After possession is taken of any vehicle by or on behalf of any legal owner thereof under the terms of a security agreement or lease agreement, the debtor shall pay the sheriff a fee of fifteen dollars ($15) for the receipt and filing of the report of repossession pursuant to Section 28 of the Vehicle Code before the vehicle may be redeemed by the debtor. Except as provided herein, any person in possession of the vehicle shall not release it to the debtor without first obtaining proof of payment of the fee to the sheriff. At the request of the debtor, a person in possession of the vehicle, or the legal owner, may also release the vehicle to the debtor provided the debtor pays the fifteen dollar ($15) fee, plus an administrative fee not to exceed five dollars ($5), to the person in possession or the legal owner, who shall transmit the fifteen dollar ($15) fee to the sheriff within three business days. The failure to transmit the fee within three business days shall subject the person in possession or legal owner receiving the fee from the debtor to a fine of fifty dollars ($50). The proof of payment, or a copy thereof, shall be retained by the party releasing possession to the debtor for the period required by law, and the party releasing possession shall provide a copy of the proof of payment to the debtor upon request of the debtor.
(Amended (as added by Stats. 1993, Ch. 1269) by Stats. 1994, Ch. 1114, Sec. 7. Effective January 1, 1995.)