EXEMPT
(Reprinted with amendments adopted on April 21, 2025)
FIRST REPRINT A.B. 415
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ASSEMBLY BILL NO. 415–ASSEMBLYMEMBERS
CARTER, GOULDING; AND DICKMAN
MARCH 12, 2025
____________
JOINT SPONSORS: SENATORS TITUS, TAYLOR; AND LANGE
____________
Referred to Committee on Growth and Infrastructure
SUMMARY—Revises provisions governing the towing of motor
vehicles. (BDR 43-821)
FISCAL NOTE: Effect on Local Government: No.
Effect on the State: Yes.
~
EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.
AN ACT relating to motor vehicles; revising provisions governing
the disposition of certain vehicles abandoned on public or
private property; revising provisions governing the
issuance of junk certificates by the Department of Motor
Vehicles; revising provisions governing lists of operators
of tow cars used by law enforcement agencies; prohibiting
the operator of a tow car from falsely reporting the
location of the operator or tow car to a law enforcement
agency for certain purposes; and providing other matters
properly relating thereto.
Legislative Counsel’s Digest:
Existing law: (1) authorizes certain persons and law enforcement agencies to 1
request the removal of a vehicle that has been abandoned on public or private 2
property; and (2) requires the person who requests such a removal to inquire into 3
whether the vehicle was stolen and the identity of the vehicle’s owner. (NRS 4
487.230, 487.235) Existing law requires a person who removed an abandoned 5
vehicle to notify the registered owner and any person having a security interest in 6
the vehicle by registered or certified mail that the vehicle has been removed and 7
will be junked, dismantled or otherwise disposed of unless the owner or the person 8
having the security interest responds and pays the costs of removal. (NRS 487.250) 9
Existing law additionally requires a tow operator to notify the registered and legal 10
owner of a vehicle if the vehicle was towed and placed in storage at the request of 11
someone other than the owner or the owner’s authorized agent. (NRS 706.4479) 12
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Existing law authorizes the Department of Motor Vehicles to issue a junk 13
certificate to a tow operator or automobile wrecker for a vehicle that: (1) has been 14
discarded or abandoned; (2) has been ruined, wrecked, dismantled or rendered 15
inoperative; (3) is unfit for further use in accordance with the vehicle’s original 16
purpose; (4) is unregistered or is not reclaimed by the registered owner or person 17
having a security interest in the vehicle within a certain period of time; and (5) has 18
value principally as scrap which does not exceed $200. (NRS 487.260) Section 4 of 19
this bill increases the value of a vehicle for which a junk certificate may be issued 20
to include a vehicle which has value principally as scrap which does not exceed 21
$500. Section 4 authorizes the Department to issue a junk certificate for a vehicle 22
that is appraised as a junk vehicle by an automobile wrecker or tow operator in 23
accordance with regulations prescribed by the Department. Sections 1 and 2 of this 24
bill authorize certain persons, with respect to an abandoned, unregistered vehicle 25
which appears likely to be appraised as a junk vehicle and for which the identity of 26
the owner is not known or readily ascertainable, to affix to the vehicle a notice that 27
if the abandoned vehicle is not removed from the public or private property within 28
7 days, the vehicle is subject to being junked, dismantled or otherwise disposed of. 29
Sections 1 and 2 require the notice to include certain information, including that 30
the owner of the vehicle may request an expedited hearing in the local justice court 31
to contest the classification of the vehicle as an abandoned junk vehicle. If the 32
notice is affixed to certain unregistered vehicles which are appraised as junk 33
vehicles, sections 1-5 of this bill excuse the person or law enforcement agency that 34
authorized the removal of the vehicle and the tow operator who removed the 35
vehicle from other provisions requiring such persons to make inquiries into the 36
identity of the owner of the vehicle and provide the owner with certain notice 37
regarding the removal of the vehicle. Section 4 requires the person or law 38
enforcement agency that authorized the removal of the vehicle to provide the 39
contact information of the automobile wrecker or tow operator who removed the 40
vehicle if contacted by the vehicle’s owner. 41
Existing law prohibits a law enforcement agency that maintains and uses a list 42
of tow cars which are called by that agency to provide towing from including an 43
operator of a tow car on that list unless the operator meets certain requirements. 44
Existing law prohibits the Nevada Highway Patrol from removing an operator of a 45
tow car from the list used by the Nevada Highway Patrol solely on the ground that 46
the operator is insured under the same policy of insurance as one other operator of a 47
tow car who is included on the list and operates in the same geographical area. 48
(NRS 706.4485) 49
Section 6 of this bill: (1) expands the applicability of this prohibition to all law 50
