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. If you send us a request, we pass it to independent providers who set their own prices and terms. See our disclosure.
Most city tows in San Francisco are handled through the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), and the bill can be steep. This hub explains what to know and links to our full San Francisco tow fee guide.
If SFMTA towed your car
An SFMTA tow comes with a tow fee and a separate administrative fee, and storage begins after a short free window. Picking up quickly is the simplest way to keep the bill down. Our San Francisco guide lists every current fee with its source, shows a typical total and explains how to get the car back.
Low-income and first-tow reductions
SFMTA offers lower fees for a first tow and reductions or waivers for eligible low-income owners and people experiencing homelessness. Check whether you qualify before you pay; the guide links to the SFMTA pages.
Contesting a tow
If you think the tow wasn’t justified, California law lets you request a post-storage hearing. Read our San Francisco guide for the local steps and our post-storage hearing guide for how the process works statewide.
Hills, garages and tight streets
Steep grades and garages with low clearance can change what kind of truck is needed. If your car is in a garage or on a hill, say so in your request so a provider can plan for it, and see our flatbed towing page.
Asking for a tow or roadside help in San Francisco
If you need a tow you are choosing yourself, rather than one ordered by police or a property owner, the price is set by the company you hire, not by a city schedule. Before you agree to anything in San Francisco, ask for the total in writing, including mileage, after-hours charges and any fee for dollies or winching, and decide where the car goes. Our tow truck cost guide explains each part of a quote and the tow cost calculator gives a ballpark range. If someone arrives at a breakdown or crash without being called, you don’t have to use them; see how to choose a tow company and avoid towing scams.
When you send a request, include the exact location (cross streets, freeway direction and nearest exit, or garage level), the year, make and model, whether the car rolls and steers, whether it is AWD or electric, and where you want it taken. Those details decide which truck a provider sends and make quotes easier to compare. If your car was towed rather than broken down, you don’t need a new tow: start with the steps above and our impound lot guide.
Not sure what kind of help to ask for? Our towing services pages explain flatbed towing, jump starts, lockouts and more.
San Francisco towing guides on TowCars.com
- San Francisco tow fees: getting your car back from SFMTA
- Post-storage hearings in California
- When police can tow your car in California
- California Move Over law
- Tow bill checker
Frequently asked questions
City tows are handled through SFMTA. Private-property tows are done by private companies under state rules.
SFMTA offers first-tow and low-income reductions. Our San Francisco guide explains who qualifies.
You can request a post-storage hearing. See our San Francisco guide and our California post-storage hearing guide.
No. TowCars.com is an independent referral service and isn’t affiliated with SFMTA. We pass private quote requests to independent providers.
Need a tow or roadside help in San Francisco? Tell us what happened and where, and we’ll pass your request to independent providers who serve the area.