Code of Massachusetts Regulations
700 CMR - DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Title 700 CMR 9.00 - Driving on State Highways
Section 9.04 - Tow Away Zones
Current through Register 1531, September 27, 2024
(1) Authorization of Police. The Officer in charge of the Uniformed branch of the State Police and the principal police official of the police department of any city or town, or such sergeants or police officers of higher rank as said officers or officials may from time to time designate are hereby authorized, with such limitations as are, or may be hereinafter set forth, to remove or cause to be removed to some convenient place any vehicle parked or standing within the limits of any State Highway which is under their police jurisdiction, in violation of any of the provisions set forth in 700 CMR 9.04(2) and 9.04(3).
(2) General Prohibition Towing Zones. No person shall stand or park or allow, permit or suffer any vehicle registered in their name to stand or park in any of the following places. Vehicles found in violation of the provisions of 700 CMR 9.04(2) except those specifically exempted by law, shall be removed to a convenient place under the direction of an officer authorized as set forth in 700 CMR 9.04(1), of the Police Department and the owner of the vehicle so removed, or towed away shall be liable to the cost of such removal and storage charges, if any. The owner of any vehicle removed or towed away under the provisions of 700 CMR 9.04(2) shall also be subject to the penalties provided in M.G.L. c. 90, § 20A 1/2 (Ter. Ed.).
(3) Parking Prohibitions, Towing Zone. No person shall stand or park or allow, permit or suffer any vehicle registered in their name to stand or park on any of the highways, ways or parts of ways hereinafter described and during the periods of time set forth. Vehicles found in violation of the provisions of 700 CMR 9.04(3) except those specifically exempted by law shall be removed to a convenient place under the direction of an Officer authorized as set forth in 700 CMR 9.04(1), and the owner of the vehicle so removed or towed away shall be liable to the cost of such removal and storage charges, if any. The owner of any vehicle removed or towed away under the provisions of 700 CMR 9.04 shall also be subject to the penalties provided in M.G.L. c.90, § 20A 1/2.
In any area designated as a bus stop 700 CMR 9.04(3) shall also apply.
(4) Official Traffic Signs. The provisions of 700 CMR 9.04(3) shall be effective only during such time as a sufficient number of official traffic signs bearing the legend "Tow-Away Zone" are installed, erected, maintained and located so as to be visible to approaching driver, said signs to be appended above or incorporated into the legend of Parking Prohibition Signs.
(5) Police to Keep Record of Towed Vehicles. The police shall keep a record of all vehicles towed or removed under the provisions of 700 CMR 9.00 et seq. Such record shall be retained in accordance with the Massachusetts Statewide Records Retention Schedule and shall contain the following information:
(6) Exemptions. The provisions of 700 CMR 9.04 shall not apply to any vehicle owned by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts or a political sub-division thereof or by the United States or any instrumentality thereof or registered by a member of a foreign diplomatic corps or by a foreign consular officer who is not a citizen of the United States and bearing a distinctive number plate or otherwise conspicuously marked as so owned or registered.