The Cincinnati Police Impound Lot’s phone number is (513) 352-6370. The lot sits at 3425 Spring Grove Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45225, and staff can confirm whether your vehicle is there, tell you what to bring, and quote the total fees before you drive over. For access outside regular hours, call (513) 756-1212.1City of Cincinnati. Impound Unit FAQ
When Someone Will Answer
The lot’s hours shift by day:1City of Cincinnati. Impound Unit FAQ
- Monday through Thursday: 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM
- Friday: 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, and again 9:00 PM to 2:00 AM
- Saturday: 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM, and again 9:00 PM to 2:00 AM
- Sunday: 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
The lot closes on city-recognized holidays. After-hours retrievals through (513) 756-1212 carry an additional fee because employees have to be recalled to open the facility, as authorized under Ohio Revised Code Sections 4513.69 and 4921.25.1City of Cincinnati. Impound Unit FAQ
What to Bring
Have your license plate number or VIN ready when you call so staff can pull up the record. To release the vehicle, you’ll need:
- A valid photo ID (driver’s license or state ID).
- Proof of ownership: title, certificate of registration, or memorandum title.2Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 4513.61
- Proof of insurance on the vehicle.
- Valid plates and current registration stickers. If the plates aren’t current, the vehicle has to leave the lot on a tow truck rather than be driven off.1City of Cincinnati. Impound Unit FAQ
If Someone Else Is Picking It Up
The registered owner can send another person, but that person must bring a signed, notarized statement from the owner naming them specifically, along with their own valid photo ID.1City of Cincinnati. Impound Unit FAQ
Getting Belongings Out Without Releasing the Vehicle
If you can’t pay the full release right away but need items from inside the car, you can retrieve personal belongings during regular hours, or after hours by calling (513) 756-1212. After-hours fees apply to this too.1City of Cincinnati. Impound Unit FAQ
Fees and Payment
Expect two main charges at pickup:1City of Cincinnati. Impound Unit FAQ
- Towing fee: $190
- Daily storage: $25 per day, plus tax
Storage accrues from day one, so waiting adds up quickly. Ohio law also allows a $25 processing fee when the storage location conducted the records search and mailed you the required notice.2Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 4513.61
The lot takes cash and Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express. No checks. A credit card has to be in your name, and you’ll need matching photo ID. Payment is due in full before release.1City of Cincinnati. Impound Unit FAQ
Unpaid Parking Tickets
If parking citations triggered the tow, you have to clear those separately before the lot will release the car. The quickest route is Cincinnati’s online citation portal, where you can look up tickets by plate or VIN. Bring the receipt to the impound lot; the tow, storage, and processing fees are still owed on top.3City of Cincinnati. On Street Enforcement (Citations + Impoundment)
If You Think the Tow Was Wrong
You can dispute the tow, but you pay first. Claim forms are at the impound lot, and all towing and storage fees must be paid in full before a claim will be investigated. For parking-violation tows, the underlying citation is contested through the Office of Administrative Hearings, and a ruling in your favor triggers a reimbursement from the impound unit. For every other type of tow, the impound unit reviews whether the tow followed Cincinnati Police Department policy; if it did, no refund.1City of Cincinnati. Impound Unit FAQ Fees are not frozen while a claim is pending, so storage keeps building either way.
The Deadline You Can’t Miss
Under Ohio law, the police department has five business days from the tow to search records and send certified notice to the owner’s last known address. That notice gives you 10 days from the date it was sent to claim the vehicle. Miss the window and the vehicle can be declared a nuisance and disposed of.2Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 4513.61 Vehicles left in Cincinnati Police Department possession more than 45 days become eligible for public auction, and once auctioned the vehicle is gone for good.4City of Cincinnati. Property and Auto Auctions If you’re unsure whether your car was towed, call (513) 352-6370 today rather than waiting for a letter to arrive.