HB 593 — An Act amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in abandoned vehicles and cargos, further providing for notice to owner and lienholders of abandoned vehicles, for authorization for disposal of unclaimed vehicles and for processing of nonrepairable or salvage vehicles.

PRINTER'S NO.   601

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 593
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY NEILSON, BENHAM, SANCHEZ, GREINER, HILL-EVANS,
        JAMES, GIRAL, KHAN, McANDREW, KUZMA, GALLAGHER AND GREEN,
        FEBRUARY 12, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, FEBRUARY 12, 2025


                                    AN ACT
 1   Amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
 2      Statutes, in abandoned vehicles and cargos, further providing
 3      for notice to owner and lienholders of abandoned vehicles,
 4      for authorization for disposal of unclaimed vehicles and for
 5      processing of nonrepairable or salvage vehicles.
 6      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 7   hereby enacts as follows:
 8      Section 1.    Sections 7305(a) and (c), 7307 and 7309(a) and
 9   (b) of Title 75 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes are
10   amended to read:
11   § 7305.    Notice to owner and lienholders of abandoned vehicles.
12      (a)    General rule.--The department upon receipt of an
13   abandoned vehicle information report shall, within 10 business
14   days, notify by certified mail, return receipt requested, the
15   last known registered owner of the vehicle and all lienholders
16   of record that the vehicle is being held as abandoned.
17      * * *
18      (c)    Notice by publication.--If the identity of the last
19   registered owner and of all lienholders cannot be determined
 1   with reasonable certainty, the contents of the notice set forth
 2   in subsection (b) shall be published one time in one newspaper
 3   of general circulation in the area where the vehicle was
 4   abandoned[.] within 10 business days of the date that the
 5   department determines a registered owner and lienholders cannot
 6   be determined with reasonable certainty. The notice may contain
 7   multiple listings of abandoned vehicles. Notice by publication
 8   locally shall be the responsibility of the salvor. The notice
 9   shall have the same effect as notice sent by certified mail.
10   § 7307.   Authorization for disposal of unclaimed vehicles.
11      The department shall, after the expiration of 30 days from
12   the date of notice sent by certified mail to the registered
13   owner and all lienholders of record or 30 days after publication
14   of notice, where applicable, and upon receipt of a written
15   statement from the holder of the vehicle that the abandoned
16   vehicle has not been reclaimed by the owner or lienholder within
17   the 30-day period, authorize the disposal of the abandoned
18   vehicle in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. The
19   department shall process the authorization for the disposal of
20   the abandoned vehicle within 10 business days of receipt of the
21   written statement from the holder of the vehicle.
22   § 7309.   Processing of nonrepairable or salvage vehicles.
23      (a)    Application for certificate of salvage.--If an abandoned
24   vehicle is a salvage or nonrepairable vehicle as deemed by a
25   police officer and salvor, the salvor and the police officer
26   shall note that fact in the report to the department required in
27   section 7304 (relating to reports to department of possession of
28   abandoned vehicles) and shall apply for issuance of a
29   certificate of salvage or nonrepairable vehicle as provided for
30   in Subchapter D of Chapter 11 (relating to salvage vehicles,

20250HB0593PN0601                   - 2 -
 1   theft vehicles, reconstructed vehicles and flood vehicles). The
 2   application shall be approved or denied by the department within
 3   10 business days of receipt of the application if the
 4   requirements of sections 7305 (relating to notice to owner and
 5   lienholders of abandoned vehicles) and 7307 (relating to
 6   authorization for disposal of unclaimed vehicles) have been met.
 7      (b)   Notice and issuance of certificate.--If the identity of
 8   the last registered owner cannot be determined with reasonable
 9   certainty and it is impossible to determine with reasonable
10   certainty the identity and addresses of any lienholder, no
11   notice shall be required. Under such circumstances, the
12   department shall upon receipt of the report by the salvor
13   pursuant to section 7304 review the report within 10 business
14   days of receipt and then issue a certificate of salvage as
15   provided in Subchapter D of Chapter 11.
16      * * *
17      Section 2.   This act shall take effect in 60 days.




20250HB0593PN0601                  - 3 -