§473.1. Abandoned vehicle; removal

A. Whenever any motor vehicle is found to be abandoned by any law enforcement officer, such officer shall post a notice on the windshield of the vehicle directing that the vehicle be removed from said location within twenty-four hours. Additionally, the notice shall direct that the failure to remove the vehicle shall result in the vehicle’s being removed by the municipality or parish, as the case may be, or by a tow truck operator acting on behalf of the municipality or parish.

B. If the abandoned motor vehicle is not removed within twenty-four hours from the date of the posting of the notice, the motor vehicle shall be removed and disposed of by the municipality or parish or by a tow truck operator authorized to act on behalf of the municipality or parish.

C. The parish, municipality, or tow truck operator shall store and may dispose of the vehicle pursuant to the Louisiana Towing and Storage Act. The municipality or parish shall have no civil or criminal liability pursuant to any provision of law for any act or omission of its own under the provisions of this Section or for the acts or omissions committed by the tow truck operator.

D. Removal of an abandoned motor vehicle in accordance with this Section by a tow truck operator shall not be considered a rotation call by the appropriate law enforcement agency as set forth in R.S. 32:1735(C). The tow truck operator shall not lose its place in the rotation call list for the recovery of an abandoned motor vehicle in accordance with this Section. Law enforcement agencies shall maintain records of the number of abandoned motor vehicles removed.

Acts 1999, No. 459, §1; Acts 2008, No. 429, §1, eff. June 21, 2008; Acts 2008, No. 710, §1; Acts 2010, No. 902, §1.