Car towed? Start here
Free help for every U.S. state and DC. No login. Plain steps, official links and, where we have checked the law, your state's towing rules and deadlines, each with its official source.
Three steps
- Find your car. Use your city's or state's official lookup, or call the police non-emergency number. We never charge to help you find your car.
- Know your deadline. Many states give a short window to ask for a hearing or to object to a sale of the car. In the states we have checked, some are as short as 3 days. Where we have verified the rule, our free calculator counts the days for you.
- Get your money back. Ask for an itemized bill, compare it with your state's or city's limits, and learn the ways people ask for a refund: a letter to the company, a complaint to the agency that regulates it, a hearing, or small claims court.
Our full city tools
- Austin, Texas (Towed in Austin)Checks what the law required, finds your deadlines and makes your letters. Free.
- Dallas–Fort Worth, Texas (Towed in DFW)Checks what the law required, finds your deadlines and makes your letters. Free.
- Houston, Texas (Towed in Houston)Checks what the law required, finds your deadlines and makes your letters. Free.
- Los Angeles, California (Towed in LA)Checks what the law required, finds your deadlines and makes your letters. Free.
- Riverside, California (Towed in Riverside)Checks what the law required, finds your deadlines and makes your letters. Free.
- Sacramento, California (Towed in Sacramento)Checks what the law required, finds your deadlines and makes your letters. Free.
- San Antonio, Texas (Towed in San Antonio)Checks what the law required, finds your deadlines and makes your letters. Free.
- San Diego, California (Towed in San Diego)Checks what the law required, finds your deadlines and makes your letters. Free.
- Seattle, Washington (Towed in Seattle)Shows the Washington and Seattle towing rules, counts your deadlines, and gives you forms that you choose and fill in yourself.
- San Francisco, California (Towed in San Francisco)Checks what the law required, finds your deadlines and makes your letters. Free.
- San Jose, California (Towed in San Jose)Checks what the law required, finds your deadlines and makes your letters. Free.
What to do right now
- Make sure it was towed, not stolen. Use an official lookup if there is one, or call the police non-emergency number for the place where you parked. Ask who towed it, where it is, and the lot's hours.
- Take photos now. The spot where you parked, every sign at the entrances (or the lack of one), curb paint and meters. When you get the car back, photograph all sides, the inside and the odometer before you leave the lot.
- Get the paperwork. Keep every notice, receipt and letter, and the envelope it came in. Ask for a copy of anything that shows who asked for the tow.
- Ask for an itemized bill before you pay. Compare each charge with the posted rates and, where we list one, your state's or city's maximum.
- Pay by credit card if you can. A card payment leaves a record, and card issuers have a process for disputing charges. Ask for a receipt either way.
- Write down what happened. Times, names, what people said, and any damage you notice.
- Note every deadline. Look for dates on every paper you get. Some deadlines to ask for a hearing or to stop a sale are only days long, and storage charges usually grow every day.
This is general information to help you keep track. It is not legal advice, and it does not decide whether a tow or a charge was lawful.
Choose your state
We have checked towing rules for 51 of 51 states (counting DC) against official sources. The others show general steps and say plainly that we haven't checked that state's law yet.
- Alabama rules checked
- Alaska rules checked
- Arizona rules checked
- Arkansas rules checked
- California rules checked
- Colorado rules checked
- Connecticut rules checked
- Delaware rules checked
- District of Columbia rules checked
- Florida rules checked
- Georgia rules checked
- Hawaii rules checked
- Idaho rules checked
- Illinois rules checked
- Indiana rules checked
- Iowa rules checked
- Kansas rules checked
- Kentucky rules checked
- Louisiana rules checked
- Maine rules checked
- Maryland rules checked
- Massachusetts rules checked
- Michigan rules checked
- Minnesota rules checked
- Mississippi rules checked
- Missouri rules checked
- Montana rules checked
- Nebraska rules checked
- Nevada rules checked
- New Hampshire rules checked
- New Jersey rules checked
- New Mexico rules checked
- New York rules checked
- North Carolina rules checked
- North Dakota rules checked
- Ohio rules checked
- Oklahoma rules checked
- Oregon rules checked
- Pennsylvania rules checked
- Rhode Island rules checked
- South Carolina rules checked
- South Dakota rules checked
- Tennessee rules checked
- Texas rules checked
- Utah rules checked
- Vermont rules checked
- Virginia rules checked
- Washington rules checked
- West Virginia rules checked
- Wisconsin rules checked
- Wyoming rules checked
How we check
Every rule we show has its citation, a link to the official source and the date we last checked it. If we have not read it on an official source, we don't show it. If you see a mistake, email corrections@towedinla.org.