enforcement agencies; and (2) prohibits an operator of a tow car from using any 51
software, device or other means to falsely report the location of the operator or tow 52
car to a law enforcement agency or any agent of a law enforcement agency for the 53
purpose of securing a request from the law enforcement agency to provide towing 54
services. Section 6 requires a law enforcement agency to remove an operator of a 55
tow car from the list used by the law enforcement agency for 1 year if the operator 56
violates that prohibition. 57
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN
SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. NRS 487.230 is hereby amended to read as follows: 1
487.230 1. Except as otherwise provided in NRS 487.235, 2
any sheriff or designee of a sheriff, constable, member of the 3
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Nevada Highway Patrol, officer of the Legislative Police, 1
investigator of the Division of Compliance Enforcement of the 2
Department, personnel of the Capitol Police Division of the 3
Department of Public Safety, designated employees of the Housing 4
Division of the Department of Business and Industry, special 5
investigator employed by the office of a district attorney, marshal or 6
police officer of a city or town or his or her designee, a marshal or 7
park ranger who is part of a unit of specialized law enforcement 8
established pursuant to NRS 280.125, or any other person charged 9
with the enforcement of county or city ordinances who has reason to 10
believe that a vehicle has been abandoned on public property in his 11
or her jurisdiction may remove the vehicle from that property or 12
cause the vehicle to be removed from that property. At the request 13
of the owner or person in possession or control of private property 14
who has reason to believe that a vehicle has been abandoned on his 15
or her property, the vehicle may be removed by the operator of a 16
tow car or an automobile wrecker from that private property. 17
2. [A] Except as otherwise provided in NRS 487.260, a person 18
who authorizes the removal of an abandoned vehicle pursuant to 19
subsection 1 shall: 20
(a) Have the vehicle taken to the nearest garage or other place 21
designated for storage by: 22
(1) The state agency or political subdivision making the 23
request if the vehicle is removed from public property. 24
(2) The owner or person in possession or control of the 25
property if the vehicle is removed from private property. 26
(b) Make all practical inquiries to ascertain if the vehicle is 27
stolen by checking the license plate number, vehicle identification 28
number and other available information which will aid in identifying 29
the registered and legal owner of the vehicle and supply the 30
information to the person who is storing the vehicle. 31
3. If: 32
(a) The vehicle appears likely to be appraised as a junk 33
vehicle; 34
(b) The vehicle is not registered with the Department and it is 35
not readily ascertainable whether the vehicle is registered in any 36
other state; and 37
(c) The identity of the owner of the vehicle is not known or 38
readily ascertainable, 39
an operator of a tow car, an automobile wrecker or, in the case 40
of a vehicle abandoned on public property, a state agency or 41
political subdivision, may, before the removal of a vehicle 42
pursuant to this section, affix a notice to the vehicle stating that 43
the vehicle, if not removed from the property within 7 days, is 44
subject to being junked, dismantled or otherwise disposed of 45
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without further notice. The notice must state the date and time that 1
the notice was affixed to the vehicle and that the owner of the 2
vehicle may, at any time before the vehicle is removed from 3
the property, request an expedited hearing in the justice court of 4
the township where the property on which the vehicle was 5
purportedly abandoned is located to contest the classification of 6
the vehicle as an abandoned junk vehicle. 7
4. As used in this section, “junk vehicle” has the meaning 8
ascribed to it in NRS 487.260. 9
Sec. 2. NRS 487.235 is hereby amended to read as follows: 10
487.235 1. [If] Except as otherwise provided in NRS 11
487.260, if a sheriff’s office or other law enforcement agency 12
discovers that, or receives notification that, a vehicle has been 13
abandoned on public lands, the sheriff’s office or other law 14
enforcement agency shall: 15
(a) Make all practical inquiries to ascertain if the vehicle is 16
stolen by checking the license plate number, vehicle identification 17
number and other available information which will aid in identifying 18
the owner of the vehicle; and 19
(b) If the vehicle has not been reported as stolen and the 20
sheriff’s office or other law enforcement agency is able to determine 21
the identity of the owner of the vehicle, notify the Department of 22
those facts. 23
2. Upon the receipt of a notice from a sheriff’s office or other 24
law enforcement agency pursuant to paragraph (b) of subsection 1 25
and if the registration of the vehicle has not expired, the Department 26
shall send by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, a 27
written notice to the owner of the vehicle stating that the owner 28
