The Car The Shop Is Holding
S.C. Code 29-15-10 — a repair, tow or storage lien, notice before storage runs past seven business days, and a sale by a magistrate after thirty days
A towing company, storage facility, garage or repair shop may sell an article left with it at public auction if the repairs are done or the storage contract has expired, it has kept the article continuously, and thirty days have passed since written notice to the owner and any lienholder by registered or certified mail. A magistrate of the county conducts the sale.
Storage before the notice. Storage charges for the time before notice of the article's location is sent are limited to seven business days. The notice goes out within five business days after the shop learns who the owner and lienholders are, describes the article, and states the daily storage cost from then on.
Before a sale the shop asks the Department of Motor Vehicles or another titling source for the owner and lienholders. Paying what is owed before the sale ends it. A particular dispute is a question for the magistrate or a licensed South Carolina attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- S.C. Code 29-15-10 — Liens for repairs or storage; sale of articles
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed South Carolina attorney.