How To Claim an Abandoned Vehicle in Maine

Claiming an abandoned vehicle in Maine is a formal statutory process governed by Title 29-A of the Maine Revised Statutes. The state law establishes specific procedures for property owners, towing operators, repair facilities, and storage facility operators to obtain legal title to abandoned vehicles by notifying the Secretary of State, observing owner notification periods, and documenting the transfer of ownership.

What Qualifies as an Abandoned Vehicle in Maine

Maine law defines an abandoned vehicle according to eight distinct eligibility categories. A motor vehicle qualifies for abandoned vehicle claim procedures in the following situations:

Towed at the request of the owner or driver
Towed pursuant to illegal parking or standing violations, or at the direction of a law enforcement officer
Towed after being left on the property without permission
Left on property without the permission of the property owner or person in charge of the property or premises where the vehicle is located
Left at a place of business after being repaired pursuant to a written work order signed by the person requesting the repair work
Left on an individual's residential property for more than 6 months (in this case, no towing, repair, or storage charges may be charged against the vehicle)
Left at a storage facility if the owner has failed to pay storage or rental fees
Left without a transferable title on the premises of an independent entity that temporarily stores a damaged or dismantled vehicle pursuant to an agreement with an insurance company, financial institution, or dealer

A vehicle is considered legally abandoned if the owner or lienholder does not retrieve the vehicle and pay all reasonable charges for towing, storing, and authorized repair within 14 days after the notices to the owner and lienholder are sent by the Secretary of State or 14 days after a newspaper advertisement is published as required by law. A rebuttable presumption exists that the last registered owner of record shown in the Secretary of State files is the owner of the motor vehicle at the time of abandonment and the person who abandoned it.

Process To Claim an Abandoned Vehicle in Maine

Understanding the Abandoned Vehicle Process

Maine provides a unified statutory framework for abandoned vehicle claims. The person holding the vehicle (whether a towing operator, repair facility, storage facility owner, or property owner) must notify the Secretary of State using the official Notice to the Secretary of State of an Abandoned Vehicle (MVT-28) form. The Secretary of State then contacts the registered vehicle owner and any known lienholder to inform them of the claim and the deadline for payment and retrieval. If the owner or lienholder cannot be located or fails to respond, the person holding the vehicle must publish a newspaper notice allowing a final 14-day redemption period. Once all waiting periods expire, the Secretary of State issues either a letter of ownership (for vehicles not required to be titled) or a certificate of title (for titled vehicles) to the claimant. Possession of an abandoned vehicle does not automatically confer ownership; only the formal procedures outlined in Maine law establish legal title.

Report the Abandoned Vehicle to the Secretary of State

The owner of the premises where an abandoned vehicle is located, or that person's agent, must notify the Secretary of State in writing using the official MVT-28 form. For vehicles towed at law enforcement's request or left without the property owner's permission, this notification must be submitted by the 14th day (based on postmark date) after receipt of the vehicle. For vehicles left at repair or storage facilities after work completion or following unpaid storage fees, the notification must be submitted within 14 days of the earliest date on which the vehicle owner is responsible for unpaid charges. The notification must include the vehicle's make, model, year, body type, vehicle identification number, any registration and plates on the vehicle, the date the vehicle came into possession, the circumstances under which it came into possession, and whether the vehicle is salvageable. Failure to notify the Secretary of State within 14 days limits the claimant's ability to recover storage fees to a maximum of 14 days.

Notify Known Lienholders

If the property owner or claimant has determined that the Secretary of State issued a title and that a lienholder is identified on that title, the owner or claimant must notify the lienholder within 14 days of the earliest date on which the lienholder is responsible for any unpaid charges for authorized repair, storage, or related towing expenses.

Receive Secretary of State Notice and Owner Notification

Upon receipt of the notification, the Secretary of State will inform the vehicle owner and any known lienholder by regular mail that the vehicle is being claimed under the abandoned vehicle law. The Secretary of State's notice must identify the vehicle by year, make, model, and vehicle identification number, provide the name and address of the party claiming ownership, state the charges against the vehicle that must be paid to retrieve it, and specify the date on which title or letter of ownership will pass to the new owner. If the vehicle cannot be identified in the Secretary of State's records, a copy of the Secretary of State's letter is provided to the person claiming ownership, and newspaper publication procedures commence.

