Police impound cars after an accident for three main reasons: the vehicle is needed as evidence in a criminal investigation, no one at the scene can legally drive it away, or the wreck is blocking the road and has to be cleared. Which reason applies to your situation controls how fast you can get the car back, what you’ll pay, and whether a legal hold stands between you and the keys. The Supreme Court has recognized that police can remove vehicles that impede traffic or threaten public safety, and that same authority covers securing cars tied to suspected crimes.1Justia Law. South Dakota v. Opperman, 428 U.S. 364 (1976)
When the Car Is Evidence
If the crash involves suspected drunk driving, a hit-and-run, or a fatality where criminal charges are likely, the vehicle itself becomes part of the investigation. Police move it to a secure lot or forensic facility so investigators can pull data from the onboard event recorder, examine damage patterns, check for mechanical failures, or process the interior for biological evidence.
This is called a police hold, and it has to be lifted before you can reclaim the car — paying the towing and storage bill isn’t enough on its own. If no charges are filed once the investigation ends, the vehicle should be released. If charges are filed, the car can be held for the duration of the criminal case unless a court orders otherwise.
This is where impound costs get ugly. You don’t control the pace of the investigation, but the daily storage fees keep running. An attorney can file a motion asking the court to release your vehicle while the case continues, which is often the only way to stop the meter.
When No One at the Scene Can Legally Drive
Police will also tow the car when the driver isn’t legally qualified to operate it. The common triggers are driving on a suspended or revoked license, having no license at all, or lacking the required proof of insurance. If the driver is arrested at the scene for something unrelated, like an outstanding warrant, the result is the same.
The reasoning is practical. If no one present can lawfully drive the car away, it can’t sit on the roadway. Officers will sometimes let a licensed, insured person come get it, but that’s discretionary. If a qualified driver isn’t available in a reasonable amount of time, the car goes to the lot. These are often the most frustrating impoundments because the fees have nothing to do with the accident itself.
When the Car Has to Be Cleared from the Road
Sometimes the reason is purely about traffic. A car damaged badly enough that it can’t be driven is a hazard, and police will have it towed to reopen the lanes and prevent secondary crashes. The Supreme Court in South Dakota v. Opperman affirmed that this kind of routine impoundment is reasonable under the Fourth Amendment.1Justia Law. South Dakota v. Opperman, 428 U.S. 364 (1976)
A related situation: if you’re taken to the hospital by ambulance and can’t arrange for someone to move the car, police will have it towed to a secure lot. That protects your property from theft, vandalism, and further collision damage. The protection isn’t free, though. The storage clock starts the moment the car arrives at the lot.
What You’ll Pay
Impound fees come from three places, and they add up faster than most people expect:
- A towing fee, which is the base charge for the tow truck. For a standard passenger vehicle, expect roughly $100 to $300 or more depending on jurisdiction and vehicle size.
- A daily storage fee for every day the car sits on the lot, generally $20 to $75 per day, with urban areas on the higher end.
- An administrative or release fee that many jurisdictions tack on for processing the paperwork.
Because storage accrues daily, even a short delay turns a manageable bill into a serious one. Two weeks at $50 per day is $700 in storage alone, before towing and administrative charges. Under a police hold during an investigation, those fees can run into the thousands before you’re even allowed to pick the car up. Speed is the single biggest lever you have.
How to Get Your Car Back
Call the police department that responded to the accident. They’ll tell you which tow company has the car and where the impound lot is located. Some departments have a dedicated impound line or an online lookup.
Bring the following to the lot:
- Proof of ownership — the title or current registration.
- A valid photo ID.
- Current proof of insurance covering the vehicle.
- Payment for all fees: towing, storage, and any administrative charges.
If someone other than the registered owner is picking the car up, most lots require a signed authorization letter from the owner plus a copy of the owner’s ID. Requirements vary, so call ahead and confirm what the specific lot needs. Showing up short on paperwork costs you another day of storage.
Before you drive off, walk around the vehicle and photograph its condition. Towing and lot storage can produce scratches, dents, or broken mirrors, and documentation at pickup is what any later claim will rest on.
If you need essential items out of the car before you can pay the full release — medications, a child car seat, work tools, identification — many lots allow early retrieval of personal property. Policies vary, so call first. If the lot refuses, the impounding police department can sometimes authorize the release of personal items separately from the vehicle.
Challenging the Impoundment
An impoundment is a government seizure of your property, and the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment gives you the right to contest it.2Constitution Annotated. Amdt14.S1.5.4.2 Due Process Test in Mathews v. Eldridge The impounding agency has to provide notice to the owner and any lienholders, and there has to be a process for you to argue the impoundment was improper or that conditions on release aren’t justified.
How you ask for a hearing depends on where you are. Some cities use an administrative hearing process; others require a court filing. Request the hearing through the impounding agency as fast as you can, because storage fees keep accruing while you wait.
If You Walk Away From the Car
Ignoring an impounded car makes the problem worse, not smaller. Storage fees keep accruing whether you pick the vehicle up or not. After a set waiting period, most jurisdictions let the impound lot place a lien on the vehicle for unpaid charges and, once proper notice is given, sell it at public auction to recover what it’s owed.
If the sale brings in more than the total owed, the surplus generally has to be returned to the registered owner or lienholder who files a claim within a certain window. Miss the window and the money goes to the government. In many places, the original owner can still be held liable for any balance the sale didn’t cover. Abandoning a vehicle at the lot can mean losing the car and still owing money.
Will Insurance Help?
Sometimes, and partially. If another driver was at fault, their liability insurance may reimburse your towing and storage costs as part of a property damage claim. If you carry collision coverage, your own policy may cover towing and storage regardless of fault, after your deductible. Some policies include optional roadside assistance or towing coverage that offsets the initial tow.
Reimbursement takes time. Impound lots want payment up front before they’ll release the vehicle, so you’ll almost always pay out of pocket and submit receipts afterward. Don’t let a slow claims process delay pickup — every extra day of storage eats into whatever you recover. Save every receipt.
Inventory Searches
Once your car is on the lot, police will typically conduct an inventory search of its contents. The Supreme Court has recognized three purposes behind these searches: protecting your property while the car is in police custody, protecting the department against false claims of lost or stolen belongings, and protecting officers from hazards inside the vehicle.1Justia Law. South Dakota v. Opperman, 428 U.S. 364 (1976)
Practically, this matters: if officers find drugs, weapons, or other contraband during a lawful inventory search, that evidence is admissible. The search has to follow the department’s standard procedures and can’t be a pretext for a broader investigation, but the bar is lower than for a warrant-based search. If your car is impounded, assume everything inside will be catalogued.