How much does it cost to get your car back after a tow in America’s big cities? We compared the official 2026 maximum tow and storage rates that cities and states publish, and ranked them by what a driver would pay to get a standard car back 3 days later.
Disclaimer: TowCars.com is a nationwide towing information and referral service. We don’t tow, dispatch, or store vehicles, and we aren’t responsible for the work, prices, or conduct of any towing company. This report is information only, not legal advice. Rates can change; always check the official source. See our disclosure.
TowCars data report · 2026
Where getting towed costs the most
We pulled the official 2026 tow and storage rates published by city and state regulators and worked out what it costs to get a standard car back 3 days after a tow. Every number below links to its official source.
Key findings
- San Francisco is the most expensive big city to get your car back from a city tow: $885 after 3 days for a first-time tow ($317 tow, $233 storage and a $335 administrative fee).
- San Jose is close behind at $847, driven by the highest daily storage rate we found: $130 a day, plus a $122 police release fee.
- The cheapest city impound in our list is Columbus, Ohio, at $125, and Boston ($135) and Washington, DC ($140) are also far below the West Coast cities. In San Francisco, the same 3 days cost about 7 times as much as in Columbus.
- For private-property (non-consent) tows, Seattle has the highest legal maximum we found: $579.76 for a standard car after 3 days, including a mandatory $15 city fee. New York City has the lowest at $125, with 3 days of storage included.
- Storage is where bills grow. Daily storage ranges from $15 a day (Boston city lot) to $130 a day (San Jose). One extra storage day in San Jose ($130) costs more than Boston’s entire $90 tow fee.
- Four states we checked (California, Florida, New Jersey and Virginia) have no simple statewide dollar cap on the full bill, so what you pay depends on local rules.
Ranking 1: City impound costs in big cities
What it costs to get a standard car back from a police- or city-ordered tow if you pick it up 72 hours (3 days) after the tow. “Listed fixed fees” are flat charges the city lists for every release, such as administrative fees. Mileage, after-hours and other conditional fees are not included.
Tap a column heading to sort. On a phone, swipe the table sideways.
| How we got it | Official source | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $885 | $550 | $335 | $317 tow + storage ($69 first day + $82 × 2 days; first 4 hours free)$335 first-time administrative fee ($385 for repeat tows) | SFMTA: Towed Vehicles |
| 2 | San Jose, CA | $847 | $725 | $122 | $335 basic tow + $130/day × 3$122 San Jose Police vehicle release fee | San Jose Police: Public Safety Fees |
| 3 | Los Angeles, CA | $424 | $424 | $0 | $220 first hour (card payment; $215 otherwise) + $68/day × 3None listed in the schedule. Mileage ($12/mile) not included. | LAPD Board of Police Commissioners: Official Police Garage rates eff. Jan. 1, 2026 (PDF) |
| 4 | Seattle, WA (north zone) | $407 | $407 | $0 | $297 tow + $22 per 12 hours after the first 12 hours (5 periods)South zone maximum is lower: $263 + $19 per 12 hours | Seattle: Max towing fees, police-authorized impounds |
| 5 | Chicago, IL | $400 | $400 | $0 | $250 tow + $50/day × 3Storage is capped at $1,500 in total | City of Chicago: Relocated / towed vehicle information |
| 6 | Nashville, TN | $355 | $345 | $10 | $225 tow + $40/day × 3$10 fuel charge on all tows | Nashville.gov: Police Vehicle Impound Section |
| 7 | Fort Worth, TX | $353.40 | $248.55 | $104.85 | $180 tow + $22.85/day × 3$32 admin + $22.85 impoundment + $50 notification (applied after 48 hours) | Fort Worth Police: Auto Pound |
| 8 | Miami-Dade County, FL (police tow) | $303.28 | $259.02 | $44.26 | $162.81 tow + $32.07 per 24 hours × 3 (after the first 6 hours)$44.26 administrative fee once the car has been held over 24 hours | Miami-Dade County: Maximum towing rates eff. Oct. 1, 2026 (PDF) |
| 9 | Houston, TX | $300.55 | $300.55 | $0 | $232 tow (first 20 miles) + $22.85/day × 3 (Texas storage-facility rate)None included; other state-regulated fees can apply | Houston Police: Towed Vehicles FAQ Texas TDLR: VSF fees and other charges |
| 10 | Philadelphia, PA | $266.88 | $266.88 | $0 | $175 tow + ($25 + 22.5% tax) per 24 hours × 3Vehicles under 11,000 lb | Philadelphia Parking Authority: Booted and Towed Vehicles |
| 11 | New York City, NY | $245 | $245 | $0 | $185 tow + $20 per night × 3No storage charge if you redeem the car the same day | NYPD: Towed Vehicles |
| 12 | Denver, CO | $180 | $180 | $0 | $120 tow + $20/day × 3Vehicles under 6,000 lb | Denver: Vehicle Impound |
| 13 | Washington, DC | $140 | $140 | $0 | $100 tow + $20/day after the first 24 hours (2 days)Storage starts only if the car is not picked up within 24 hours | DC DMV: Booted/Towed Vehicle Fees |
| 14 | Boston, MA | $135 | $135 | $0 | $90 tow + up to $15/day × 32.5% fee if paying by card | Boston.gov: How to get your towed car back |
| 15 | Columbus, OH | $125 | $125 | $0 | $125 tow$30 admin and $18 storage fees apply only after a certified notice is sent (not included) | City of Columbus: Impounded Vehicles |
Ranking 2: Legal maximums for private-property tows
When a car is towed from a private lot without the owner’s consent, many states and cities cap what the tow company can charge. This table shows the legal maximum for a standard car, towed and picked up after 3 days.
