Quick answer: Under California Vehicle Code 14602.6, if a peace officer finds that someone was driving with a suspended or revoked license, driving without ever having been issued a license, or driving on a restricted license without a required ignition interlock device, the officer may have the car seized and impounded for 30 days. The car’s owner pays the towing and storage. There are specific situations where the car must be released early, and the owner can request a storage hearing that may consider mitigating circumstances.
The 30-day impound surprises many people because the car’s owner often was not the driver. A parent lends a car to a teenager, a friend borrows it, or an employee drives a work vehicle, and the owner ends up facing a month of storage. This guide from the TowCars team explains how the rule works and what owners in Los Angeles and across California can do. It is general information, not legal advice.
When a 30-day impound can happen
CVC 14602.6(a)(1) covers a driver who:
- was driving while their driving privilege was suspended or revoked,
- was driving with a privilege restricted under certain DUI-related sections (13352 or 23575) in a vehicle without a functioning, certified interlock device, or
- was driving without ever having been issued a driver’s license.
In those cases, the officer “may” arrest the driver and cause the removal and seizure of the vehicle. If the vehicle was involved in a collision, the officer can seize it without arresting the driver. The law then says a vehicle so impounded “shall be impounded for 30 days.”
Note the word “may.” The officer has discretion. Not every stop of an unlicensed driver ends in a 30-day impound, and some situations are handled under a different rule, CVC 22651(p), which allows a tow without the 30-day hold. In that case, release requires the owner’s or agent’s valid driver’s license and current registration, or a court order.
Notice to the owner and lender
If the car has a legal owner, such as a bank or finance company, the impounding agency must send a notice by certified mail within two working days. If it fails to do so, it cannot charge the legal owner for more than 15 days of impoundment when the legal owner redeems the vehicle.
The impounding agency must also maintain a published telephone number that gives information 24 hours a day about impounds and the owner’s right to request a hearing. It must be open to issue releases whenever it is open for nonemergency business.
Your right to a storage hearing
Subdivision (b) gives the registered and legal owners, or their agents, the opportunity for a storage hearing “to determine the validity of, or consider any mitigating circumstances attendant to, the storage,” following the process in CVC 22852. That means:
- request the hearing within 10 days of the date on the storage notice, in person, in writing or by phone, and
- the hearing should take place within 48 hours of the request, excluding weekends and holidays.
The “mitigating circumstances” language is important. It lets the hearing consider facts such as an owner who did not know the driver’s license was suspended. The outcome depends on the agency’s policies and the specific facts, so we cannot predict a result, but it is worth asking for the hearing and explaining your situation clearly. Our post-storage hearing guide covers how to prepare.
When the car must be released before 30 days
CVC 14602.6(d)(1) lists situations where the impounding agency shall release the car to the registered owner or their agent before 30 days:
- The vehicle is stolen.
- The vehicle is subject to bailment and was being driven by an unlicensed employee of a business, such as a parking service or repair garage. A common example is a car left with a valet or a mechanic.
- The driver’s license was suspended or revoked for an offense other than those in two specific articles of the Vehicle Code (Article 2 starting at section 13200 and Article 3 starting at section 13350). Which suspensions fall outside those articles is a technical question, so ask the agency or a lawyer to confirm.
- The vehicle was seized for an offense that does not authorize seizure under this section.
- The driver reinstates their license, or acquires a driver’s license and proper insurance.
Even when early release applies, subdivision (d)(2) says the car will not be released without the registered owner’s or agent’s currently valid driver’s license and proof of current registration, or a court order. So if the owner does not drive, they will need to send an agent who has a valid license.
Who pays
Subdivision (e) is clear that the registered owner or their agent is responsible for all towing and storage charges, plus any administrative charges authorized under CVC 22850.5. Subdivision (i) adds that even when a lender gets the car back, the registered owner, not the legal owner, remains responsible for those charges and for parking fines and penalties.
Storage over 30 days can be expensive. Our guide to storage fees per day and the tow bill checker can help you understand what is on the bill.
Payment rules at the storage yard
For vehicles stored under this section, subdivision (f)(2)(B) says the storage facility “shall accept a valid bank credit card or cash” from a legal or registered owner or their agent, and the card must be in the name of the person presenting it. A facility that refuses can be civilly liable for four times the fees, up to $500. Store-issued retail credit cards are not included. See our guide to tow company payment rules for more.
When the car is financed or leased
If a dealer, bank, credit union, or other lender holds a security interest, subdivision (f) lets the legal owner get the car back before 30 days if it pays the towing and storage fees and presents certain papers. The agency cannot require those papers to be notarized. But subdivision (g) says the lender cannot then hand the car back to the registered owner, or to the person listed as registered owner at the time of impound, until the 30-day period ends. Knowingly breaking that rule is a misdemeanor with a $2,000 fine.
For rental cars, subdivision (h) lets the rental company recover the car early if it pays the fees. The rental company may not rent another vehicle to the driver whose car was seized until 30 days after the seizure.
What to do, step by step
- Find out which section was used. Was it a 30-day hold under 14602.6, or a regular tow under 22651(p)? The release rules are different.
- Find the car. Use our impound lot finder or the Los Angeles towing guide.
- Request a storage hearing within 10 days. Explain any mitigating circumstances honestly and bring supporting papers.
- Check whether an early release category applies. For example, if the driver has now reinstated their license and has insurance, or if the car was with a valet or repair shop.
- Arrange a licensed driver to pick up the car. Bring the valid license, current registration, ID, and payment. Our impound lot guide has a full checklist.
- Get personal items if you need them. You may be able to retrieve personal property during the impound. See our guide on getting personal items from a towed car.
- Decide whether the car is worth it. For an older car, a month of storage can approach or exceed its value. Our repair or junk calculator may help, but do not simply abandon it, because the registered owner can still be liable for costs.
How to avoid a 30-day impound
- Before lending your car, ask to see the driver’s license and make sure it is valid.
- If your own license has been suspended, do not drive until it is reinstated. The California DMV explains license status and reinstatement on its official site at dmv.ca.gov.
- Businesses that handle customer cars, such as valets and repair shops, should confirm that employees who drive have valid licenses.
Key takeaways
- A 30-day impound under CVC 14602.6 targets unlicensed, suspended, revoked or interlock-restricted drivers, but the owner pays.
- Owners can request a storage hearing within 10 days, and it can consider mitigating circumstances.
- There are listed situations in which the car must be released early, including stolen cars and reinstated licenses.
- Release requires a currently valid license and current registration, so plan who will pick up the car.
Prepared by the TowCars team from the official text of the California Vehicle Code on leginfo.legislature.ca.gov. This is general information, not legal advice. A licensed California attorney can advise on your specific case.
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