City Ordinance Section 20-122
What happens after your motor vehicle is impounded by an officer with the St. Petersburg Police Department under Section 20-122 of the St. Petersburg City Code? Section 20-122 prohibits a person from using a motor vehicle to facilitate the commission of any of the following offenses:
- driving under the influence (DUI) of alcoholic beverages or controlled substances in violation of F.S. 316.193;
- drug charges for possession of marijuana;
- prostitution or sex-related offenses.
After an arrest for one of these offenses, the vehicle will not be released until you pay a civil administrative penalty of $500.00, plus towing and storage charges. You can pay an extra $50 to demand a formal hearing. At the formal hearing, you can fight for the return of the $500 administrative penalty.
For this reason, we often recommend that our clients select Option 2 to request a final hearing to contest the impoundment of their vehicle and pay the $50.00 final hearing fee. After requesting the final hearing, you will be notified by the City of St. Petersburg of the final hearing date. Your attorney can attend that hearing for you.
By requesting an administrative hearing, a hearing master will make a final determination on the validity of the vehicle impoundment under City Ordinance § 20-122.
The attorneys at Sammis Law Firm often recommend just paying the extra $50 to demand the formal review hearing to force the St. Petersburg Police Department to prove the allegations. If you retain us to represent you on the underlying charge, we can also attend this final hearing to contest the impoundment of our vehicle.
The information gained during that process might help you win the criminal case. Fighting the city ordinance allegation can also help you protect your good name.
Attorney for Vehicle Seizures by the St. Petersburg Police
Don’t let them take your vehicle without a fight. If your vehicle was impounded by the City of St. Petersburg Police Department pursuant to City Ordinance Section 20-122, then contact an experienced attorney at Sammis Law Firm to demand the return of the money you paid. For DUI cases, read more about how our attorneys fight DUI cases in Pinellas County, FL.
We help clients fight charges for DUI, possession of marijuana, prostitution, or any sex-related offense by officers with the St. Petersburg Police Department. We can also fight the city ordinance violation when you hire us to fight your criminal charges.
In these cases, we will appear for you at the final hearing to contest any allegation that you violated St. Petersburg Ordinance Section 20-122. At the final hearing, the attorney for the City of St. Petersburg has the heavy burden of proving by clear and convincing evidence that you violated the city ordinance Section 20-122.
Your attorney can explain why the violation didn’t occur or can’t be proven at trial. If you are charged with committing a crime using the vehicle, then your attorney can gather valuable evidence that can be used to defend your case in the criminal court at this final hearing.
To discuss your case, contact an attorney at the Sammis Law Firm. Visit our office at 14010 Roosevelt Blvd Suite 701, Clearwater, FL 33762-3820.
Call 727-210-7004.
What is the Notice of Vehicle Impoundment from the St. Petersburg Police Department?
The Notice of Vehicle Impoundment (SPPD04-04809/21/2004 REV 03/15/2023) from the St. Petersburg Police Department provides:
ST. PETERSBURG POLICE DEPARTMENT
NOTICE OF VEHICLE IMPOUNDMENT
Pursuant to City Ordinance § 20-122
Report Number: ____________________
Date: ____________________
Vehicle Owner Information
Owner Name: ______________________________
Address: _________________________________
City: ____________________
State: ________
ZIP Code: __________
Cell Phone Number: ____________________
Home/Work Phone Number: ____________________
Vehicle Information
Vehicle: ______________________________
Color: ____________________
Tag: ____________________
VIN: ____________________
Year / Make / Model: ____________________
Acknowledgment of Receipt
Notice received by: ______________________________
Owner Signature: ______________________________
Date: ____________________
NOTICE OF IMPOUNDMENT
The above-described motor vehicle was impounded by the St. Petersburg Police Department pursuant to Section 20-122 of the St. Petersburg City Code because the vehicle:
- Was used to facilitate the commission of a drug, prostitution, or sex-related offense; or
- Was driven or operated under the influence in violation of § 316.193, Florida Statutes.
The vehicle will be released upon payment of certain fees, including:
- A civil administrative penalty of $500.00 payable to the City of St. Petersburg; and
- Applicable towing and storage charges payable to the towing company.
The $500 administrative penalty must be paid in cash, certified check, or money order, made payable to the City of St. Petersburg. You may elect to pay the fees and waive any hearing on this matter.
RIGHT TO A HEARING
If you wish to dispute the impoundment, you must file a written request for a hearing. A Hearing Request Form has been provided.
There are two hearing options:
- Preliminary Hearing – At the preliminary hearing, the hearing master will determine ONLY whether the police officer had probable cause to impound the vehicle under § 20-122 of the St. Petersburg City Code. A request for a preliminary hearing must be received within five (5) business days of receipt of this Notice. Untimely requests will not be considered. There is no charge for a preliminary hearing. The hearing will be held within five (5) business days of a timely request. You will be notified by telephone of the date, time, and location.
- Outcomes:
- If probable cause is found, the vehicle will remain impounded pending payment of the $500 penalty plus towing and storage charges.
- If no probable cause is found, the vehicle will be released without fees.
- Any fees already paid will be promptly refunded.
- Outcomes:
- Final Hearing 0 At the final hearing, the hearing officer will determine whether the City has established, by clear and convincing evidence, that § 20-122 of the St. Petersburg City Code was violated. A request for a final hearing must be received within fifteen (15) days of receipt of this Notice. Untimely requests will not be considered.
