Car towed in Kansas? Start here
Free steps to find your car, protect your deadlines and ask for your money back in Kansas.
We checked 7 Kansas towing rules against official sources. Each one has its citation, a link and the date we checked it.
1. Find your car
- Wichita Police FindMyCar (impounded vehicle search) (Wichita; Search by VIN or plate for cars impounded by Wichita police (data entry can take two hours). Private tows are not searchable. Records Section: (316) 268-4186.). Last checked .
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
- 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.
2. Know your deadline
Pay and reclaim before a Kansas tow-lien auction: 15 days, counted from date the notice of sale was mailed.
Official text: “is not paid within 15 days from the date of mailing, the vehicle and personal property will be sold at public auction”
We haven't checked how Kansas counts weekends and holidays, so the calculator never moves the date later. Treat it as the last day and act sooner if you can.
Source: K.S.A. 8-1104(b). Last checked .
Claim a car impounded by a public agency before it is advertised for auction (Kansas): 15 days, counted from date the certified-mail notice was mailed.
Official text: “does not claim such motor vehicle and pay the removal and storage charges incurred by such public agency on it within 15 days from the date of the mailing of the notice”
We haven't checked how Kansas counts weekends and holidays, so the calculator never moves the date later. Treat it as the last day and act sooner if you can.
Source: K.S.A. 8-1102(a)(2)(A). Last checked .
Free deadline calculator
Enter the date from your papers. The calculator only counts days; it doesn't say whether a deadline was met. The dates printed on your notices are the ones that count.
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 Kansas rules we checked are below.
Key towing rules in Kansas
If the tow company wants to sell the car
A tow company holding a car has a lien for its charges. If it knows the owner's name it must notify the owner within 15 days, and it may sell a car still held 30 days after the tow, after the required notices.
Official text: “within 15 days, notice shall be given to the owner that the vehicle is being held subject to satisfaction of the lien”
Source: K.S.A. 8-1103(a)(2). Last checked .
Before a lien sale, the seller must send the notice of sale by certified mail to the registered owner and lienholders. The notice says the car will be auctioned if the amount due is not paid within 15 days of mailing, and the auction must be advertised at least seven days ahead.
Official text: “Notice of an auction shall be published at least seven days prior to the scheduled auction.”
Source: K.S.A. 8-1104(b). Last checked .
Fees and caps
A city ordinance or county resolution that allows towing from private property must set the maximum towing and storage rates, give the owner access to belongings in the car for 48 hours after the tow, and require the tow company to report the car's location to local police within two hours.
Official text: “shall have access to personal property in such vehicle for 48 hours after such vehicle has been towed”
Source: K.S.A. 8-1103(c). Last checked .
Signs and permission to tow
A tow company may not tow a car to a place outside Kansas without consent from the driver or owner, the owner's motor club, or the insurance company handling a claim.
Official text: “A person providing towing services shall not tow a vehicle to a location outside of Kansas without the consent of either”
Source: K.S.A. 8-1103(d). Last checked .
Paying
To get back a car impounded by a public agency or under a city or county impound rule, the person shows proof of valid registration and ownership; the agency may also require payment of reasonable towing and storage costs.
Official text: “shall show proof of valid registration and ownership of the motor vehicle to the public agency before obtaining the motor vehicle”
Source: K.S.A. 8-1102(e). Last checked .
Getting money back
When towing, the tow company must give the driver (if present) written notice that a storage fee will be charged. If it does not, its lien for the storage fee is invalid.
Official text: “Failure to give such written notice shall invalidate any lien established for such storage fee.”
Source: K.S.A. 8-1103(b). Last checked .
Who regulates tow companies
Kansas law makes it unlawful to provide wrecker or towing service without a certificate of public service from the Kansas Corporation Commission.
Official text: “without first having obtained a certificate of public service from the state corporation commission”
Source: K.S.A. 66-1330. Last checked .
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