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HB1511 • 2026

Towing Companies; revise notification requirements.

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 85-7-251, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REVISE NOTIFICATION PROCEDURES FOR TOWING COMPANIES; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

Did Not Pass

The latest official action shows that this bill did not move forward in that session.

Sponsor
Bell (65th)
Last action
2026-02-03
Official status
Dead
Effective date
July 1, 20

Plain English Breakdown

The bill text does include provisions for selling vehicles at auction but these details were removed as they were not fully supported by the provided summary and digest.

Towing Companies; Change Notification Rules

This bill changes how towing companies must notify vehicle owners about their cars being towed and the costs involved.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes when towing companies need to report a towed car to local police.
  • Sets rules for towing companies to find out who owns the car within five business days after it is towed.
  • Requires towing companies to send letters by registered mail to owners and lienholders about payment due within seven days of the initial tow.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Towing companies
  • Vehicle owners and lienholders

Terms To Know

Lienholder
A person who has a legal claim on the car because of an unpaid debt.
Certified mail
Mail sent with proof that it was delivered to the recipient.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill did not pass and will not become law.
  • It does not specify what happens if a towing company cannot find out who owns the car.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-03 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    02/03 (H) Died In Committee

  2. 2026-01-19 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    01/19 (H) Referred To Judiciary A

Official Summary Text

Towing Companies; revise notification requirements.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
H. B. No. 1511 *HR43/R837* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/HR43/R837
PAGE 1 (GT\KP)

To: Judiciary A
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representative Bell (65th)

HOUSE BILL NO. 1511

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 85-7-251, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, 1
TO REVISE NOTIFICATION PROCEDURES FOR TOWING COMPANIES; AND FOR 2
RELATED PURPOSES. 3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 4
SECTION 1. Section 85-7-251, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 5
amended as follows: 6
85-7-251. (1) The owner of a motor vehicle that has been 7
towed at his request or at the direction of a law enforcement 8
officer, or towed upon request of a real property owner upon whose 9
property a vehicle has been left without permission of the real 10
property owner, shall be liable for the reasonable price of towing 11
and storage of such vehicle; and the towing company to whom the 12
price of such labor and storage costs may be due shall have the 13
right to retain possession of such motor vehicle until the price 14
is paid. 15
(2) Within twenty-four (24) hours, the towing company shall 16
report to the local law enforcement agency having jurisdiction any 17
vehicle that has been towed unless the vehicle was towed at the 18
H. B. No. 1511 *HR43/R837* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR43/R837
PAGE 2 (GT\KP)

request of the owner of the vehicle. * * * Within five (5) 19
business days of the initial tow, the towing company shall obtain 20
from the appropriate authority the names and addresses of any 21
owner and lienholder, unless the owner of a towed vehicle contacts 22
the towing company. If the information from the appropriate 23
authority fails to disclose the owner or lienholder, a good faith 24
effort shall be made by the towing company to locate ownership, 25
including a check for tag information, inspection sticker, or any 26
papers in the vehicle that may indicate ownership. Upon location 27
of the owner and lienholder, the towing company shall notify them 28
by registered mail of the amount due for towing, postmarked no 29
later than the * * * seventh day following the initial tow. If 30
such amount shall not be paid within * * * twenty (20) days from 31
the initial tow, the towing company to whom such charges are 32
payable shall notify by certified mail any legal owner and holder 33
of any lien, as disclosed by the motor vehicle title records or 34
other investigation, of notice of sale of the property. If such 35
property has not been redeemed within * * * twenty (20) days after 36
the mailing of the certified letter, the towing company may 37
commence sale of the property at public auction. The towing 38
company shall publish for two (2) consecutive weeks a notice of 39
sale in the newspaper having circulation in the county where the 40
vehicle was initially towed or by use of a third party approved by 41
the Mississippi Department of Revenue. The proceeds of the sale 42
of such property in excess of the amount needed to pay the towing, 43
H. B. No. 1511 *HR43/R837* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR43/R837
PAGE 3 (GT\KP)
ST: Towing Companies; revise notification
requirements.
reasonable storage and necessary expenses of the procedures 44
required by this section shall be held by the towing company for a 45
period of six (6) months, and, if not reclaimed by the owner 46
thereof within such time, shall become the property of the county 47
and be paid to the chancery clerk of the county in which the sale 48
was held to be deposited into the county general fund, subject, 49
however, to any rights of the recorded lienholder. 50
(3) The failure to make a good faith effort to comply with 51
the requirements of this section shall preclude the imposition of 52
any storage charges or towing charges against the towed vehicle. 53
(4) Every towing company shall maintain accurate records for 54
a period of three (3) years, which records shall identify the 55
vehicles it has towed and stored and all procedures that it has 56
taken to comply with the provisions of this chapter. 57
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 58
and after July 1, 2026. 59