If your car has just been towed in California, you have a short window to protect real money: you can retrieve your belongings and inspect the vehicle without paying anything, you must be given an itemized invoice and allowed to pay by credit card or cash, and if a public agency ordered the tow you have 10 days to request a hearing that can wipe out the entire bill. California towing laws, set out mainly in Vehicle Code sections 22651, 22658, 22651.07, and 22852, also cap certain fees and let you recover up to four times the charges in civil court when a towing company breaks the rules.
When a Tow Is Lawful in California
Two very different sets of rules apply depending on who ordered the tow.
When a peace officer or authorized parking enforcement employee orders the removal, Vehicle Code section 22651 lists more than two dozen situations that qualify. Common triggers include blocking a private driveway when the car can’t be moved to a nearby spot on the street, leaving a vehicle on a freeway with full access control for more than four hours when the driver can’t move it under its own power, registration tags expired more than six months, vehicles reported stolen, and cars parked in violation of posted street-cleaning signs.1California Legislative Information. California Code VEH 22651 – Authority to Remove Vehicles
When a property owner or manager orders the tow, Vehicle Code section 22658 sets stricter requirements than most drivers realize. The property must display a sign at every entrance at least 17 by 22 inches, with lettering at least one inch tall, that prohibits public parking, states vehicles will be towed at the owner’s expense, and lists the phone number for local traffic law enforcement plus the name and number of each towing company the property owner has a written agreement with.2California Legislative Information. California Code Vehicle Code 22658 – Authority to Remove Vehicles Missing any of those details can make the tow legally defective.
The property owner must also call local law enforcement within one hour of authorizing the tow. The towing company has its own overlapping duty once the vehicle is in transit: notify local law enforcement within 30 minutes or become civilly liable for three times the towing and storage charges. Waiting more than 60 minutes escalates the violation to a misdemeanor.3California Legislative Information. California Code VEH 22658 – Removal of Parked and Abandoned Vehicles
Drop Fees If You Catch the Truck
Walk up while the tow truck is still on the property and section 22658 works in your favor. The towing company must immediately and unconditionally release a vehicle that has not yet been removed and placed in transit. Refusing is a misdemeanor.2California Legislative Information. California Code Vehicle Code 22658 – Authority to Remove Vehicles
Release doesn’t always mean free. If the truck has already coupled to your vehicle using a hitch, dolly, or hydraulic lift, the company can charge a drop fee of up to one-half the regular towing rate. The full rate applies only after the vehicle has actually left the property and is in transit. If the truck hasn’t started connecting yet, no fee applies.3California Legislative Information. California Code VEH 22658 – Removal of Parked and Abandoned Vehicles Some operators try to charge the full tow rate on-site anyway. The four-times civil liability described further down is the remedy when that happens.
Your Rights at the Storage Lot
Vehicle Code section 22651.07 gives you several concrete rights at the storage facility, and none of them are conditioned on paying the bill first.
Belongings and Inspection
You can retrieve your personal property from the vehicle at no charge during normal business hours, defined as Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., excluding state holidays. You can also inspect the vehicle for free, and your insurance company can inspect it during business hours at no charge as well.4California Legislative Information. California Code VEH 22651.07 – Towed Vehicle Rights A facility that tries to hold your belongings hostage until you pay is violating the statute.
Itemized Invoice
Before collecting any money, the facility must hand you an itemized invoice showing the actual charges. It must include the date service started, the location where the tow originated, a vehicle description, dispatch and arrival times, and a detailed breakdown of each charge.4California Legislative Information. California Code VEH 22651.07 – Towed Vehicle Rights If the numbers on that invoice don’t match the amount being demanded, document it.
Cash or Credit Card
Storage facilities must accept cash or a valid bank credit card. Section 22658 makes this explicit: refusing a valid credit card is a misdemeanor carrying up to $2,500 in fines and three months in jail, plus civil liability of four times the towing and storage charges. The facility must also post a visible notice in its office stating that both cash and credit cards are accepted.2California Legislative Information. California Code Vehicle Code 22658 – Authority to Remove Vehicles “Cash only” at a storage lot is a violation.
