§200-42  Notice to owner.  (a)  A state or county agency, upon taking custody of any vessel deemed abandoned pursuant to section 200-41, shall immediately post a written notice on the vessel and send a duplicate original by registered or certified mail, with a return receipt requested, to any owner registered with the department or documented by the United States Coast Guard or any lien holder or operator of the vessel on record with the department or the United States Coast Guard at their respective last known address on record with the department or the United States Coast Guard.  The notice shall contain a brief description of the vessel, the location of custody, and the intended disposition of the vessel if not repossessed within ten working days after the mailing of the notice.

     (b)  The owner, lien holder, or operator of the vessel shall have five working days after receipt of notice of impoundment of the vessel to request an administrative hearing from the state or county agency that took custody of the vessel.  A request for administrative hearing shall:

     (1)  Be made in writing to the state or county agency that took custody of the vessel;

     (2)  Not be deemed delivered until the time that the agency receives the written request; and

     (3)  Be solely for the purpose of allowing the owner, lien holder, or operator of an impounded vessel to contest the basis given by the agency for the impoundment of the vessel.

The administrative hearing shall be held within five working days of delivery of the written request. [L 1991, c 272, pt of §2; am L 2004, c 70, §2; am L 2012, c 146, §2; am L 2021, c 218, §4]