Colorado Towing Laws: Fees, Owner Rights, and Complaints

Colorado towing laws cap what a company can charge for a nonconsensual tow, require towers to hold a Public Utilities Commission permit, and give vehicle owners several concrete rights: a 24-hour posted-notice rule for residential parking areas, immediate release of essentials like medications and car seats, a 15% partial-payment option to get a car back after a residential tow, and the ability to file a free complaint with the PUC. As of March 15, 2026, the maximum base tow fee for a standard passenger vehicle is $250.91 and daily storage is capped at $48.19.

When a Company Can Tow Your Vehicle Without Consent

Colorado handles public-property and private-property tows under different statutes. On public property, C.R.S. 42-4-1803 lets a law enforcement officer order a tow when a vehicle appears abandoned or is obstructing a highway. The officer gives the operator written authorization listing the year, make, model, VIN, and where the vehicle will be stored.¹

Private-property tows fall under Part 21 of Article 4 and the PUC’s carrier rules. A property owner, lessee, or authorized agent may have an abandoned or unauthorized vehicle removed. Once the tow happens, storage fees stop accruing between the day of the tow and the day the owner-notification letter is actually sent, except for the first 24 hours. The operator also cannot charge more than $75 for that notice.²

The 24-Hour Notice Rule at Apartments and HOAs

A 2022 law, HB22-1314, bars homeowner associations, apartment complexes, and mobile home communities from towing a vehicle out of a common parking area unless they have posted written notice on the vehicle at least 24 hours in advance. If you find a notice on your windshield, you have a full day to move the car before it can legally go.³

The waiting period does not apply if a vehicle is blocking a fire lane, sitting in a handicap space without a permit, or creating an immediate safety hazard. The same law requires towing companies to display their maximum fees at their place of business and on their website, so you can look up rates before you argue about a bill.³

What a Towing Company Can Charge

The PUC sets maximum rates and adjusts them each year. For vehicles weighing 10,000 pounds or less, the caps effective March 15, 2026 are:

Base tow fee: $250.91
Daily storage: $48.19 per 24-hour period, or any part of a day

Heavier vehicles carry higher maximums.⁴ Storage adds up quickly. A car left for a week can run past $500 in storage on top of the base charge, so the first day matters.

On request, the company must provide an itemized bill showing each charge and the rate applied. It cannot bill you for services it did not perform.³

Drop Fees If You Catch Them in Time

If you reach your vehicle after it has been hooked up but before the tow truck leaves the property, you have the right to pay a reduced drop fee rather than the full tow. The operator has to stop and offer this option. For a standard passenger vehicle, the drop fee is capped at $79.40 and adjusted annually. If the operator fails to stop and tell you about the drop fee and acceptable payment methods, the company cannot charge or keep any money for that tow at all.⁵

Your Rights at the Storage Lot

Payment

Towing companies must accept cash and valid major credit cards. They cannot refuse a card or insist on cash to stall your vehicle’s release. Any credit card surcharge is capped at 2% of the transaction or the merchant’s actual processing cost, whichever is less.⁶

The 15% Partial-Payment Option After a Residential Tow

If your vehicle was towed from a residential property, you can get it back by paying only 15% of the total fees owed, up to a maximum of $60, and signing a payment agreement available on the PUC’s website. The rest of the balance is not due for at least 90 days. The towing company must comply and cannot invent extra conditions or approval steps.⁶

Retrieving Essentials Without Paying

You can pull certain essentials out of a towed vehicle without paying any fees. The regulation names these specifically:

Prescription medicines, medical equipment, and medical devices
Child restraint systems, meaning car seats
Credit cards and cash, so you can pay to release the vehicle itself
State or federal identification
Cell phones

During business hours, the company must release these on demand. Outside business hours, within the first 24 hours after the tow, they have to release them within one hour of being contacted.⁶

Filing a Complaint or Challenging a Tow

If you believe your vehicle was towed improperly or you were overcharged, the PUC takes consumer complaints through its online portal at no cost. Consumer Affairs reviews the complaint first and may request more information. Unresolved cases move to the PUC’s Transportation Investigations Unit, where an investigator reviews the materials, may do field research, and decides whether a violation happened.⁷

Before formal enforcement, the PUC can direct a carrier to release a vehicle at no charge or refund money already paid. If enforcement is warranted, the PUC can issue a warning letter or a Civil Penalty Assessment Notice, and serious cases can produce criminal charges. A carrier that disputes a penalty can push the case to an Administrative Law Judge.⁷

A PUC complaint does not block you from also suing in small claims court, which handles disputes up to $7,500. Photograph the parking area and any signage, save every receipt, and keep copies of texts, emails, or call logs with the company. Evidence is what carries a claim.

Extra Protection for Active-Duty Servicemembers

The federal Servicemembers Civil Relief Act adds a layer here. A person holding a storage lien on a servicemember’s property cannot foreclose or enforce that lien during the member’s period of military service or for 90 days after, without first getting a court order. That rule applies to towing companies holding vehicles and running up storage fees. A court can stay the proceedings or adjust the obligation.⁸

Violating this protection is a federal misdemeanor carrying up to a year in prison, a fine, or both. Servicemembers or their family can contact their installation’s legal assistance office or file a complaint with the Department of Justice.⁸

1
Justia. Colorado Revised Statutes Section 42-4-1803 – Abandonment of Motor Vehicles – Public Property
2
Colorado Public Law. Colorado Revised Statutes 42-4-2103 – Abandonment and Nonconsensual Towing of Motor Vehicles – Private Property
3
Colorado General Assembly. HB22-1314 Towing Carrier Nonconsensual Tows
4
Colorado Public Utilities Commission. Were You Towed From a Commercial Area – 2026 Rates
5
Colorado Secretary of State. 4 CCR 723-6 – Transportation Rules – Section 6511 Rates and Charges
6
Legal Information Institute (LII). 4 CCR 723-6-6512 – Release of Motor Vehicle and Personal Property
7
Colorado Public Utilities Commission. Towing – Consumer Info
8
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 50 U.S. Code 3958 – Enforcement of Storage Liens