 of this Code or a combination of these
    offenses.
    The vehicle may be released sooner if the vehicle is owned
by the person under arrest and the person under arrest gives
permission to another person to operate the vehicle and that
other person possesses a valid operator's license and would
not, as determined by the arresting law enforcement agency,
indicate a lack of ability to operate a motor vehicle in a safe
manner or would otherwise, by operating the motor vehicle, be
in violation of this Code.
    (f) Except as provided in Chapter 18a of this Code, the
owner or lessor of privately owned real property within this
State, or any person authorized by such owner or lessor, or any
law enforcement agency in the case of publicly owned real
property may cause any motor vehicle abandoned or left
unattended upon such property without permission to be removed
by a towing service without liability for the costs of
removal, transportation or storage or damage caused by such
removal, transportation or storage. The towing or removal of
any vehicle from private property without the consent of the
registered owner or other legally authorized person in control
of the vehicle is subject to compliance with the following
conditions and restrictions:
        1. Any towed or removed vehicle must be stored at the
    site of the towing service's place of business. The site
    must be open during business hours, and for the purpose of
    redemption of vehicles, during the time that the person or
    firm towing such vehicle is open for towing purposes.
        2. The towing service shall within 30 minutes of
    completion of such towing or removal, notify the law
    enforcement agency having jurisdiction of such towing or
    removal, and the make, model, color, and license plate
    number of the vehicle, and shall obtain and record the
    name of the person at the law enforcement agency to whom
    such information was reported.
        3. If the registered owner or legally authorized
    person entitled to possession of the vehicle shall arrive
    at the scene prior to actual removal or towing of the
    vehicle, the vehicle shall be disconnected from the tow
    truck and that person shall be allowed to remove the
    vehicle without interference, upon the payment of a
    reasonable service fee of not more than one-half the
    posted rate of the towing service as provided in paragraph
    6 of this subsection, for which a receipt shall be given.
        4. The rebate or payment of money or any other
    valuable consideration from the towing service or its
    owners, managers, or employees to the owners or operators
    of the premises from which the vehicles are towed or
    removed, for the privilege of removing or towing those
    vehicles, is prohibited. Any individual who violates this
    paragraph shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.
        5. Except for property appurtenant to and obviously a
    part of a single family residence, and except for
    instances where notice is personally given to the owner or
    other legally authorized person in control of the vehicle
    that the area in which that vehicle is parked is reserved
    or otherwise unavailable to unauthorized vehicles and they
    are subject to being removed at the owner or operator's
    expense, any property owner or lessor, prior to towing or
    removing any vehicle from private property without the
    consent of the owner or other legally authorized person in
    control of that vehicle, must post a notice meeting the
    following requirements:
            a. Except as otherwise provided in subparagraph
        a.1 of this subdivision (f)5, the notice must be
        prominently placed at each driveway access or curb cut
        allowing vehicular access to the property within 5
        feet from the public right-of-way line. If there are
        no curbs or access barriers, the sign must be posted
        not less than one sign each 100 feet of lot frontage.
            a.1. In a municipality with a population of less
        than 250,000, as an alternative to the requirement of
        subparagraph a of this subdivision (f)5, the notice
        for a parking lot contained within property used
        solely for a 2-family, 3-family, or 4-family residence
        may be prominently placed at the perimeter of the
        parking lot, in a position where the notice is visible
        to the occupants of vehicles entering the lot.
            b. The notice must indicate clearly, in not less
        than 2 inch high light-reflective letters on a
        contrasting background, that unauthorized vehicles
        will be towed away at the owner's expense.
            c. The notice must also provide the name and
        current telephone number of the towing service towing
        or removing the vehicle.
            d. The sign structure containing the required
        notices must be permanently installed with the bottom
        of the sign not less than 4 feet above ground level,
        and must be continuously maintained on the property
        for not less than 24 hours prior to the towing or
        removing of any vehicle.
