An Act amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in general provisions, further providing for definitions; and, in abandoned vehicles and cargos, further providing for reports by private property owners of abandoned vehicles.

PRINTER'S NO. 329
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 373
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY SCHMITT AND KENYATTA, JANUARY 28, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, JANUARY 28, 2025
AN ACT
Amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes, in general provisions, further providing for
definitions; and, in abandoned vehicles and cargos, further
providing for reports by private property owners of abandoned
vehicles.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The definition of "abandoned vehicle" in section
102 of Title 75 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes is
amended and the section is amended by adding a definition to
read:
§ 102. Definitions.
Subject to additional definitions contained in subsequent
provisions of this title which are applicable to specific
provisions of this title, the following words and phrases when
used in this title shall have, unless the context clearly
indicates otherwise, the meanings given to them in this section:
"Abandoned vehicle."
(1) A vehicle (other than a pedalcycle) shall be
presumed to be abandoned under any of the following
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
circumstances, but the presumption is rebuttable by a
preponderance of the evidence:
(i) The vehicle is physically inoperable and is left
unattended on a highway or other public property for more
than 48 hours.
(ii) The vehicle has remained illegally on a highway
or other public property for a period of more than 48
hours.
(iii) The vehicle is left unattended on or along a
highway or other public property for more than 48 hours
and does not bear all of the following:
(A) A valid registration plate.
(B) A current certificate of inspection.
(C) An ascertainable vehicle identification
number.
(iv) The vehicle has remained on private property
without the consent of the owner or person in control of
the property for more than 24 hours.
(v) The vehicle has remained on the private property
of a salvor for 20 days.
(vi) The vehicle has remained on the property of a
wholesale vehicle auction without the consent of the
wholesale vehicle auction for more than three business
days.
(2) Vehicles and equipment used or to be used in
construction or in the operation or maintenance of highways
or public utility facilities, which are left in a manner
which does not interfere with the normal movement of traffic,
shall not be considered to be abandoned.
* * *
20250HB0373PN0329 - 2 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
"Wholesale vehicle auction." A person that:
(1) is required to be licensed for commission,
compensation or other consideration in the business of
providing wholesale vehicle auction services at an
established place of business, regardless of whether the
person has custody or control of the vehicles; and
(2) has the authority of the buyer or seller of a
vehicle to negotiate or conduct a transaction on behalf of
the buyer or seller under the act of December 22, 1983
(P.L.306, No.84), known as the Board of Vehicles Act.
* * *
Section 2. Section 7311.1(a) of Title 75 is amended and the
section is amended by adding a subsection to read:
§ 7311.1. Reports by private property owners of abandoned
vehicles.
(a) Removal of abandoned vehicles.--
(1) A person on whose private property is located a
vehicle which has remained on the property without the
consent of the property owner or [his] an agent for more than
24 hours may authorize the removal or processing of the
vehicle.
(2) Prior to removal or processing of the vehicle,
[that] the person shall file a report, on a multipart form
prescribed by the department, with the local police
department declaring that an unauthorized vehicle has been
left unattended and on private property for at least 24
hours. One part of [such] the report shall be retained by
[that] the person[,] and the other part shall be filed with
the police department.
(3) The police department shall, within five business
20250HB0373PN0329 - 3 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
days, process the vehicle as abandoned under this chapter and
attach a copy of the report to the abandoned vehicle
information report.
* * *
(c) Wholesale vehicle auction.--
(1) An unauthorized vehicle that has been left
unattended on private property shall include a vehicle
intended for sale or that has been sold through a wholesale
vehicle auction if the vehicle has remained on the property
of the wholesale vehicle auction without the consent or
authorization of the wholesale vehicle auction for a period
exceeding three business days.
(2) After the three-day period under paragraph (1), the
wholesale vehicle auction may file a report under subsection
(a). If the wholesale vehicle auction elects to file a
report, the wholesale vehicle auction may remove, sell or
legally obtain the ownership and title of a vehicle that is
declared an abandoned vehicle on the property of the
wholesale vehicle auction for which the report has been
filed. The following shall apply:
(i) A wholesale vehicle auction that intends to sell
or legally obtain ownership of an abandoned vehicle shall
indicate the auction's intention on the report that has
been filed.
(ii) If a wholesale vehicle auction follows the
procedures outlined in this subchapter and the abandoned
vehicle remains unclaimed, the wholesale vehicle auction
may submit an application for a certificate of title to
the department.
(iii) If the department determines that a new
20250HB0373PN0329 - 4 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
certificate of title should be issued, the department
shall issue an abandoned vehicle branded title to the
wholesale vehicle auction.
(iv) After an abandoned vehicle branded title is
issued under subparagraph (iii), the wholesale vehicle
auction shall offer the vehicle for sale at auction and
provide notice to prospective buyers that the title has
been branded as a former abandoned vehicle.
(v) A wholesale vehicle auction that complies with
this section shall not be subject to liability from the
owner or seller of an abandoned vehicle removed, sold or
otherwise disposed of under this section. A purchaser of
an abandoned vehicle at a wholesale vehicle auction under
this section shall not be subject to liability from the
owner or seller of the abandoned vehicle.
(3) The wholesale vehicle auction shall be reimbursed
for all applicable costs related to the storage and
processing of the vehicle under this subsection from the
proceeds of the sale of the vehicle. The wholesale vehicle
auction shall pay any remaining proceeds of the sale to the
department for deposit into the Motor License Fund.
(4) A wholesale vehicle auction may impose, charge and
collect reasonable fees from the owner or seller regarding an
abandoned vehicle. The following shall apply:
(i) A wholesale vehicle auction may not impose
storage fees of more than $25 per day and may not impose
storage fees for the first three business days that the
vehicle has remained on the property of the wholesale
vehicle auction without the consent or authorization of
the wholesale vehicle auction.
20250HB0373PN0329 - 5 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
(ii) If the title for the abandoned vehicle has been
transferred to the wholesale vehicle auction, the fees
associated with the storage and processing of the vehicle
shall be deemed to have been satisfied.
(iii) Information regarding the fees under this
paragraph shall be posted on the wholesale vehicle
auction's publicly accessible Internet website or
provided directly to each person utilizing the wholesale
vehicle auction's services.
(5) The wholesale vehicle auction may not impose storage
fees on or after the date of transfer of the vehicle to a
salvor, if applicable. If the abandoned vehicle has been
transferred to a salvor and the vehicle is subsequently sold
at a salvage auction:
(i) The salvor shall recover the appropriate costs
of towing and storage.
(ii) The wholesale vehicle auction shall be
reimbursed for the cost of storing, obtaining a title and
processing related to the vehicle when the additional
funds are available as the result of the salvor's
auction. The wholesale vehicle auction shall pay any
remaining proceeds of the sale to the department for
deposit into the Motor License Fund.
Section 3. This act shall take effect in 120 days.
20250HB0373PN0329 - 6 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24