Car towed in Lawrenceville

1Find who towed your car

No record of a tow anywhere? Report the car to police as possibly stolen.

2What they can charge

These rates may have changed since this schedule was published. Schedules are often updated once a year, so check the official source before relying on them.

These are statewide maximums for towing from private property. No storage charge for the first 24 hours or on days the lot is closed. A city may set lower caps but not higher. See the official Georgia (statewide, Department of Public Safety) rates (opens in a new tab).

Estimate your bill

3What to bring

• Expect to show a valid driver's license, your ignition key, proof of ownership such as title or registration, and payment.
• Companies must take cash, money orders, certified checks or cashier's checks. They may accept debit or credit cards, but if they do, they cannot add a fee for using one. Call ahead to ask which types the lot takes.

Paperwork locked inside the car? No Georgia law requires lot access, but DPS requires that an owner showing proof of ownership get at least one chance to retrieve personal items not attached to the vehicle.

DPS Rule 570-38-7-.18; DPS Rule 570-38-7-.18; Tariff No. 5; DPS NCT FAQ Q9-Q10

4Getting it back

• The tow company must keep an attendant at its office during normal business hours five days a week plus at least four hours on one more day, and an attendant reachable by phone 24 hours a day to release vehicles.
• DPS says no Georgia law requires a company to let you inspect the car before paying. Georgia law has no rule that bars a damage waiver either, so read anything you are asked to sign.
• Inspect the car before you drive away, and photograph any damage.

Before you sign anything: The release invoice must be signed by both you and the company attendant and list the property, charges and vehicle details. Write any damage on it before you sign.

DPS Rule 570-38-7-.17; DPS NCT FAQ Q9; DPS NCT FAQ Q16; DPS Rule 570-38-7-.19

5Was the tow legal?

Common problems with private tows in Georgia include missing tow-away signs, refusing to release the car when you came back before it left, storage charged in the first 24 hours, charges above the legal maximum, and refusing a payment type the law requires.

Check my towSale deadlinesEvidence checklistDispute letter

Tow-away sign rules in Georgia

These apply to private lots other than residential property with four or fewer units.

• Where: At each designated entrance, clearly visible from every parking space; 6 feet above grade if no designated entrance.
• Size: at least 12 by 18 inches.
• Must show: the tow and storage charges.
• Must show: a warning that unauthorized vehicles will be towed.
• Must show: the towing company's name.
• Must show: the towing company's phone number.

DPS Rule 570-38-7-.14; DPS NCT FAQ Q13 (opens in a new tab)

6How to dispute a tow

1. Collect evidence. Photograph the lot entrances and any signs, keep every receipt, and write down times and names.
2. Ask for an itemized invoice. For a car of 10,000 lb or less, the cap is $228 to tow and $33 per day for storage. These are statewide maximums for private-property tows under DPS Tariff No. 5.
3. File a complaint.
   • Georgia Department of Public Safety, Motor Carrier Compliance Division (Nonconsensual Towing)
     Website (opens in a new tab)
   • Georgia Attorney General Consumer Protection Division
     Website (opens in a new tab)
4. Go to court if needed. We did not find a Georgia bond procedure to release the car before a hearing. The usual route is to pay, keep every receipt, and file in magistrate court for claims up to $15,000.
5. Consider small claims or a chargeback. Georgia magistrate court hears civil claims up to $15,000 and you do not need a lawyer. The Georgia Magistrate Courts Council has a free forms generator on its site. If you paid by credit card, you can dispute the charge with your card issuer. For billing errors, your written dispute generally must reach the issuer within 60 days of the first bill showing the charge. Whether a tow charge qualifies is up to the issuer.

7Deadlines to watch

Georgia deadlines, counted from the law

• Abandoned-vehicle process required before sale after: 30 days (see the law for when the count starts). Tariff No. 5 Sec. 2.C.5; O.C.G.A. Title 40, Ch. 11 (opens in a new tab)

See the dates for your tow

Common questions

Not verified yet for Lawrenceville

We only publish details we could confirm from an official source. These are still missing, so ask the agencies above:

• Addresses and hours of the tow lots that hold police tows
• An official online lookup for towed cars
• City-specific documents needed to pick up a car
• Local rules for someone else picking up your car
• Local auction schedules for unclaimed cars

Other cities in Gwinnett County

• Duluth
• Mulberry
• Peachtree Corners
• Sugar Hill