Tap a column heading to sort. On a phone, swipe the table sideways.
| How we got it | Official source | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | City | $579.76 | $306.88 first hour + $42.98 per 12 hours × 6+ $15 mandatory city impound fee | Seattle: Max towing fees, private property impounds |
| 2 | Colorado | State | $395.48 | $250.91 tow + $48.19/day × 3 | Colorado PUC: Towing rates |
| 3 | Chicago area, IL (ICC relocation tows) | State (ICC) | $373.20 | $238.20 tow + $45/day × 3No storage if the car is claimed within 24 hours | Illinois Commerce Commission: Relocator instructions with current rates (PDF) |
| 4 | Texas (statewide) | State | $340.55 | $272 tow + $22.85/day × 3Notification and impoundment fees can apply | Texas TDLR: Towing consumer information Texas TDLR: VSF fees and other charges |
| 5 | Utah | State | $337 | $211 tow + $42/day × 3 | UDOT: 2026 non-consent towing fee schedule (PDF) |
| 6 | Houston, TX | City | $300.55 | $232 tow + $22.85/day × 3 | City of Houston: 2026 tow rates (PDF) Texas TDLR: VSF fees |
| 7 | Portland, OR | City | $298 | $202 tow + $32 per 24 hours × 3Storage starts after a 4-hour grace period | Portland TRN-17.03: Private property impound fees |
| 8 | Georgia | State | $294 | $228 tow + $33/day × 2 (first 24 hours free) | Georgia DPS: Non-consensual towing maximum rate tariff No. 5 (PDF) |
| 9 | Massachusetts | State | $237 | $132 tow + $35/day × 3 | Mass. DPU: Involuntary/trespass towing rates |
| 10 | Miami-Dade County, FL | County | $227.80 | $145 tow + $27.60 per 24 hours × 3 | Miami-Dade County: Maximum towing rates eff. Oct. 1, 2026 (PDF) |
| 11 | Ohio | State | $210 | $144 tow + $22/day × 3 | Ohio Adm. Code 4901:2-24-03 |
| 12 | New York City, NY | City | $125 | $125 tow (includes the first 3 days of storage) | NYC DCWP: Towing |
Places with no simple statewide cap
- California: No statewide dollar cap. A private-property tow can't charge more than the local police tow rate or the CHP rate, whichever is greater. California Vehicle Code §22658
- Florida: No statewide dollar cap; counties and cities set maximum rates. Florida Statutes §715.07
- New Jersey: No fixed statewide dollar cap; fees must not be unreasonable, and towns may set their own schedules. N.J.A.C. 13:45A-31 (PDF)
- Virginia: The tow fee is capped at $210 for a standard car, but storage after the first free 24 hours isn't capped by a fixed state amount, so we can't compute a 3-day total. Code of Virginia §46.2-1233.1
Methodology
- Sources: only official rate schedules, statutes, regulations and city or state web pages. Each row links to the page or PDF we used. All were checked on October 26, 2026.
- Vehicle: a standard passenger car (light-duty, under the lightest weight class in each schedule).
- Scenario: the car is picked up 72 hours after the tow. Storage is counted the way each schedule says: per calendar day, per 24 hours, or per 12 hours, including any free first hours.
- Included: the base tow fee, storage, and (in Ranking 1) flat fees the city lists for every release, such as administrative or release fees. Fort Worth’s $50 notification fee is included because it applies after 48 hours.
- Not included: mileage, after-hours or weekend release fees, extra labor, dollies, winching, taxes (except Philadelphia’s storage tax, which the city lists with the rate), card fees and low-income discounts.
- Coverage: Ranking 1 covers large cities whose official sites publish their tow and storage fees. Cities that don’t publish a schedule online (for example Phoenix, where the rates are in a contract PDF we could not verify) are left out rather than estimated. Ranking 2 covers the states and cities where we found a published maximum.
- Rates change. Some schedules are updated every year. If you see a newer official rate, let us know and we will update the table.
Towed? Check your bill
If you were charged more than the published maximum, you may be entitled to a refund. Use our free tow bill checker to compare each charge with your local rules, find your car with our impound lot guide, or get a rough price with the tow cost calculator.
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Frequently asked questions
Which U.S. city is the most expensive place to get towed?
Among the large cities with published official rates we checked, San Francisco is the most expensive: about $885 to get a standard car back 3 days after a city-ordered tow, including the $335 first-time administrative fee (SFMTA, checked October 26, 2026).
Which state has the highest legal maximum for private-property tows?
Of the statewide caps we checked, Colorado's is the highest: $250.91 for the tow plus $48.19 a day for storage, or $395.48 after 3 days (Colorado PUC). Seattle's city maximum is higher still, at $579.76 after 3 days.
Are these the prices I will actually pay?
No. They are the legal maximums or official city fees for a standard car, for one scenario (picked up 72 hours after the tow). Mileage, after-hours release, extra labor, dollies and taxes can be added where the rules allow, and some charges are lower.
What should I do if my tow bill is higher than the legal maximum?
Ask for an itemized bill, pay to get the car out if you need it (write "paid under protest" where allowed), and compare each charge with your city's or state's schedule. Our free tow bill checker flags charges over the limit and tells you where to complain.