        6. Any towing service that tows or removes vehicles
    and proposes to require the owner, operator, or person in
    control of the vehicle to pay the costs of towing and
    storage prior to redemption of the vehicle must file and
    keep on record with the local law enforcement agency a
    complete copy of the current rates to be charged for such
    services, and post at the storage site an identical rate
    schedule and any written contracts with property owners,
    lessors, or persons in control of property which authorize
    them to remove vehicles as provided in this Section. The
    towing and storage charges, however, shall not exceed the
    maximum allowed by the Illinois Commerce Commission under
    Section 18a-200.
        7. No person shall engage in the removal of vehicles
    from private property as described in this Section without
    filing a notice of intent in each community where he
    intends to do such removal, and such notice shall be filed
    at least 7 days before commencing such towing.
        8. No removal of a vehicle from private property shall
    be done except upon express written instructions of the
    owners or persons in charge of the private property upon
    which the vehicle is said to be trespassing.
        9. Vehicle entry for the purpose of removal shall be
    allowed with reasonable care on the part of the person or
    firm towing the vehicle. Such person or firm shall be
    liable for any damages occasioned to the vehicle if such
    entry is not in accordance with the standards of
    reasonable care.
        9.5. Except as authorized by a law enforcement
    officer, no towing service shall engage in the removal of
    a commercial motor vehicle that requires a commercial
    driver's license to operate by operating the vehicle under
    its own power on a highway.
        10. When a vehicle has been towed or removed pursuant
    to this Section, it must be released to its owner,
    custodian, agent, or lienholder within one-half hour after
    requested, if such request is made during business hours.
    Any vehicle owner, custodian, agent, or lienholder shall
    have the right to inspect the vehicle before accepting its
    return, and no release or waiver of any kind which would
    release the towing service from liability for damages
    incurred during the towing and storage may be required
    from any vehicle owner or other legally authorized person
    as a condition of release of the vehicle. A detailed,
    signed receipt showing the legal name of the towing
    service must be given to the person paying towing or
    storage charges at the time of payment, whether requested
    or not.
        This Section shall not apply to law enforcement,
    firefighting, rescue, ambulance, or other emergency
    vehicles which are marked as such or to property owned by
    any governmental entity.
        When an authorized person improperly causes a motor
    vehicle to be removed, such person shall be liable to the
    owner or lessee of the vehicle for the cost of removal,
    transportation and storage, any damages resulting from the
    removal, transportation and storage, attorney's fee and
    court costs.
        Any towing or storage charges accrued shall be payable
    in cash or by cashier's check, certified check, debit
    card, credit card, or wire transfer, at the option of the
    party taking possession of the vehicle.
        11. Towing companies shall also provide insurance
    coverage for areas where vehicles towed under the
    provisions of this Chapter will be impounded or otherwise
    stored, and shall adequately cover loss by fire, theft, or
    other risks.
    Any person who fails to comply with the conditions and
restrictions of this subsection shall be guilty of a Class C
misdemeanor and shall be fined not less than $100 nor more than
$500.
    (g)(1) When a vehicle is determined to be a hazardous
dilapidated motor vehicle pursuant to Section 11-40-3.1 of the
Illinois Municipal Code or Section 5-12002.1 of the Counties
Code, its removal and impoundment by a towing service may be
authorized by a law enforcement agency with appropriate
jurisdiction.
    (2) When a vehicle removal from either public or private
property is authorized by a law enforcement agency, the owner
of the vehicle shall be responsible for all towing and storage
charges.
    (3) Vehicles removed from public or private property and
stored by a commercial vehicle relocator or any other towing
service authorized by a law enforcement agency in compliance
with this Section and Sections 4-201 and 4-202 of this Code, or
at the request of the vehicle owner or operator, shall be
subject to a possessor lien for services pursuant to the Labor
and Storage Lien (Small Amount) Act. The provisions of Section
1 of that Act relating to notice and implied consent shall be
deemed satisfied by compliance with Section 18a-302 and
subsection (6) of Section 18a-300. In no event shall such lien
be greater than the rate or rates established in accordance
with subsection (6) of Section 18a-200 of this Code. In no
event shall such lien be increased or altered to reflect any
charge for services or materials rendered in addition to those
authorized by this Code. Every such lien shall be payable in
cash or by cashier's check, certified check, debit card,
credit card, or wire transfer, at the option of the party
taking possession of the vehicle.