must remove or cause the vehicle to be removed from the public 29
lands within 30 days after the date on which the notice was sent. 30
3. If an owner receives a notice pursuant to subsection 2, the 31
owner may submit to the Department an affidavit which states that 32
the owner has taken action which meets the requirements of 33
paragraph (a) or (b) of subsection 2 of NRS 487.220. If the owner 34
submits such an affidavit, the Department: 35
(a) Shall maintain a record of the affidavit; and 36
(b) Shall not suspend the registration of each vehicle currently 37
registered to that owner as otherwise required by subsection 4. 38
4. If an owner: 39
(a) Receives a notice pursuant to subsection 2; 40
(b) Fails to remove or cause the vehicle to be removed within 41
the 30-day period set forth in that notice; and 42
(c) Does not submit an affidavit as described in subsection 3, 43
the Department shall suspend the registration of each vehicle 44
currently registered to the owner pursuant to chapter 482 of NRS. 45
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For the purposes of this subsection, the determination of the 1
sheriff’s office or other law enforcement agency that notified the 2
Department pursuant to paragraph (b) of subsection 1 is conclusive 3
as to whether the abandoned vehicle was removed within the 30-day 4
period. 5
5. If the registration of a vehicle is suspended pursuant to 6
subsection 4, the Department shall reinstate the registration upon 7
receipt from the registered owner of the vehicle of: 8
(a) An affidavit setting forth that the registered owner caused the 9
removal and disposition of, or proof that the registered owner paid 10
the cost of removal and disposition of, the vehicle discovered 11
abandoned upon public lands; and 12
(b) If applicable, proof that the registered owner redeemed any 13
lien placed pursuant to NRS 487.270 on the vehicle discovered 14
abandoned on public lands. 15
6. If a vehicle has been abandoned on public lands and: 16
(a) The vehicle appears likely to be appraised as a junk 17
vehicle; 18
(b) The vehicle is not registered with the Department and it is 19
not readily ascertainable whether the vehicle is registered in any 20
other state; and 21
(c) The identity of the owner of the vehicle is not known or 22
readily ascertainable, 23
the sheriff’s office or other law enforcement agency, an 24
operator of a tow car or an automobile wrecker may, before the 25
removal of the vehicle, affix a notice to the vehicle stating that the 26
vehicle, if not removed from the property within 7 days, is subject 27
to being junked, dismantled or otherwise disposed of without 28
further notice. The notice must state the date and time that the 29
notice was affixed to the vehicle and state that the owner of the 30
vehicle may, at any time before the vehicle is removed from 31
the property, request an expedited hearing in the justice court of 32
the township where the property on which the vehicle was 33
purportedly abandoned is located to contest the classification of 34
the vehicle as an abandoned junk vehicle. 35
7. If a sheriff’s office or other law enforcement agency is 36
notified by a person or another governmental entity that a vehicle 37
has been abandoned on public lands, the sheriff’s office or other law 38
enforcement agency shall, insofar as practicable and authorized by 39
law, inform the person or entity making such notification of the 40
actions taken by the sheriff’s office or other law enforcement 41
agency pursuant to this section. 42
8. As used in this section, “junk vehicle” has the meaning 43
ascribed to it in NRS 487.260. 44
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Sec. 3. NRS 487.250 is hereby amended to read as follows: 1
487.250 1. The state agency or political subdivision shall, 2
within 48 hours after the appraisal, notify the head of the state 3
agency of the removal of the vehicle. The notice must contain: 4
(a) A description of the vehicle. 5
(b) The appraised value of the vehicle. 6
(c) A statement as to whether the vehicle will be junked, 7
dismantled or otherwise disposed of. 8
2. [The] Except as otherwise provided in NRS 487.260, the 9
person who removed the vehicle must notify the registered owner 10
and any person having a security interest in the vehicle by registered 11
or certified mail that the vehicle has been removed and will be 12
junked or dismantled or otherwise disposed of unless the registered 13
owner or the person having a security interest in the vehicle 14
responds and pays the costs of removal. 15
3. Failure to reclaim within 15 days after notification a vehicle 16
appraised at $500 or less constitutes a waiver of interest in the 17
vehicle by any person having an interest in the vehicle. 18
4. If all recorded interests in a vehicle appraised at $500 or less 19
are waived, either as provided in subsection 3 or by written 20
disclaimer by any person having an interest in the vehicle, the state 21
agency, except as otherwise provided in subsection 3 of NRS 22
487.100, shall issue a salvage title pursuant to NRS 487.810 to the 23
automobile wrecker who towed the vehicle or to whom the vehicle 24
may have been delivered, or a certificate of title to the garage owner 25
if the garage owner elects to retain the vehicle and the vehicle is 26
