New Jersey Administrative Code
Title 13 - LAW AND PUBLIC SAFETY
Chapter 21 - LICENSING SERVICE
Subchapter 11A - VEHICLES ABANDONED AT REPAIR FACILITIES
Section 13:21-11A.4 - Notice to owner of intent to remove and store

1. If the Commission reports having no record of ownership of the motor vehicle on file, the motor vehicle repair facility shall then obtain either a title search through the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS), or a title and lien search from each of the following states: New York, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Maryland. If a search using NMVTIS results in a record of ownership of the motor vehicle, the motor vehicle repair facility or authorized representative shall contact the state in which the motor vehicle was last titled to verify the owner and any holder of a security interest in the motor vehicle. If a NMVTIS search does not result in a record of ownership of the motor vehicle, the motor vehicle repair facility or authorized representative shall obtain a lien search from each of the following states: New York, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Maryland.

2. Proof of ownership and the identity of any holder of a security interest required to be notified in accordance with this subchapter, must be certified and issued by the state in which the motor vehicle was last titled. Third-party searches are not acceptable as proof of ownership or as proof of liens.

3. If the Commission has reason to believe that the vehicle may have been titled, registered, or primarily operated in another state, the Commission may also require a motor vehicle repair facility to perform a title and lien search in any state where the abandoned motor vehicle is titled, registered, or primarily operated in, and submit the title and lien search results to the Commission.