    (4) Any personal property belonging to the vehicle owner
in a vehicle subject to a lien under this subsection (g) shall
likewise be subject to that lien, excepting only: child
restraint systems as defined in Section 4 of the Child
Passenger Protection Act and other child booster seats;
eyeglasses; food; medicine; personal medical and health care
devices, including hearing instruments; perishable property;
any operator's licenses; any cash, credit cards, or checks or
checkbooks; any wallet, purse, or other property containing
any operator's licenses, social security cards, license or
other identifying documents or materials, cash, credit cards,
checks, or checkbooks, or passbooks; higher education
textbooks and study materials; and any personal property
belonging to a person other than the vehicle owner if that
person provides adequate proof that the personal property
belongs to that person. The spouse, child, mother, father,
brother, or sister of the vehicle owner may claim personal
property excepted under this paragraph (4) if the person
claiming the personal property provides the commercial vehicle
relocator or towing service with the authorization of the
vehicle owner.
    (5) This paragraph (5) applies only in the case of a
vehicle that is towed as a result of being involved in a crash.
In addition to the personal property excepted under paragraph
(4), all other personal property in a vehicle subject to a lien
under this subsection (g) is exempt from that lien and may be
claimed by the vehicle owner if the vehicle owner provides the
commercial vehicle relocator or towing service with proof that
the vehicle owner has an insurance policy covering towing and
storage fees. The spouse, child, mother, father, brother, or
sister of the vehicle owner may claim personal property in a
vehicle subject to a lien under this subsection (g) if the
person claiming the personal property provides the commercial
vehicle relocator or towing service with the authorization of
the vehicle owner and proof that the vehicle owner has an
insurance policy covering towing and storage fees. The
regulation of liens on personal property and exceptions to
those liens in the case of vehicles towed as a result of being
involved in a crash are exclusive powers and functions of the
State. A home rule unit may not regulate liens on personal
property and exceptions to those liens in the case of vehicles
towed as a result of being involved in a crash. This paragraph
(5) is a denial and limitation of home rule powers and
functions under subsection (h) of Section 6 of Article VII of
the Illinois Constitution.
    (6) No lien under this subsection (g) shall: exceed $2,000
in its total amount; or be increased or altered to reflect any
charge for services or materials rendered in addition to those
authorized by this Code.
    (h) Whenever a peace officer issues a citation to a driver
for a violation of subsection (a) of Section 11-506 of this
Code, the arresting officer may have the vehicle which the
person was operating at the time of the arrest impounded for a
period of 5 days after the time of arrest. An impounding agency
shall release a motor vehicle impounded under this subsection
(h) to the registered owner of the vehicle under any of the
following circumstances:
        (1) if the vehicle is a stolen vehicle; or
        (2) if the person ticketed for a violation of
    subsection (a) of Section 11-506 of this Code was not
    authorized by the registered owner of the vehicle to
    operate the vehicle at the time of the violation; or
        (3) if the registered owner of the vehicle was neither
    the driver nor a passenger in the vehicle at the time of
    the violation or was unaware that the driver was using the
    vehicle to engage in street racing; or
        (4) if the legal owner or registered owner of the
    vehicle is a rental car agency; or
        (5) if, prior to the expiration of the impoundment
    period specified above, the citation is dismissed or the
    defendant is found not guilty of the offense.
    (i) Except for vehicles exempted under subsection (b) of
Section 7-601 of this Code, whenever a law enforcement officer
issues a citation to a driver for a violation of Section 3-707
of this Code, and the driver has a prior conviction for a
violation of Section 3-707 of this Code in the past 12 months,
the arresting officer shall authorize the removal and
impoundment of the vehicle by a towing service.
