Car towed in Louisiana? Start here
Free steps to find your car, protect your deadlines and ask for your money back in Louisiana.
We checked 7 Louisiana towing rules against official sources. Each one has its citation, a link and the date we checked it.
1. Find your car
- City of New Orleans: find my towed vehicle ((504) 658-8100) (New Orleans; City tows only; by phone). 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
Ask for an administrative hearing (public-agency tows): 10 days, counted from date the owner notice was mailed.
Official text: “The owner of any vehicle that was stored by a public agency shall have the right to an administrative hearing ... within ten days of the date that the owner notification is mailed”
We haven't checked how Louisiana 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: La. R.S. 32:1727. Last checked .
Dispute a private-property boot (New Orleans): 10 days, counted from date the boot was placed.
Official text: “within ten calendar days of the boot being placed”
We haven't checked how Louisiana 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: City of New Orleans, Dispute a boot on private property. 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 Louisiana rules we checked are below.
Key towing rules in Louisiana
Hearings
If a public agency had your car stored, you have the right to an administrative hearing. Ask the agency that had the car towed within 10 days of the date the owner notice was mailed; the hearing is held within 3 business days of the request.
Official text: “within ten days of the date that the owner notification is mailed”
Source: La. R.S. 32:1727. Last checked .
In New Orleans, you can dispute a boot on private property within 10 calendar days of when it was placed, by emailing the City's complaint form with a $50 fee. If the boot was wrong, the booting company refunds the boot fee and the $50.
Official text: “within ten calendar days of the boot being placed”
Source: City of New Orleans, Dispute a boot on private property. Last checked .
Fees and caps
From August 1, 2026, a company doing nonconsensual tows from private property that is not available to release the car or your belongings may not charge storage for the day it was closed or unavailable (legal holidays and exempted hours set by State Police aside).
Official text: “vehicle shall not charge the requester a storage fee the day of the facility closure”
Source: La. R.S. 32:1734(G) (Act 768 of 2026, SB 431; eff. Aug. 1, 2026). Last checked .
Signs and permission to tow
From August 1, 2026, property owners who tow unauthorized cars must post signs approved by the State Police Towing and Recovery Unit at the property's entrances and exits, showing the tow company's name, address and phone number in letters at least 2 inches high. The tow company must make sure the property is marked before removing any car.
Official text: “name, address, and phone number of the towing company in lettering no less than”
Source: La. R.S. 32:1736(D) (Act 440 of 2026, HB 728; eff. Aug. 1, 2026). Last checked .
From August 1, 2026, the property owner and the tow company must have a dated, signed written contract that defines the parking rules and reasons for towing; a copy must be kept in the tow truck, and the contracts expire every year on June 13.
Official text: “agreements shall expire annually at 11:59 a.m. on June thirteenth of each year.”
Source: La. R.S. 32:1736(D)(2)-(3) (Act 440 of 2026). Last checked .
Getting money back
Anyone who does not follow Louisiana's towing and storage law forfeits all claims for towing and storage of the vehicle and is subject to an administrative fine.
Official text: “shall forfeit all claims for towing services and storage of such vehicles”
Source: La. R.S. 32:1724. Last checked .
If a tow operator charges more than the uniform fee set by the Public Service Commission, the owner can sue to recover the excess, storage costs, reasonable legal fees and court costs.
Official text: “shall have a right and cause of action to recover the amount of the excess fee”
Source: La. R.S. 32:1736 (re-lettered (E) by Act 440 of 2026, eff. Aug. 1, 2026). Last checked .
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