The 10-Day Deadline for a Post-Storage Hearing
When a public agency orders your vehicle stored, that agency must mail or personally deliver a storage notice to you within 48 hours, excluding weekends and holidays. The notice must include the agency’s contact information, where the vehicle is stored, the reason for the tow, and a statement explaining your right to request a post-storage hearing.5California Legislative Information. California Code Vehicle Code 22852 – Post-Storage Hearing
You have 10 days from the date on the notice to request the hearing, in person, in writing, or by phone. The hearing must then be held within 48 hours, excluding weekends and holidays, and the hearing officer cannot be the same person who ordered the tow. If the hearing finds no reasonable grounds for the storage, the agency that ordered the tow pays the entire towing and storage bill.5California Legislative Information. California Code Vehicle Code 22852 – Post-Storage Hearing Miss the 10-day window and you waive the right entirely. Mark the deadline the moment the notice arrives.
Getting the Vehicle Back
To pick up a towed vehicle you generally need proof of current registration, valid identification, and payment of all applicable fees. If the tow was related to a licensing violation, expect to show proof of a valid driver’s license before the vehicle will be released. During the first 72 hours of storage you cannot be charged a lien fee on top of the towing and storage charges.4California Legislative Information. California Code VEH 22651.07 – Towed Vehicle Rights
If someone other than the registered owner is picking up the vehicle, most facilities require written authorization or a power of attorney from the owner. Business vehicles typically need a corporate authorization letter with proof that the person signing has authority to act for the company. Storage fees accrue daily and can exceed the value of the vehicle within a few weeks, so moving fast matters.
If You Can’t Retrieve the Vehicle Right Away
If the car sits unclaimed, the towing company can eventually sell it through a lien sale to recover unpaid charges. Under Civil Code section 3068, the lien arises when the vehicle is transported. From that point, the company must begin lien sale proceedings within 15 days for vehicles valued under $4,000 that were impounded by a public agency or towed from private property, and 30 days for other vehicles. Miss those windows and the lien becomes invalid.6California DMV. 18.065 Liens CCC 3068 Through 3074
Before conducting the sale, the lienholder must notify the legal owner. The legal owner or lessor can also demand a written copy of the work order, the invoice, and authorization from the registered owner. If the lienholder doesn’t produce those documents within 10 days of a written demand, the lien is extinguished and no sale can go forward.7California Legislative Information. California Code Civil Code CIV 3068 Even if paying today is impossible, procedure gives you tools to challenge or delay a sale.
If the Tow Damaged Your Vehicle
Towing companies can be held liable for damage caused during transport or storage if it resulted from negligence or improper technique. Proof is the hard part, so documentation is your strongest move.
If you can, photograph your vehicle before the tow truck leaves. At the storage facility, use the free inspection guaranteed by section 22651.07 to examine the car carefully and photograph any new damage.4California Legislative Information. California Code VEH 22651.07 – Towed Vehicle Rights Get repair estimates and request the towing company’s liability insurance information in writing. If the company denies responsibility, options include a claim through your own comprehensive auto coverage or small claims court, with before-and-after photos and repair estimates as evidence. Review any paperwork you signed at the storage lot; liability waivers in those contracts generally do not protect companies against gross negligence or violations of the towing statutes.
Penalties You Can Pursue for an Illegal Tow
California layers criminal fines on top of civil multipliers, and both the property owner and the towing company can be on the hook.
A property owner or manager who orders a tow without meeting the signage, authorization, or notification requirements is liable for double the towing and storage charges to the vehicle owner. Failure to comply with certain exemption provisions is also an infraction carrying a $1,000 fine.2California Legislative Information. California Code Vehicle Code 22658 – Authority to Remove Vehicles
Penalties escalate for towing companies and storage operators:
- Knowingly charging an excessive towing, service, or storage rate is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $2,500, up to three months in county jail, or both. The vehicle owner can also recover four times the amount charged in a civil action.2California Legislative Information. California Code Vehicle Code 22658 – Authority to Remove Vehicles
- A storage facility that refuses a valid credit card or fails to post the required payment notice faces the same misdemeanor penalties plus civil liability of four times the towing and storage charges.2California Legislative Information. California Code Vehicle Code 22658 – Authority to Remove Vehicles
- A towing company that waits more than 30 minutes after leaving the property to notify law enforcement owes the vehicle owner three times the towing and storage charges, and waiting more than 60 minutes is a misdemeanor.3California Legislative Information. California Code VEH 22658 – Removal of Parked and Abandoned Vehicles
The four-times multiplier is the sharpest tool in the statute. On a $600 tow and storage bill, that’s $2,400 in civil liability on top of any criminal exposure. You don’t need a lawyer to pursue it in small claims court, and the math alone often prompts a facility to settle.