    (j) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, if a
person has indicated in a timely filed report to the
appropriate law enforcement agency that a vehicle towed
pursuant to this Section has been stolen or hijacked then:
        (1) the person shall not be liable for any
    governmentally imposed fees, fines, or penalties; and
        (2) if a vehicle towed pursuant to this Section is
    registered in Illinois and the name and address of the
    registered owner of the vehicle is provided or made
    available to the towing service at the time of the tow,
    then the towing service must provide written notice of the
    tow to the registered owner within 2 business days after
    the vehicle is towed by certified mail, return receipt
    requested. No storage charges shall accrue if the vehicle
    is reclaimed by paying recovery and towing charges at the
    posted rates of the towing service as provided by
    paragraph 6 of subsection (f) within 7 days after such
    notice is mailed. If the vehicle is registered in a state
    other than Illinois, then no storage charges shall accrue
    if the vehicle is reclaimed by paying recovery and towing
    charges at the posted rates of the towing service as
    provided by paragraph 6 of subsection (f) within 7 days
    after a request for registered owner information is mailed
    by the towing service, certified mail, return receipt
    requested, to the applicable administrative agency or
    office in that state.
    The towing service shall enjoy a lien to secure payment of
charges accrued in compliance with this subsection.
(Source: P.A. 102-982, eff. 7-1-23; 103-154, eff. 6-30-23.)
 
    (625 ILCS 5/4-204)  (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 4-204)
    Sec. 4-204. Police tows; reports, release of vehicles,
payment. When a vehicle is authorized to be towed away as
provided in Section 4-202 or 4-203:
        (a) A copy of the authorization shall be provided to
    the towing company within one hour of the authorization.
    The authorization shall include the name of the registered
    owner of the vehicle, the mailing address of the
    registered owner of the vehicle on file with the Secretary
    of State, any hold order, and any release, except to the
    extent such information is made available under written
    agreement with the Secretary of State The authorization,
    any hold order, and any release shall be in writing, or
    confirmed in writing, with a copy given to the towing
    service.
        (b) The police headquarters or office of the law
    officer authorizing the towing shall keep and maintain a
    record of the vehicle towed, listing the color, year of
    manufacture, manufacturer's trade name, manufacturer's
    series name, body style, Vehicle Identification Number,
    license plate or digital license plate year and number and
    registration sticker or digital registration sticker year
    and number displayed on the vehicle. The record shall also
    include the date and hour of tow, location towed from,
    location towed to, reason for towing and the name of the
    officer authorizing the tow.
        (c) The owner, operator, or other legally entitled
    person shall be responsible to the towing service for
    payment of applicable removal, towing, storage, and
    processing charges and collection costs associated with a
    vehicle towed or held under order or authorization of a
    law enforcement agency. If a vehicle towed or held under
    order or authorization of a law enforcement agency is
    seized by the ordering or authorizing agency or any other
    law enforcement or governmental agency and sold, any
    unpaid removal, towing, storage, and processing charges
    and collection costs shall be paid to the towing service
    from the proceeds of the sale. If applicable law provides
    that the proceeds are to be paid into the treasury of the
    appropriate civil jurisdiction, then any unpaid removal,
    towing, storage, and processing charges and collection
    costs shall be paid to the towing service from the
    treasury of the civil jurisdiction. That payment shall
    not, however, exceed the amount of proceeds from the sale,
    with the balance to be paid by the owner, operator, or
    other legally entitled person.
        (d) Upon delivery of a written release order to the
    towing service, a vehicle subject to a hold order shall be
    released to the owner, operator, or other legally entitled
    person upon proof of ownership or other entitlement and
    upon payment of applicable removal, towing, storage, and
    processing charges and collection costs.
(Source: P.A. 101-395, eff. 8-16-19.)

Effective Date: 1/1/2025