Car towed in Nebraska? Start here
Free steps to find your car, protect your deadlines and ask for your money back in Nebraska.
We checked 8 Nebraska towing rules against official sources. Each one has its citation, a link and the date we checked it.
1. Find your car
- Omaha Police: City of Omaha Vehicle Impound Lot (Omaha; Cars towed by order of Omaha Police or the Douglas County Sheriff. Lot at 7809 F Street, phone (402) 444-5782, Mon-Fri 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; online vehicle search and the fee-contest process are linked. Unclaimed cars are auctioned after at least 30 days.). 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
Claim a car towed from a restricted parking lot before it becomes subject to lien sale (Nebraska): 90 days, counted from date of the tow.
Official text: “which is not claimed by the owner within ninety days after towing, is subject to lien and disposition”
We haven't checked how Nebraska 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: Neb. Rev. Stat. § 60-2404. Last checked .
Claim an abandoned vehicle before auction when the notice says it will be sold (Nebraska): 5 days, counted from date the notice was mailed.
Official text: “it will be sold or will be offered at public auction after five days from the date such notice was mailed”
We haven't checked how Nebraska 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: Neb. Rev. Stat. § 60-1903(2). 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 Nebraska rules we checked are below.
Key towing rules in Nebraska
Hearings
Omaha impound lot only: impound fees must be paid before release. After paying, the owner can ask in person at the lot office for a Fee Waiver Request form to dispute the fees or the tow; the city page says review can take up to 30 days.
Official text: “you may request a Fee Waiver Request form to dispute our fees or the towing of your vehicle”
Source: City of Omaha Police Department, Omaha Impound Lot FAQ. Last checked .
If the tow company wants to sell the car
The tower must notify the owner and any lienholder by certified mail within 15 business days after the tow, including the daily storage fee. Without that notice, its lien is subordinate to the title lienholder and any disposal of the car is void.
Official text: “within fifteen business days after towing, notify any lienholder appearing on the certificate of title of the vehicle and the owner of the vehicle”
Source: Neb. Rev. Stat. § 60-2410(2)-(3). Last checked .
Signs and permission to tow
For towing from restricted parking lots, signs must be readily visible and state the parking purpose, the hours of restricted parking, and who to contact about a towed vehicle.
Official text: “state who to contact for information regarding a towed vehicle”
Source: Neb. Rev. Stat. § 60-2402. Last checked .
Anyone towing a car from a restricted lot must give the license plate number to local law enforcement within 24 hours, and the tower must take reasonable steps to confirm the person requesting the tow owns or rents the lot.
Official text: “shall notify the local law enforcement agency within twenty-four hours of the license number of the vehicle”
Source: Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 60-2403, 60-2409. Last checked .
Paying
The tower does not have full possession until the car is fully attached. If the owner or driver asks before then, the tower must disengage the towing equipment.
Official text: “disengage the towing apparatus at any time prior to taking full possession”
Source: Neb. Rev. Stat. § 60-2407. Last checked .
Getting money back
If a lot owner or tenant has a car towed that was not improperly parked, they must have it returned at no charge and are liable for reasonably foreseeable damages from loss of transportation. Towers and storers are liable for reasonably foreseeable damage during hookup, towing, and storage.
Official text: “shall cause the return of the vehicle to its owner or driver at no charge to such owner or driver”
Source: Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 60-2405, 60-2406. Last checked .
When the owner or driver gets the car back, the tower must give a written statement naming who had it towed, the legal authority for the tow, and the person's rights under the restricted-lot towing law.
Official text: “be given a written statement by the tower fully detailing”
Source: Neb. Rev. Stat. § 60-2408. Last checked .
No storage fees are charged to the registered owner for a car held by police for investigation unless the owner or driver is charged with a related crime; if charged but not convicted, the owner is entitled to a refund of storage fees.
Official text: “the registered owner shall be entitled to a refund of the storage fees”
Source: Neb. Rev. Stat. § 60-1903.01. Last checked .
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