Commercial Law - Vehicles Towed or Removed From Parking Lots - Statutory Liens and Administrative Hearings

HB 1405 establishes clear rules for towing charges and legal rights when vehicles are removed from private parking lots in Maryland. It creates a legal right (lien) for towing companies to hold vehicles until specific fees - like towing, recovery, storage, or notice costs - are paid, affecting parking lot owners, towing companies, and vehicle owners. The bill requires local governments to set up administrative hearings where owners can challenge towing legitimacy, and mandates parking lots to display clear signage listing towing fees, reclaim hours, and hearing contact info. It also specifies who can pay to release a vehicle (owners, lessees, insurers, or agents) and clarifies that police-initiated towing follows similar lien rules.