Minnesota Statutes 168B.04 – Authority to Impound Vehicles
Subdivision 1.Abandoned or junk vehicles.
Units of government and peace officers may take into custody and impound any abandoned or junk vehicle.
Subd. 2.Unauthorized vehicles.
(a) Units of government and peace officers may take into custody and impound any unauthorized vehicle under section 168B.035.
(b) A vehicle may also be impounded after it has been left unattended in one of the following public or private locations for the indicated period of time:
(1) in a public location not governed by section 168B.035:
(i) on a highway and properly tagged by a peace officer, four hours;
(ii) located so as to constitute an accident or traffic hazard to the traveling public, as determined by a peace officer, immediately;
(iii) located so as to constitute an accident or traffic hazard to the traveling public within the Department of Transportation’s eight-county metropolitan district, as determined by an authorized employee of the department’s freeway service patrol, immediately; or
(iv) that is a parking facility or other public property owned or controlled by a unit of government, properly posted, four hours; or
(2) on private property:
(i) that is single-family or duplex residential property, immediately;
(ii) that is private, nonresidential property, properly posted, immediately;
(iii) that is private, nonresidential property, not posted, 24 hours;
(iv) that is private, nonresidential property of an operator of an establishment for the servicing, repair, or maintenance of motor vehicles, five business days after notifying the vehicle owner by certified mail, return receipt requested, of the property owner’s intention to have the vehicle removed from the property; or
(v) that is any residential property, properly posted, immediately.
Terms Used In Minnesota Statutes 168B.04
- Department: means the Minnesota Department of Public Safety. See Minnesota Statutes 168B.011
- Impound: means to take and hold a vehicle in legal custody. See Minnesota Statutes 168B.011
- Operator: includes an operator of a public or nonpublic impound lot, regardless of whether tow truck service is provided. See Minnesota Statutes 168B.011
- Unauthorized vehicle: means a vehicle that is subject to removal and impoundment pursuant to section 168B. See Minnesota Statutes 168B.011
- Unit of government: includes a state department or agency, a special purpose district, and a county, statutory or home rule charter city, or town. See Minnesota Statutes 168B.011
- vehicle: has the meaning given motor vehicle in section 169. See Minnesota Statutes 168B.011