Notice of impoundment and violation hearings.
Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 441-395
in effectSec. 441-395. - Notice of impoundment and violation hearings.
(a) Notice of impoundment of vehicle.
1. The registered owner of the impounded motor vehicle shall be established by the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department's vehicle registration inquiry with the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles.
2. Within seven (7) calendar days of any impoundment under section 441-394(a)(2), notice of the impoundment of the vehicle shall be sent to the registered owner at their address on file with the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. The notice shall include the following:
a. Statement that the driver or operator of a motor vehicle registered to said owner:
i. Participated in, organized, or promoted an illegal street racing or reckless driving exposition using the impounded vehicle;
ii. Date, approximate time, and approximate location of the event;
iii. Description of the motor vehicle as contained in the police officer's report;
iv. Notice that the vehicle has been released and may be retrieved or that the city prosecutor has filed a civil action seeking to maintain or prolong the impoundment in accordance with this division;
v. If the vehicle is not being released, the court information, including cause number, for the civil action filed under subsection (a) of this section;
vi. If the vehicle is not being released, notice of the opportunity to contest the impoundment by defending the civil action filed under subsection (c) of this section;
vii. If the vehicle is not being released, notice of the owner's right to file a request for an expedited hearing with the court listed in the notice within ten (10) calendar days of receipt of the notice of impoundment. If an expedited hearing is requested under this section, that hearing shall be conducted within ten (10) business days after filing of the request;
viii. At any expedited hearing, the vehicle owner shall bear the burden of proving by a preponderance of the evidence either that the owner did not knowingly permit the vehicle to be used by an organizer, participant, or promoter or that the owner will suffer a substantial hardship if the vehicle is not returned pending resolution of the civil action.
(b) The city prosecutor is authorized to enforce this division by filing a civil action in Marion Superior Court.
(c) The city prosecutor shall file any civil action seeking to maintain or prolong the impoundment of a vehicle impounded under section 441-394(a)(2) within seven (7) calendar days of the impoundment.
(G.O. 36, 2024, § 1)
Source: Consolidated City of Indianapolis and Marion County, Revised Code (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/in/indianapolis_-_marion_county/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TITIIPUORSA_CH441TR_ARTIIIOPRE_DIV9ILSTAC_S441-395NOIMVIHEFetched: 10/27/2026