Publish Newspaper Notice (If Needed)

If the Secretary of State cannot locate any record of the vehicle, the owner of the premises or the owner's agent must publish a notice once in a newspaper of general circulation in the county where the premises are located. The notice must clearly describe the vehicle by year, make, model, and vehicle identification number, state that if the owner or lienholder does not properly retrieve the vehicle and pay all reasonable charges for towing, storage, and repair within 14 days from publication, ownership passes to the owner of the premises, and state how the owner of the premises may be contacted. Immediately after publication, the claimant must submit proof in the form of the entire newspaper page containing the advertisement to the Secretary of State.

Allow Statutory Waiting Period

The Secretary of State may not issue a letter of ownership or certificate of title until at least 21 days have passed from the date on which the person possessing the vehicle notified the Secretary of State in writing. This 21-day waiting period applies regardless of whether the Secretary of State contacted the owner and lienholder or whether newspaper publication was required.

Apply for Letter of Ownership or Certificate of Title

After the 21-day waiting period expires and all required notifications have been satisfied, the person claiming ownership must present evidence of compliance to the Secretary of State. For vehicles not required to be titled, the Secretary of State may issue a letter of ownership upon presentation of sufficient evidence and payment of a $5.00 fee. For vehicles subject to Maine's titling requirements, the claimant must apply for a certificate of title using the official Application for Certificate of Title (MVT-2) form and must pay a $33.00 title fee. If the vehicle is declared a total loss, an Application for Certificate of Salvage (MVT-102) must be submitted in its place. For vehicles towed at the request of a law enforcement officer where the towing company declares the vehicle a total loss, no title fee is required if the Secretary of State is able to identify and notify the original vehicle owner; in such cases, the Secretary of State will request the fee from the vehicle owner.

Prepare Required Documentation

The claimant must gather all documentation supporting the abandoned vehicle claim, including the Notice to the Secretary of State (MVT-28), a VIN Inspection form (MVT-10) completed and signed by a full-time law enforcement officer, and any written work order authorizing repair work if the claim is based on unclaimed repair services. The VIN inspection must verify that the vehicle identification number matches the description provided in the abandoned vehicle notice.

Release Vehicle Upon Payment

If the vehicle owner or lienholder retrieves the vehicle and pays all towing, storage, and repair charges before the Secretary of State issues a letter of ownership or certificate of title, the person holding the vehicle must immediately release it to the paying party and must immediately notify the Secretary of State that the vehicle is no longer in the person's possession. A person who refuses to release a vehicle when reasonable charges are paid or does not notify the Secretary of State that the vehicle is no longer in possession commits a Class E crime.

Maintain Records

All records related to the abandoned vehicle claim must be retained. These records include the completed MVT-28 form, the VIN inspection form, copies of all notices sent to the vehicle owner and lienholder, proof of newspaper publication (if applicable), the Secretary of State's response letter, and any work orders or repair documentation. Records should be maintained to demonstrate compliance with Maine's abandoned vehicle procedures.

Maine Storage Fees and Financial Considerations

Storage Fee Limits and Notice Requirement

A critical protection under Maine law is the limitation on storage charges. Daily storage charges must be reasonable, and total storage charges may not exceed $1,500 for any 30-day period. If the claimant fails to notify the Secretary of State within 14 days of receiving the vehicle, or if notification is not submitted to the Secretary of State at all, the person holding the vehicle may recover storage fees for only 14 days maximum. This penalty encourages prompt notification to the Secretary of State.

Towing and Recovery Charges

Maine law does not establish specific maximum towing and storage charges; however, towing and storage charges must generally be reasonable and itemized. Charges for towing and storage are considered reasonable only when they reflect the actual costs incurred by the towing or storage facility for removal, storage, and handling services.

Early Redemption

If the original vehicle owner or lienholder pays all reasonable towing, storage, and authorized repair charges before the Secretary of State issues title or a letter of ownership, the claimant must immediately release the vehicle and immediately notify the Secretary of State of the release. No title or ownership transfer occurs in such cases, and the original owner retains all rights to the vehicle.

Authorized Repair Charges

If a vehicle was left at a repair facility after work was completed, the claimant may charge the original owner for reasonable, authorized repair costs in addition to storage charges. The work order signed by the person who authorized the repairs must be presented as evidence of the authorization.

Contact Information

Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles
101 Hospital Street, #29, State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333-0029
Phone: (207) 624-9000 Extension 52138
Official Website: Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles