There’s a rule in California that says you can get your car back without paying any fees if you retrieve your vehicle within 24 hours or before it’s moved to a different lot. This is because if the impound lot does not have the proper paperwork (which seems to happen often) and they take more than 24 hours, then they are in violation of the law, which means you don’t have to pay them anything.

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If your car gets towed, here’s what to do.

Call immediately

The sooner you call, the better your chances of getting your car back without paying a fine or fee. If you wait too long, the towing company could claim they’ve already spent more time than they’re legally allowed to keep it and charge you a storage fee (which varies by area).

Gather documents

To get your car back without paying the tow fee, you’ll need to gather the following information:

• the car’s title
• proof of vehicle registration or paid license plates (if it hasn’t been registered yet, write down all of the information on the car’s application and take it with you)
• signed note from your insurance provider certifying that there are no outstanding fees owed to them; this letter must be dated within 30 days of when you’re visiting the DMV

Request a hearing

You can request a hearing by:

• Online, at [address]
• By phone. Call [phone number]
• In-person. Visit the DMV office at [location].
• By mail (if you are unable to use the other methods). Print and fill out the Request for Hearing by Mail form and send it to the Department of Motor Vehicle.

Go to a hearing

To get your car back, you will have to attend a hearing at the DMV. You will need to do this in person and bring all required documents. These include:

• Proof of ownership (such as the title or registration)
• Insurance information for both vehicles involved in the collision
• Proof that you carried $20k/$10k coverage on each car (this is required even if it’s a rental)

Contact the DMV

The first step in your journey to getting your car back without paying is finding out what the DMV has to say. You can do this by calling their main number. You can also use the website at dmv.ca.gov, which has a search function to look up your specific situation and find the appropriate form(s). 

Conclusion

If you’ve been the victim of a wrongful towing, your first step should be reclaiming your towed car. Don’t wait for the tow truck company to send you a bill and make threats about having your vehicle taken away or taking legal action against you if you don’t pay it.

If they threaten legal action, don’t just write them off as bullies. Instead, call up an attorney specializing in auto-towing cases and see if they can help eliminate the threat so that no one has to deal with any unpleasant consequences of this unfortunate situation.

Unfortunately, you won’t get your towed car back for free. You will still have to pay the tow company and other fees, but it’s much better than paying for a ticket as well.