- A $50.00 hearing fee is required and must be paid at the time the final hearing is requested.
- The hearing will be held within fifteen (15) business days of a timely request.
- You will be notified by hand delivery or certified mail of the date, time, and location.
- Outcomes:
- If the City fails to meet its burden or an ordinance exception applies, the vehicle will be released and all fees refunded.
HOW TO REQUEST A HEARING
Requests for a preliminary hearing and/or final hearing must be made in person at:
St. Petersburg Police Department
Information Desk
130-1 First Avenue North
St. Petersburg, Florida 33705
What is the Final Hearing Request Regarding the City Ordinance Violation in St. Petersburg, FL?
The Final Hearing Request Regarding the city ordinance violation in St. Petersburg, FL, provides:
ST. PETERSBURG POLICE DEPARTMENT
FINAL HEARING REQUEST / WAIVER
Report Number: 25-036553
Date: 10/25/2025
INSTRUCTIONS
Initial Items 1 and 2 (A or B):
OPTION 1 — WAIVER OF FINAL HEARING
☐ (Initial here) _________
I have paid the administrative civil penalty / cash bond and acknowledge that my vehicle will be released to me upon payment of any towing and storage charges at the impound lot.
I do not wish to contest the impoundment of my vehicle.
By exercising this option, I understand that if I am found “not guilty” by a judge or jury of the underlying criminal charge, I may choose to request a refund of the $500 administrative civil penalty / cash bond paid for the release of my vehicle.
OPTION 2 — REQUEST FOR FINAL HEARING
☐ (Initial here) _________
I wish to request a final hearing to contest the impoundment of my vehicle and have paid the $50.00 final hearing fee.
I understand that I will be notified by the City, via hand delivery or certified mail (return receipt requested), of the final hearing date. The hearing will be held no later than fifteen (15) business days after receipt of this request.
I understand that by requesting an administrative hearing, a hearing master will make a final determination on the validity of the vehicle impoundment under City Ordinance § 20-122.
As such, if I am later found “not guilty” of the underlying criminal charge, I will be unable to request a refund of the $500 administrative civil penalty.
VEHICLE OWNER INFORMATION
Phone Number: _______________________________
FOR OFFICIAL USE
Information Desk Personnel: _______________________________
SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS
After completion, immediately return this form to the Legal Division.
What Happens at the Final Hearing?
After you demand the final hearing, you will receive a notice of hearing from an attorney with the City of St. Petersburg. The notice provides:
YOU WILL PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a hearing on Petitioner’s Request for an Impound Appeal Hearing pursuant to St. Petersburg City Ordinance Section 20-122 has been scheduled in this cause for [date at time], before a hearing master at the St. Petersburg City Hall, Community Resource Room, 175 5th Street North, St. Petersburg, Fl 33701.
At the final hearing, the hearing officer will determine whether the City of St. Petersburg can establish by clear and convincing evidence that City Ordinance Section 20-122 was violated.
If the hearing master determines the City of St. Petersburg has not established its case by clear and convincing evidence, or that an exception as provided in the Ordinance exists, the vehicle shall be released and any cash bond posted shall be returned to the vehicle owner.
Requesting the Formal Hearing for the City Ordinance Violation
To contest the alleged violation, you must request a final hearing within fifteen (15) days of receipt of the Notice of Vehicle Impoundment. You will also be served with form SPPD 04-048 (rev 10/05/2017) entitled “instructions for retrieving impounded vehicles and requesting a hearing.”
As explained in the instructions, the request for the final hearing must be received by the St. Petersburg Police Department within fifteen (15) days of the deadline to be considered timely. If your request is not received within that fifteen (15) day period, it will be denied as untimely.
Additionally, you must pay a $50.00 hearing fee at the time the final hearing is requested. The fee must be paid in cash or with a certified check or money order payable to the “City of St. Petersburg.”
After the request is received, the attorney with the St. Petersburg Police Department must schedule the hearing to be held within fifteen (15) days of a timely request. You will be notified of the hearing’s time, date, and location by hand delivery or certified mail.
The request for the final hearing must be made via mail or hand delivery to the address in the notice.
St. Petersburg Police Department1300 First Avenue North
Attn: Legal Department
St. Petersburg, Florida 33705
At the preliminary hearing, the hearing officer will only determine whether probable cause existed for the impoundment of the vehicle. If the hearing master determines probable cause existed for the vehicle impoundment, then the hearing master will order the continued impoundment of the vehicle pending the payment of the $500.00, along with towing and storage charges.
If no probable cause is found, the vehicle shall be released to the owner without the imposition of fees. If such fees have been paid, they shall be promptly refunded to the owner.
What Happens if You Don’t Demand a Preliminary or Final Hearing
If you don’t demand a preliminary or final hearing, you can still reclaim your vehicle, but you must pay an administrative fee of $500.00 to the St. Petersburg Police Department Information Desk.
After you make the $500 payment, you will receive the written documentation required to release the vehicle at the impound lot. You must then pay the towing and storage charges to the towing company.
If you pay the administrative fee and the towing and storage charges without requesting either the preliminary or final hearing, you waive any hearing on the matter.
This article was last updated on Tuesday, February 3, 2026.
