The owner shall furnish the department notice of the wrecking or dismantling, or the destruction or abandonment of an undocumented vessel within 15 days thereof. The wrecking, dismantling, destruction or abandonment shall terminate the certificate of ownership and certificate of number of such undocumented vessel which if in existence shall be surrendered to the department.

The department, upon receiving notice of the abandonment of an undocumented vessel, or upon an official determination that an undocumented vessel has been abandoned, may order the destruction of such vessel at the expiration of 30 days if an investigation by the department has disclosed that no owner, legal owner, or lienholder claims an interest in the vessel, or if those persons have waived their interest. Nothing in this section shall be construed to deny the legal rights, otherwise provided for by law, of any person claiming an interest in an abandoned vessel if that person notifies the department within the time specified therefor.

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Terms Used In California Vehicle Code 9864

  • Department: means the Department of Motor Vehicles except, when used in Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 2100) of Division 2 and in Divisions 11 (commencing with Section 21000), 12 (commencing with Section 24000), 13 (commencing with Section 29000), 14 (commencing with Section 31600), 14. See California Vehicle Code 290
  • Legal owner: is a person holding the legal title to a vessel under a conditional sale contract, the mortgagee of a vessel, or the renter or lessor of a vessel to the state, or to any county, city, district or political subdivision of the state, under a lease, lease-sale, or rental-purchase agreement which grants possession of the vessel to the lessee for a period of 30 consecutive days or more. See California Vehicle Code 9840
  • Owner: is a person having all the incidents of ownership, including the legal title, of a vessel whether or not such person lends, rents, or pledges such vessel. See California Vehicle Code 9840
  • Person: includes a natural person, firm, copartnership, association, limited liability company, or corporation. See California Vehicle Code 470
  • Undocumented vessel: means any vessel which is not required to have and does not have a valid marine document issued by the Bureau of Customs of the United States or any federal agency successor thereto. See California Vehicle Code 9840
  • Vessel: includes every description of watercraft used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on water, except the following:

    California Vehicle Code 9840

(Amended by Stats. 1987, Ch. 298, Sec. 4.)

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