equipped as required by chapter 484D of NRS. 27
Sec. 4. NRS 487.260 is hereby amended to read as follows: 28
487.260 1. If the vehicle is appraised at a value of more than 29
$500, the state agency or political subdivision shall dispose of it as 30
provided in NRS 487.270. 31
2. If the vehicle is appraised as a junk vehicle [,] by the 32
Department, or by an automobile wrecker or tow operator 33
pursuant to such regulations as the Department may prescribe, the 34
Department may issue a junk certificate to the automobile wrecker 35
or tow operator who removed the vehicle. 36
3. If a notice is affixed to a vehicle pursuant to subsection 3 37
of NRS 487.230 or subsection 6 of NRS 487.235, the vehicle is not 38
registered with the Department, it is not readily ascertainable 39
whether the vehicle is registered in any other state and the vehicle 40
is appraised as a junk vehicle, the automobile wrecker or tow 41
operator who removed the vehicle: 42
(a) Shall notify the person or law enforcement agency that 43
authorized the removal of the vehicle of that fact, and the person 44
or agency: 45
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(1) Is relieved of the duty to: 1
(I) Make inquiries to ascertain if the vehicle is stolen or 2
determine the identity of the owner of the vehicle pursuant to NRS 3
487.230 or 487.235; or 4
(II) Provide notice to the registered owner and any 5
person having a security interest in the vehicle pursuant to 6
subsection 2 of NRS 487.250. 7
(2) Shall, if contacted by the owner of the vehicle, provide 8
the owner with the contact information of the automobile wrecker 9
or tow operator who removed the vehicle. 10
(b) Is not required to obtain the identity of or attempt to notify 11
the owner pursuant to NRS 706.4479. 12
[3.] 4. An automobile wrecker who possesses a junk certificate 13
for a junk vehicle may process the vehicle for parts or scrap metal 14
pursuant to NRS 487.105. 15
[4.] 5. A vehicle for which a junk certificate has been issued 16
may be sold to an automobile wrecker by the person to whom the 17
junk certificate was issued by the seller’s endorsement on the 18
certificate. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 3 of NRS 19
487.100, an automobile wrecker who purchases a vehicle for which 20
a junk certificate has been issued shall immediately affix the 21
business name of the automobile wrecker as purchaser to the first 22
available space provided on the reverse side of the certificate. For 23
the purposes of this subsection, such an automobile wrecker is the 24
owner of the junk vehicle. 25
[5.] 6. If insufficient space exists on the reverse side of a junk 26
certificate to transfer the vehicle pursuant to subsection [4,] 5, 27
except as otherwise provided in subsection 3 of NRS 487.100, an 28
automobile wrecker who purchases a junk vehicle for which a junk 29
certificate has been previously issued shall, within 10 days after 30
purchase, apply to the Department for a new junk certificate and 31
surrender the original certificate. 32
[6.] 7. A person who sells a junk vehicle shall maintain, for at 33
least 2 years, a copy of the junk certificate and a record of the name 34
and address of the person from whom the vehicle was acquired and 35
the date thereof. The person shall allow any peace officer or any 36
investigator employed by a state agency to inspect the records 37
during business hours. 38
[7.] 8. An automobile wrecker who processes a junk vehicle 39
for parts or scrap metal shall maintain records as required by 40
NRS 487.170. 41
[8.] 9. As used in this section, “junk vehicle” means a vehicle, 42
including component parts, which: 43
(a) Has been discarded or abandoned; 44
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(b) Has been ruined, wrecked, dismantled or rendered 1
inoperative; 2
(c) Is unfit for further use in accordance with the original 3
purpose for which it was constructed; 4
(d) Is not registered with the Department or has not been 5
reclaimed by the registered owner or a person having a security 6
interest in the vehicle within 15 days after notification pursuant to 7
NRS 487.250; and 8
(e) Has value principally as scrap which does not exceed [$200.] 9
$500. 10
Sec. 5. NRS 706.4479 is hereby amended to read as follows: 11
706.4479 1. [If] Except as otherwise provided in NRS 12
487.260, if a motor vehicle is towed at the request of someone other 13
than the owner, or authorized agent of the owner, of the motor 14
vehicle, the operator of the tow car shall, in addition to the 15
requirements set forth in the provisions of chapter 108 of NRS: 16
(a) Notify the registered and legal owner of the motor vehicle by 17
certified mail not later than 21 days after placing the motor vehicle 18
in storage if the motor vehicle was towed at the request of a law 19
enforcement officer following a crash involving the motor vehicle or 20
not later than 15 days after placing any other vehicle in storage: 21
(1) Of the location where the motor vehicle is being stored; 22
(2) Whether the storage is inside a locked building, in a 23
secured, fenced area or in an unsecured, open area; 24
(3) Of the charge for towing and storage; 25
(4) Of the date and time the vehicle was placed in storage; 26
(5) Of the actions that the registered and legal owner of the 27
