New South Wales Consolidated Acts

IMPOUNDING ACT 1993 - SECT 20

20 Impounding authority to notify owner

(1) An impounding authority must make all reasonable inquiries in an effort to find out the name and address of the owner of an impounded item and, in the case of an impounded motor vehicle, must also make a search of the Register under the Registration of Interests in Goods Act 1986 for registrable interests in the vehicle.

(2) The inquiries and search must be made as soon as practicable after the item is delivered to the authority’s pound or (in the case of an article that is impounded without being delivered to a pound) as soon as practicable after the article is impounded.

(3) If the impounding authority knows or finds out the name and address of the owner, the authority must cause notice of the impounding to be given to the owner of an impounded item as soon as practicable after becoming aware of the name or address.

(4) If the impounding authority’s search of the Register reveals a registrable interest in the motor vehicle, the authority must also cause notice of the impounding to be given to the person who claims the interest.

(5) A notice under this section must be in writing addressed to the person to be given the notice. It must clearly indicate that the item has been impounded and will be sold or otherwise disposed of if not claimed within a stated period (not less than 7 days in the case of an animal and not less than 28 days in the case of an article).

(6) Inquiries as to the owner of a motor vehicle need not be made under this section if those inquiries have already been made under another provision of this Act.

(7) This section does not apply to a motor vehicle that has been destroyed or otherwise disposed of under section 18 (Impounded motor vehicles worth less than $500 may be destroyed).

Note: See section 49 for the ways in which notice can be given.