Car towed in Pennsylvania? Start here

1. Find your car

• Philadelphia Parking Authority: towing and impoundment (vehicle search and phone 888-591-3636) (Philadelphia; PPA impounds). 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 Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania rules we checked are below.

Key towing rules in Pennsylvania

Hearings

• To dispute the parking tickets and fees after a PPA boot or tow, the owner has a hearing at the Bureau of Administrative Adjudication, 48 N. 8th Street; walk-in expedited hearings are held on weekdays and Saturday mornings.

  Official text: “you must have a hearing at the Bureau of Administrative Adjudication at 48 N 8th Street”

  Source: Philadelphia Parking Authority, booted and towed vehicles FAQ. Last checked October 5, 2026.

If the tow company wants to sell the car

• Cars impounded by the Philadelphia Parking Authority that are not claimed within 21 days are sold at an online public auction.

  Official text: “Vehicles that are not claimed within 21 days are sold at an online public auction.”

  Source: Philadelphia Parking Authority, towing and impoundment. Last checked October 5, 2026.

Fees and caps

• Starting December 17, 2026, a new state law covers tows from the scene of a motor-vehicle accident: tow companies must post their fees and hours, give an itemized written bill, and accept cash, a common credit card or an insurer's check. It does not cover tows from private parking lots.

  Official text: “To move, remove or recover a motor vehicle at the scene of a motor vehicle accident”

  Source: Act 46 of 2026 (SB 779), 18 Pa.C.S. § 7332. Last checked October 5, 2026.

• In Philadelphia, a tow from a private lot, private property or driveway of a vehicle under 11,000 pounds may cost no more than $175, plus $25 for each 24 hours of storage (prorated for part of a day). No one may charge any other fee, and the car may not be held for charges above these amounts. (Code text current through August 19, 2026.)

  Official text: “One hundred and seventy-five dollars ($175) for the towing of vehicles or combinations under 11,000 pounds”

  Source: Phila. Code § 9-605(11)(b). Last checked October 5, 2026.

• The Philadelphia Parking Authority lists its impound fees for vehicles under 11,000 pounds as a $175 tow ($225 for Live Stop impounds), $25 per 24 hours of storage plus 22.5% tax, and a $150 boot fee (fee table checked October 5, 2026).

  Official text: “Storage Fee: $25.00 plus 22.5% tax for every 24 hours”

  Source: Philadelphia Parking Authority, towing and impoundment fee table. Last checked October 5, 2026.

Signs and permission to tow

• In Philadelphia, a car may not be towed from a private lot, private property or driveway unless police or other law enforcement first ticketed it there (hospital premises are an exception). The tow company also needs the property owner's prior written permission and a sign at least 36 by 36 inches at the entry (18 by 18 at single-family homes).

  Official text: “No vehicle shall be hooked, towed, or handled in any manner under this subsection unless the vehicle has been ticketed”

  Source: Phila. Code § 9-605(11)(a), (d). Last checked October 5, 2026.

• Before a private-property tow in Philadelphia, the tow company must photograph the license plate, the violation and the posted sign, and must give the owner a free printed copy of the photos before taking payment.

  Official text: “the towing company shall provide, without charge, a printed copy of the photographs to the owner or agent of the owner”

  Source: Phila. Code § 9-605(11)(e). Last checked October 5, 2026.

Getting money back

• A person charged more than Philadelphia's maximum towing fees, or whose car was towed when the Code does not allow it, can sue the tow company for actual damages, $2,000 in exemplary damages, reasonable legal fees and court costs, and other relief.

  Official text: “Exemplary damages of two thousand dollars ($2,000)”

  Source: Phila. Code § 9-605(17). Last checked October 5, 2026.

Who regulates tow companies

• Private-lot tow signs in Philadelphia must say that towing complaints go to 311. The Philadelphia Parking Authority administers and enforces the City's towing law.

  Official text: “That towing related complaints shall be reported to 3-1-1.”

  Source: Phila. Code § 9-605(11)(a)(.7), (18). Last checked October 5, 2026.