N.Y. General Business Law Section 399-X
Towed motor vehicles

1.

Definitions.

a.

For the purposes of this section, a “commercial tower” shall be defined as any person, firm, partnership, corporation or association that engages in commercial towing, as defined in Vehicle & Traffic Law § 107-B (Commercial towing)section one hundred seven-b of the vehicle and traffic law, whether by contract or other agreement.

b.

For the purposes of this section, a “storage lot operator” shall mean any person, firm, partnership, corporation or association that engages, whether by contract or other agreement, in the storage of motor vehicles removed by a commercial tower.

c.

For the purposes of this section, a “towed motor vehicle” shall be defined as any motor vehicle removed by a commercial tower without the prior consent or authorization of such motor vehicle owner.

2.

Requirements. Each and every commercial tower or storage lot operator, which requires the payment by an owner of a towed motor vehicle of all or part of the towing and/or storage charges associated with the towing and/or storage of such owner’s motor vehicle as a precondition to the release of such motor vehicle to such owner or his or her authorized representative, and which accepts credit cards or debit cards, as those terms are defined in § 511 (Definitions)section five hundred eleven of this chapter as forms of payment in the ordinary course of business, must accept each of these forms of payment for such towing and/or storage charges.

3.

Penalties.

(a)

Whenever there shall be a violation of this section, an application may be made by the attorney general in the name of the people of the state of New York to a court or justice having jurisdiction to issue an injunction, and upon notice to the defendant of not less than five days, to enjoin and restrain the continuance of such violations; and if it shall appear to the satisfaction of the court or justice that the defendant has, in fact, violated this section, an injunction may be issued by such court or justice, enjoining and restraining any further violation, without requiring proof that any person has, in fact, been injured or damaged thereby. In any such proceeding the court may make allowances to the attorney general as provided in paragraph six of subdivision (a) of Civil Practice Law & Rules Law § 8303 (Additional allowance in the discretion of the court)section eighty-three hundred three of the civil practice law and rules, and direct restitution. Whenever the court shall determine that a violation of this section has occurred, the court may impose a civil penalty of not less than fifty dollars and not more than one thousand dollars for each such violation. In connection with any such proposed application, the attorney general is authorized to take proof and make a determination of the relevant facts and to issue subpoenas in accordance with the civil practice law and rules.

(b)

The provisions of this section may be enforced concurrently by the town attorney, city corporation counsel, or other lawful designee of a municipality or local government, and all moneys collected thereunder shall be retained by such municipality or local government.

4.

Applicability. The provisions of this section shall not apply to commercial towers or storage lot operators operating wholly within cities having a population of one million or more.

Source: Section 399-X — Towed motor vehicles, https://www.­nysenate.­gov/legislation/laws/GBS/399-X (updated Sep. 22, 2014; accessed Oct. 26, 2024).

390
Substitution of spurious oils for internal combustion engines 390‑A
Optical discs 390‑B
Anti-phishing act of 2006 390‑BB
Cramming prohibited 390‑C
Prohibit persons under eighteen years of age in certain facilities 390‑C*2
Posting of warnings by commercial entities offering internet access to the public 390‑D
Information concerning services for human trafficking victims in facilities at truck stops 390‑E
Unauthorized installation of certain security devices prohibited 390‑E*2
Skimming awareness notice 391
Marking retreaded, recapped or recut tires 391‑A
Unlawful acts relating to liquid fuels, lubricating oils and similar products 391‑B
Prohibit any sale of dangerous clothing articles 391‑C
Sale of bicycles 391‑CC
Sale of micromobility devices, bicycles with electric assist and limited use motorcycles powered by lithium-ion batteries, and lithium-io... 391‑CC*2
Sale of bicycles with electric assist and micromobility devices 391‑D
Sale of matchbooks 391‑E
Promotion of camps by certain organizations 391‑F
Promotion of private schools by certain organizations 391‑G
Rental of motor vehicles 391‑H
Lubricating oils 391‑I
Sale of urea-formaldehyde foam insulation 391‑J
Sale of fire extinguishers 391‑JJ
Sale of electric space heaters 391‑K
Automatic garage door opening systems 391‑L
Personal emergency response service agreements 391‑L*2
Rental of motor vehicles 391‑M
Manufacture and sale of in-line skates 391‑N
Sale of reptiles 391‑OO
Sale of over-the-counter diet pills and dietary supplements for weight loss or muscle building 391‑P
Prohibit the rental of clothing articles previously worn 391‑Q
Rebates 391‑S
Sale and distribution of novelty lighters prohibited 391‑T
Sale of small animals 391‑U
Pricing goods and services on the basis of gender prohibited 391‑U*2
Restrictions on the sale and use of firefighting equipment containing PFAS chemicals 391‑V
Third-party food delivery agreements 392
Second-hand watches 392‑A
Sale of new computers 392‑B
False labels and misrepresentations 392‑C
Obliteration of marks of origin 392‑D
Using false marks as to manufacture 392‑E
Using false statements or altering mileage registering devices 392‑F
Taximeters 392‑G
Sale of ultraviolet radiation devices 392‑H
Trash receptacles 392‑I
Prices reduced to reflect change in sales tax computation 392‑J
Sales of sparkling devices 393
Lime 393‑A
Non fire rated wood paneling 393‑B
Written solicitation 393‑C
Sale of required labor postings 393‑D
Sale of certified copies of property deeds 393‑E
Sale of abandoned property location services 393‑F
Voluntary third-party notification 394
Lost or destroyed certificate of stock 394‑A
Proof of lost negotiable paper 394‑B
Limitations on certain contracts for instruction or use of physical or social training facilities 394‑C
Limitations on certain contracts involving social referral services 394‑CC
Internet dating safety 394‑CCC
Social media networks 394‑D
Privity of contract between franchise seller and customer or patron of dealer 394‑E
Report on request for abortional services 394‑F
Warrants for reproductive health related electronic data 395
Required disclosure of prior use 395‑A
Maintenance agreements
Green check means up to date. Up to date

Accessed:
Oct. 26, 2024

Last modified:
Sep. 22, 2014

§ 399-X’s source at nysenate​.gov

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