vehicle may take to recover the vehicle while incurring the lowest 28
possible liability in accrued assessments, fees, penalties or other 29
charges; and 30
(6) Of the opportunity to rebut the presumptions set forth in 31
NRS 487.220 and 706.4477. 32
(b) If the identity of the registered and legal owner is not known 33
or readily available, make every reasonable attempt and use all 34
resources reasonably necessary, as evidenced by written 35
documentation, to obtain the identity of the owner and any other 36
necessary information from the agency charged with the registration 37
of the motor vehicle in this State or any other state within: 38
(1) Twenty-one days after placing the motor vehicle in 39
storage if the motor vehicle was towed at the request of a law 40
enforcement officer following a crash involving the motor vehicle; 41
or 42
(2) Fifteen days after placing any other motor vehicle in 43
storage. 44
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The operator shall attempt to notify the owner of the vehicle by 1
certified mail as soon as possible, but in no case later than 15 days 2
after identification of the owner is obtained for any motor vehicle. 3
2. If an operator includes in the operator’s tariff a fee to be 4
charged to the registered and legal owner of a vehicle for the towing 5
and storage of the vehicle, the fee may not be charged: 6
(a) For more than 21 days after placing the motor vehicle in 7
storage if the motor vehicle was towed at the request of a law 8
enforcement officer following a crash involving the motor vehicle; 9
or 10
(b) For more than 15 days after placing any other vehicle in 11
storage, 12
unless the operator complies with the requirements set forth in 13
subsection 1. 14
3. If a motor vehicle that is placed in storage was towed at the 15
request of a law enforcement officer following a crash involving the 16
motor vehicle or after having been stolen and subsequently 17
recovered, the operator shall not: 18
(a) Satisfy any lien or impose any administrative fee or 19
processing fee with respect to the motor vehicle for the period 20
ending 4 business days after the date on which the motor vehicle 21
was placed in storage; or 22
(b) Impose any fee relating to the auction of the motor vehicle 23
until after the operator complies with the notice requirements set 24
forth in NRS 108.265 to 108.367, inclusive. 25
Sec. 6. NRS 706.4485 is hereby amended to read as follows: 26
706.4485 1. A law enforcement agency that maintains and 27
uses a list of operators of tow cars which are called by that agency 28
to provide towing shall not include an operator of a tow car on the 29
list unless the operator: 30
(a) Holds a certificate of public convenience and necessity 31
issued by the Authority. 32
(b) Complies with all applicable provisions of this chapter and 33
chapters 482 and 484A to 484E, inclusive, of NRS. 34
(c) Agrees to respond in a timely manner to requests for towing 35
made by the agency. 36
(d) Maintains adequate, accessible and secure storage within the 37
State of Nevada for any vehicle that is towed. 38
(e) Complies with all standards the law enforcement agency may 39
adopt to protect the health, safety and welfare of the public. 40
(f) Except as otherwise provided in NRS 706.4489, assesses 41
only rates and charges that have been approved by the Authority for 42
towing services performed without the prior consent of the owner of 43
the vehicle or the person authorized by the owner to operate the 44
vehicle. 45
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2. The Authority shall not require that an operator of a tow car 1
charge the same rate to law enforcement agencies for towing 2
services performed without the prior consent of the owner of the 3
vehicle or the person authorized by the owner to operate the vehicle 4
that the operator charges to other persons for such services. 5
3. Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, if an 6
operator of a tow car is included on a list of operators of tow cars 7
that is maintained and used by [the Nevada Highway Patrol] a law 8
enforcement agency pursuant to this section, the [Nevada Highway 9
Patrol] law enforcement agency shall not remove the operator of the 10
tow car from the list, or restrict the operator’s use pursuant thereto, 11
solely on the ground that the operator is insured under the same 12
policy of insurance as one other operator of a tow car who is 13
included on the list and operates in the same geographical area. An 14
operator of a tow car is not eligible for inclusion on the list if the 15
operator is insured under the same policy of insurance as two or 16
more other operators of tow cars who are included on the list and 17
operate in the same geographical area. 18
4. An operator of a tow car shall not use any software, device 19
or other means to falsely report the location of the operator or tow 20
car to a law enforcement agency or any agent of a law 21
enforcement agency for the purpose of securing a request from the 22
law enforcement agency to provide towing services. If an operator 23
of a tow car violates the provisions of this subsection, the law 24
enforcement agency shall remove for 1 year the operator from the 25
list of operators of tow cars that is maintained and used by the law 26
enforcement agency. 27
H