HB 2948 West Virginia House of Delegates · 2025 Regular Session

Relating to obtaining title to abandoned or junked motor vehicles abandoned on the property or place of business of an automobile dealer

HB 2948 removes a $9,500 loan value limit that previously prevented automobile dealers, licensed auto auctions, repair facilities, and towing companies from obtaining titles for abandoned or junked vehicles left on their property. The bill allows these businesses to secure titles for vehicles of any value that have been abandoned on their premises, eliminating the prior restriction. This change applies after standard notice procedures require owners and lienholders to be notified and given 10 days to reclaim the vehicle. The policy update simplifies title processing for businesses handling abandoned vehicles without altering existing redemption requirements.
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
Apr 2025
House of Delegates Passage
Mar 2025
Senate Passage
Governor
Introduced Feb 25, 2025 Last action Apr 8, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced Version Engrossed Version · 3 edits · Mar 24, 2025
MINOR
The bill amends West Virginia law to increase the loan value threshold for abandoned vehicles from $7,500 to $9,500, allowing dealers and towing companies to obtain titles for more expensive vehicles. It also adds a provision to automatically increase this threshold every five years based on inflation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The changes expand the ability of licensed dealers and repair facilities to legally title and sell abandoned vehicles left on their property.
Scope change
Expanded eligibility to include abandoned vehicles with loan values up to $9,500 (previously $7,500) and added a mechanism for periodic inflation-based adjustments to the threshold.
ELIGIBILITY

Increased the maximum loan value threshold for abandoned vehicles that dealers and towing companies can title from $7,500 to $9,500.

REQUIREMENT

Added a provision requiring the $9,500 threshold to be automatically increased every five years on September 1 based on the Consumer Price Index from the U.S. Department of Labor.

DEFINITION

Added new subsections clarifying that motor vehicle repair facilities and towing companies are not considered used motor vehicle dealers under state law.

Floor votes · House of Delegates Mar 24, 2025

How they voted

920
Passed · 8 other
Total votes 100
Mar 24, 2025
D Democratic9
7 Yea 2
77% Yea
R Republican91
85 Yea 6
93% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
18
Key actions
3
Committee
4
Apr 8, 2025
Committee
To Judiciary
upper
Apr 8, 2025
Upper · Passed
Reported do pass, but first to Judiciary
upper
Mar 25, 2025
Introduced
Introduced in Senate
upper
Mar 24, 2025
Lower · Passed
Passed House (Roll No. 169)
lower
Mar 19, 2025
Lower · Passed
Do pass
lower
Feb 25, 2025
Committee
To House Energy and Public Works
lower
Feb 25, 2025
Introduced
Introduced in House
lower
1 primary · 5 co-sponsors

Sponsors