Car towed in New Mexico? Start here

1. Find your car

We don't have an official towed-car lookup for New Mexico on our list yet.

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 New Mexico 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 New Mexico rules we checked are below.

Key towing rules in New Mexico

If the tow company wants to sell the car

• The towing service must request owner and lienholder information within 3 business days after getting the car, and mail notice (MVD Form 10058) by certified mail within 2 business days of receiving it. If it misses either step, it may not collect any storage charges or liens for an unclaimed vehicle.

  Official text: “A towing service shall not collect any charges or liens for storage of an unclaimed motor vehicle if it fails to either”

  Source: 18.3.12.26 NMAC. Last checked October 5, 2026.

Fees and caps

• Towing services that do nonconsensual tows are tariffed carriers: a request to raise rates must include a side-by-side comparison of proposed and current tariff rates plus financial statements.

  Official text: “a towing service providing non-consensual tows, that proposes to increase rates shall include”

  Source: 18.3.6 NMAC. Last checked October 5, 2026.

Signs and permission to tow

• For a trespass tow from private property, the towing service needs prior written authorization signed by the property owner, lessee, or agent, and must photograph the vehicle's position before towing. At commercial property or apartments, there must be visible tow signs stating the exact restricted hours, and the tow company must photograph the signs.

  Official text: “the towing service shall take a digital photograph or photographs of the motor vehicle showing its position on the private property”

  Source: 18.3.12.14(A)(4) NMAC. Last checked October 5, 2026.

Paying

• Unless police ordered a hold, the owner, agent, or lienholder may inspect the car and remove proof of ownership and personal property free during normal business hours. Towing services must accept cash and also either credit card or check, and post which forms of payment they accept.

  Official text: “Towing services shall accept payment in cash.”

  Source: 18.3.12.24(B), (D) NMAC. Last checked October 5, 2026.

Who regulates tow companies

• Since July 1, 2024, the New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) issues the rules for towing services that do nonconsensual tows (18.3.12 NMAC). Rates for nonconsensual tows come from each towing service's tariff filed with NMDOT.

  Official text: “This rule applies to all towing services providing non-consensual tows and all repossession services using towing equipment”

  Source: 18.3.12.1-.2 NMAC. Last checked October 5, 2026.

• If an owner disputes towing or storage charges or believes the tow was illegal, the towing service must give a written statement with the name, address, and phone number of NMDOT's consumer relations division, saying a complaint may be filed with the department.

  Official text: “the towing service shall furnish to the disputant a written statement containing the name, address, and telephone number of the consumer relations division of the department”

  Source: 18.3.12.24(C) NMAC. Last checked October 5, 2026.