(625 ILCS 5/18d-115) Sec. 18d-115. Safety relocator registration required; application disclosures. (a) It is unlawful for any commercial vehicle safety relocator to operate in any county in which this Chapter is applicable without a valid, current safety relocator's registration certificate issued by the Commission. (b) The Commission shall issue safety relocator's registration certificates in accordance with administrative rules adopted by the Commission. The Commission shall require that in addition to such other information as the Commission may require by rule, any application for a safety relocator's registration be verified and disclose whether: (1) the applicant has failed to satisfy any fine or |
| penalty issued by the Commission;
|
|
(2) any officer, employee, or agent of the applicant
|
| has failed to satisfy any fine or penalty issued by the Commission;
|
|
(3) any person or entity other than the applicant
|
| with a beneficial owner in common with the applicant has failed to satisfy any fine or penalty issued by the Commission; or
|
|
(4) the applicant has failed to satisfy a judgment
|
| entered by a court of competent jurisdiction for violation of this Chapter or rules of the Commission adopted under this Chapter.
|
|
If the Commission finds that any failure to satisfy a fine or penalty issued by the Commission or a judgment entered by a court of competent jurisdiction was, or should have been, disclosed by the applicant, the Commission may deny the application.
(c) The Commission may inquire into the conduct of any commercial vehicle safety relocator, or the beneficial owner of a commercial vehicle safety relocator, to determine if the provisions of this Chapter and the rules of the Commission adopted pursuant to this Chapter are being observed.
(d) If the Commission finds any failure to satisfy a fine or penalty issued by the Commission or a judgment entered by a court of competent jurisdiction, as set forth in subsection (b), it shall revoke the issued safety relocator's registration unless the Commission finds, through clear and convincing evidence, good cause for the failure.
(Source: P.A. 104-133, eff. 1-1-26.)
|
(625 ILCS 5/18d-118) Sec. 18d-118. Liens against personal property in a towed vehicle. (a) All child restraint systems, as defined in Section 4 of the Child Passenger Protection Act, and other child booster seats; eyeglasses; food; medicine; or 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 license, social security card, or other identifying documents or materials, cash, credit cards, checks or checkbooks, or passbooks; higher education textbooks and study materials in a vehicle towed pursuant to this Chapter shall be exempt from a lien under the Labor and Storage Lien (Small Amount) Act and may be reclaimed by the vehicle owner or operator or the spouse, parent, child, or sibling of the vehicle owner or operator, as long as the related person provides the commercial vehicle safety relocator written authorization from the owner of the personal property. (b) Other personal property in a relocated vehicle, excluding cargo, is exempt from a lien under the Labor and Storage Lien (Small Amount) Act and may be claimed by the owner of such personal property, or by the spouse, child, parent, or sibling of the owner of such personal property, as long as the related person provides the commercial vehicle safety relocator written authorization from the owner of such personal property, and provided the vehicle owner or related person provides the commercial vehicle safety relocator with proof that the vehicle owner has an insurance policy sufficient to pay applicable recovery, towing, and storage charges. Notwithstanding other provisions of this Code, cargo shall be subject to the tower's lien. 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 Section is a denial and limitation of home rule powers and functions under subsection (h) of Section 6 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution. (Source: P.A. 104-133, eff. 1-1-26.) |
(625 ILCS 5/18d-120) Sec. 18d-120. Disclosure to vehicle owner or operator before towing of damaged or disabled vehicle commences. (a) A commercial vehicle safety relocator shall not commence the towing of a damaged or disabled vehicle without specific authorization from the vehicle owner or operator after the disclosures set forth in this Section. (b) Every commercial vehicle safety relocator shall, before towing a damaged or disabled vehicle, give to each vehicle owner or operator a written disclosure providing: (1) The formal business name of the commercial |
| vehicle safety relocator, as registered with the Illinois Secretary of State, and its business address and telephone number.
|
|
(2) The address of the location to which the vehicle
|
|
(3) The cost of all relocation, storage, and any
|
| other fees, without limitation, that the commercial vehicle safety relocator will charge for its services.
|
|
(4) An itemized description of the vehicle owner or
|
| operator's rights under this Code, as follows:
|
|
"As a customer, you also have the following rights under Illinois law:
(1) This written disclosure must be provided to you
|
| before your vehicle is towed, providing the business name, business address, address where the vehicle will be towed, and a reliable telephone number;
|
|
(2) Before towing, you must be advised of the price
|
|
(3) Upon your demand, a final invoice itemizing all
|
| charges, as well as any damage to the vehicle upon its receipt and return to you, must be provided;
|
|
(4) Upon your demand, your vehicle must be returned
|
| during business hours, upon your prompt payment of all reasonable fees;
|
|
(5) You have the right to pay all charges in cash or
|
|
(6) Upon your demand, you must be provided with proof
|
| of the existence of mandatory insurance insuring against all risks associated with the transportation and storage of your vehicle."
|
|
(c) The commercial vehicle safety relocator shall provide a copy of the completed disclosure required by this Section to the vehicle owner or operator, before towing the damaged or disabled vehicle, and shall maintain an identical copy of the completed disclosure in its records for a minimum of 5 years after the transaction concludes.
