Marshal Notification

A marshal notification is a warning letter sent to the registered vehicle owner by an NYC marshal before boot or tow enforcement action is taken. Marshals are required by law to send this notification to the address on file with the DMV, informing the owner that their vehicle has outstanding judgment debt and is subject to immobilization or removal.

The notification typically states the total judgment amount owed, lists the specific violations in judgment, and provides a deadline by which payment must be made to avoid enforcement action. However, the practical value of these notices is limited for fleet operators — they are mailed to the registered owner's address, which for leased vehicles may be the leasing company, not the current operator. By the time the notice is forwarded (if it is at all), the enforcement window may have already passed.

For fleet operators, relying on marshal notifications as your early warning system is risky. Notices can be delayed in the mail, sent to outdated addresses, or lost entirely. The only reliable way to know about approaching boot/tow risk is to proactively monitor judgment balances per vehicle. Clear Plates provides this monitoring automatically, giving you advance warning that no marshal letter can match.