Was Your Vehicle Towed by a Law Enforcement Agency?
Were you involved in an accident or pulled over by a law enforcement officer? Was your vehicle towed by code enforcement? If so, you might be asking yourself, “Now what?”
Why was my vehicle towed?
Common reasons for towing:
- Involved in an accident.
- Vehicle left broken down on/near a public roadway.
- Law enforcement pulled over the vehicle. Infraction found and vehicle ordered to be towed.
- Code enforcement or government violation(s) resulting in tow.
My vehicle was towed by law enforcement. Now what?
Contact the law enforcement agency to find out which towing company they authorized to tow your vehicle. Call the towing company to find out what is needed to release your vehicle. The longer your vehicle is at the tow yard, the higher your cost to retrieve it will be.
Call the towing company ASAP and ask for the following information:
- Ask for the current price of the tow and how you can retrieve your vehicle.
- Ask if there is a law enforcement “hold” on your vehicle. If yes, you must work through the law enforcement / legal issues before you can retrieve the vehicle.
- Ask what information you need to bring with you to release the vehicle.
How do I get my vehicle back?
Go to the tow yard to retrieve your vehicle. You can pay with cash, Visa or Mastercard (Some companies also accept other forms of payment.)
Can I make a smaller payment to get my vehicle out?
No, the towing company is not required to offer payment plans for tows authorized by law enforcement.
Can I get my personal items out of the vehicle for free?
For a commercial tow, the towing company may assess up to the base tow fee (usually $239.88 for an average size vehicle, under 10,000 lbs.) to release personal property.
There are some “protected” items that must be released at no charge, including prescription medications, medical equipment/devices, child restraint systems (i.e., car seats), credit cards and cash (if it will be used for immediate payment of the tow), state/federal identification, and cellular telephones.
Who authorized my vehicle to be towed?
Law enforcement tows are typically authorized by a sheriff, deputy, state trooper, local police officer, CBI agent, Code Enforcement official, etc.
What happens if I don’t pay and pick up my vehicle?
The towing company will send a certified notice to the address shown on the vehicle title. If you do not pay and pick up the vehicle within 30-days, the towing company will take possession in accordance with Department of Revenue rules for abandoned vehicles. They will dispose of the vehicle to recoup their costs for the tow. If there is a law enforcement hold on the vehicle, the vehicle can be held until the legal issues are resolved.
If I have questions or concerns about a tow, who can I contact?
For a law enforcement ordered tow, you should always start with the law enforcement agency, since they are the entity that authorized the tow. They will have the most detailed information about WHY the vehicle was towed.
If you want to know about prices or other general questions, please contact the PUC’s Consumer Affairs staff at 303-894-2070 option #2 or file your complaint here.
Your vehicle may be subject to these fees
- $273.57 per hour/truck for </= 10,000 lbs vehicle. This is known as the base fee. They can charge per truck/driver and for recovery equipment and labor + up to an additional 25% of actual and reasonable costs.
- $46.08 per day storage (or any portion of a day) </= 10,000 lbs
- A fuel surcharge (View the latest fuel surcharge)
- $150 fee when a certified notification letter is mailed to the registered title/lien holder(s).
- $101.40 after hours fee may apply if the vehicle is retrieved before 8 AM or after 5PM, Monday through Friday, or anytime on a weekend or holiday.
- Companies may also collect a surcharge if a credit card is used for payment.
* When your vehicle is held at a law enforcement operated tow yard, they may set their own charges.