(d) If the vehicle owner or operator is incapacitated, incompetent, or otherwise unable to knowingly accept receipt of the disclosure described in this Section, the commercial vehicle safety relocator shall provide a completed copy of the disclosure to local law enforcement and, if known, the vehicle owner or operator's automobile insurance company.
(e) If the commercial vehicle safety relocator fails to comply with the requirements of this Section, the commercial vehicle safety relocator shall be prohibited from seeking any compensation whatsoever from the vehicle owner or operator, including but not limited to any towing, storage, or other incidental fees. Furthermore, if the commercial vehicle safety relocator or operator fails to comply with the requirements of this Section, any contracts entered into by the commercial vehicle safety relocator and the vehicle owner or operator shall be deemed null, void, and unenforceable.
(f) The authorization and disclosures required under this Section are not required if a tow was authorized by a law enforcement agency or officer, as evidenced by a tow sheet issued by the law enforcement agency or officer. If no tow sheet was issued by the authorizing law enforcement agency or officer, then the evidence may be presented through records of the safety relocator showing the date and time of authorization, the department and star or badge number of the officer from whom authorization was received, and the incident report number assigned by the law enforcement agency or officer.
(Source: P.A. 104-133, eff. 1-1-26.)
|
(625 ILCS 5/18d-130)
Sec. 18d-130. Disclosures to vehicle owners or operators;
required signs. Every commercial vehicle safety relocator's
storage facility that relocates or stores damaged or
disabled vehicles shall post, in a prominent place on the
business premises, one or more signs, readily visible to
customers, in the following form: YOUR CUSTOMER RIGHTS. YOU ARE ENTITLED BY LAW TO:
1. BEFORE TOWING, A WRITTEN DISCLOSURE STATING THE |
| NAME OF THE TOWING AND STORAGE SERVICE, ITS BUSINESS ADDRESS AND TELEPHONE NUMBER, AND THE ADDRESS WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS TO BE TOWED.
|
|
2. BEFORE TOWING, THE PRICE OF ALL CHARGES FOR THE
|
| TOWING AND STORAGE OF YOUR VEHICLE.
|
|
3. UPON YOUR DEMAND FOR THE RETURN OF YOUR VEHICLE, A
|
| FINAL INVOICE ITEMIZING ALL CHARGES FOR TOWING, STORAGE, OR ANY OTHER SERVICES PROVIDED, AS WELL AS ANY DAMAGE IDENTIFIED TO THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME IT WAS TAKEN BY THE TOWING AND STORAGE FACILITY, AS WELL AS ANY DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE IDENTIFIED UPON ITS RELEASE TO YOU.
|
|
4. THE RETURN OF YOUR VEHICLE, UPON YOUR DEMAND FOR
|
| ITS RETURN DURING BUSINESS HOURS AND YOUR PROMPT PAYMENT OF ALL REASONABLE FEES.
|
|
5. PAY ALL CHARGES IN CASH OR BY MAJOR CREDIT CARD.
6. UPON YOUR DEMAND, PROOF OF THE EXISTENCE OF
|
| INSURANCE, WHICH THE COMMERCIAL VEHICLE SAFETY RELOCATOR MUST MAINTAIN TO INSURE AGAINST RISK OF DAMAGE TO YOUR VEHICLE IN TRANSIT AND WHILE IN STORAGE. IF THE COMMERCIAL VEHICLE SAFETY RELOCATOR HAS COMPLIED WITH THE ABOVE RIGHTS, YOU ARE REQUIRED, BEFORE TAKING THE VEHICLE FROM THE PREMISES, TO PAY FOR THE SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE COMMERCIAL VEHICLE RELOCATOR.
|
|
The first line of each sign shall be in letters not less
than 1.5 inches in height, and the remaining lines shall be in
letters not less than one-half inch in height.
