Car towed in Georgia? Start here

1. Find your car

• Atlanta Police: Find My Vehicle (search by tag or VIN) (Atlanta; vehicles impounded within the City of Atlanta). Last checked October 5, 2026.

If it isn't listed, call the police non-emergency number for the city or county where you parked. Ask whether the car was towed, by whom and where it was taken. We never charge to help you find your car.

What to do right now

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Write down what happened. Times, names, what people said, and any damage you notice.
7. 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.

2. Know your deadline

We haven't verified a Georgia deadline yet, so there is no calculator here. Look for dates on every notice or letter you get from the police, the tow lot or the DMV, and act before that date.

3. Get your money back

Common ways people ask for a refund:

• Ask the tow company in writing to refund any charge you think was wrong, and keep a copy.
• File a complaint with the agency that regulates tow companies, if there is one.
• If you paid by card, ask your card issuer how to dispute a charge.
• Ask for a hearing if your state has one (see the deadlines above), or file in small claims court.
• If you want advice about your own situation, talk to a lawyer or legal aid.

The Georgia rules we checked are below.

Key towing rules in Georgia

Fees and caps

• Georgia's maximum for a private-property tow of a vehicle of 10,000 pounds or less is $228 (Maximum Rate Tariff No. 5, in effect since June 17, 2024).

  Official text: “Not to exceed $228.00”

  Source: Ga. DPS Maximum Rate Tariff No. 5, § 2.A.1. Last checked October 5, 2026.

• Storage is free for the first 24 hours after the car is removed, and on any day the lot is closed. After that it may not be more than $33 a day for vehicles of 10,000 pounds or less.

  Official text: “Storage for the first 24 hours, beginning at the time the vehicle is removed from the property”

  Source: Ga. DPS Maximum Rate Tariff No. 5, § 2.B. Last checked October 5, 2026.

• If your car is already hooked but has not left the property and you remove it right away, the "operator fee" may not be more than $130.

  Official text: “Not to exceed $130.00”

  Source: Ga. DPS Maximum Rate Tariff No. 5, § 2.C.1. Last checked October 5, 2026.

• Notification fees may not total more than $91.

  Official text: “SHALL NOT EXCEED a maximum total Notification Fee of $91.00, cumulatively.”

  Source: Ga. DPS Maximum Rate Tariff No. 5, § 2.C. Last checked October 5, 2026.

• If the car has not yet been hooked and you remove it right away, the tow company may not tow it and may not charge any fee.

  Official text: “shall not tow the vehicle away and shall not charge any fee”

  Source: Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 570-38-7-.16. Last checked October 5, 2026.

Signs and permission to tow

• The tariff rates may be charged only if the property posts signs that meet the state rule: at least 12 by 18 inches, letters at least 3/4 inch, within 50 feet of each entrance, listing the tow company, its contact information, fees and hours. (Homes with 4 or fewer units are exempt.)

  Official text: “a minimum of 12 inches by 18 inches with a minimum of 3/4 inch lettering”

  Source: Ga. DPS Tariff No. 5, § 1; Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 570-38-7-.14. Last checked October 5, 2026.

• The tow company must get an original written tow authorization, dated and signed on the date of the tow, from the property owner or its agent.

  Official text: “must receive an original written tow authorization or tow bill dated and signed on the date of the tow”

  Source: Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 570-38-7-.15. Last checked October 5, 2026.

Who regulates tow companies

• Complaints about overcharges on nonconsensual tows go to the Georgia Department of Public Safety, (404) 624-7242. Georgia has no statewide limit on police-initiated tows from public property.

  Source: Georgia Attorney General, Consumer Protection Division. Last checked October 5, 2026.