(Source: P.A. 95-562, eff. 7-1-08.)
|
(625 ILCS 5/18d-157) Sec. 18d-157. Vehicle impoundment. (a) The Commission police may seize and impound a tow truck by authorizing the towing and storage of the tow truck where the officer has probable cause to believe that: (1) the tow truck is being used, or was used, to |
| remove a damaged or disabled vehicle from public or private property while the owner or operator of the tow truck does not hold a valid, current safety relocator's registration certificate issued by the Commission; or
|
|
(2) the registered owner of the tow truck owes past
|
| due fines, civil penalties, or fees to the Commission.
|
|
(b) At the time the vehicle is towed, the officer ordering the tow shall provide to the person in control of the tow truck a copy of the vehicle impoundment report.
The Commission shall mail a notice of impoundment to all registered owners and lienholders within 2 business days after the date the vehicle was impounded if the vehicle is registered in this State. If the vehicle is registered in a jurisdiction other than this State, the Commission shall request owner and lienholder information from the appropriate agency within 2 business days after the date the vehicle was impounded and shall mail a notice of impoundment to all registered owners and lienholders within 2 business days after receiving the information.
Notices shall be mailed by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the addresses on file with the Secretary of State, or in the case of a foreign-registered vehicle, to the addresses on file with the State where the vehicle is registered.
At minimum, the notice of impoundment shall contain:
(1) in bold typeface, a heading with the words
|
|
(2) a description of the impounded tow truck;
(3) the reason for impoundment;
(4) the location where the impounded tow truck is
|
|
(5) the potential fines, civil penalties, and fees
|
| that must be satisfied to reclaim the tow truck;
|
|
(6) procedures to request a hearing before the
|
|
(7) a notice that if the tow truck remains unclaimed,
|
| it may be sold or disposed of in accordance with applicable law.
|
|
(c) Before a vehicle impounded under this Section may be released, the owner or lienholder must obtain a release from the Commission and pay all storage and towing fees to the towing service.
To obtain a release from the Commission, the owner or lienholder shall furnish to the Commission proof of ownership, such as title, vehicle registration, or bill of sale, or right to possession of the vehicle and valid identification, and:
(1) pay the $1,000 administrative fine plus any fines
|
| for concurrent violations, and pay all other fines, civil penalties, and fees owed to the Commission. Such payment shall constitute an admission of liability and a waiver of the right to a hearing;
|
|
(2) post a bond in the amount of the $1,000
|
| administrative fine plus any fines for concurrent violations, which bond shall be held by the Commission; pay all other unpaid fines, civil penalties, and fees owed to the Commission; and request a hearing to contest the impoundment; or
|
|
(3) request a hearing. A release shall not be issued
|
| under this subparagraph until ordered by the Commission after the conclusion of the hearing and any fines, civil penalties or fees ordered have been paid.
|
|
Fines and civil penalties and posting of bond may be paid by certified or cashier's check or money order.
(d) A request for hearing shall, unless otherwise provided for by the Commission, be mailed to the Commission within 15 calendar days after the mailing date of the notice of impoundment.
The Commission shall conduct a hearing within 10 business days after receipt of a request for hearing.
The Commission shall determine, by a preponderance of the evidence, whether the vehicle should be released without payment of the administrative fine and any fines for concurrent violations. The failure of the owner of record to appear at the hearing or to request a continuance in a timely manner shall be deemed a waiver of the right to a hearing, and a default order in favor of the Commission may be entered.
If, after the hearing, the Commission determines that the vehicle should be released without payment of the administrative fine and any fines for concurrent violations, any bond posted shall be refunded.
If, after the hearing, the Commission determines that the vehicle should not be released without payment of the administrative fine and any fines for concurrent violations, the bond shall be forfeited to the Commission in the amount of the fines, civil penalties, and fees owed, and any surplus shall be refunded.
Fines, civil penalties, and fees imposed pursuant to this Chapter shall constitute a debt owed to the Commission, which may be enforced in any manner provided for by law. Any cash bond posted pursuant to this Section shall be applied to the fines, civil penalties, and fees owed.
(e) Except as otherwise provided in this Section, a vehicle shall continue to be impounded until:
(1) the vehicle has been reclaimed pursuant to
|
|
(2) the vehicle or equipment is deemed unclaimed.
(f) Any vehicle not reclaimed within 10 working days after the expiration of the time during which the owner of record may seek judicial review of the Commission's action, or within 10 working days after a final judgment in favor of the Commission, may be disposed of as an unclaimed vehicle in accordance with Sections 4-208 and 4-209.
(Source: P.A. 104-133, eff. 1-1-26.)
|