Towed Car Help

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Car towed in Ballwin

Ballwin is in St. Louis County, Missouri. Here is how to find your car, what you can be charged, and what to do if the tow looks wrong. Last checked 2026-10-17.

Storage fees grow every day. Get your car back as soon as you can, even if you plan to dispute the tow. Pay, keep every receipt, and fight the charges afterward.

Find who towed your car

Street parking or a police tow

In Ballwin, call the Ballwin Police Department non-emergency line to find out whether your car was towed and which company has it.

Apartment, store, or private lot

Look for a tow-away sign at the lot entrance. It often shows the tow company's name and phone number.

No sign, or you can't find it? The company must report the tow to police within 2 hours, so call the police non-emergency line and ask where your car went.

RSMo 304.157.6

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

What they can charge

We have not verified local maximum rates for Ballwin yet. Ask the tow company for its rate sheet. It must give you one on request.

Estimate your bill

What to bring

  • The owner or the holder of a valid security interest can reclaim the car by proving ownership or the security interest and paying the reasonable towing and storage charges.
  • The storage lot must accept cash for towing and storage and keep enough money on site to make change. State law does not require it to accept credit or debit cards. Call ahead to ask which types the lot takes.

Paperwork locked inside the car? The company must either release your belongings or let you inspect the car and give you an itemized receipt of what is inside. It is strictly liable for the condition and safe return of those items. Prescription medication must be released on request.

RSMo 304.155.8; RSMo 304.158.7; RSMo 304.155.9

Getting it back

  • Inspect the car before you drive away, and photograph any damage.

Before you sign anything: The tow company is responsible for damage it causes during towing and storage, and for towing a car other than the one the property owner named. You can also recover damages from whoever caused the removal.

RSMo 304.158.2-3

How 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. Missouri sets no statewide maximum tow price for private-property tows. The sign at the lot must state the maximum fee for all towing and storage charges.
  3. File a complaint.
  4. Go to court if needed. If you think the tow was improper, you can file a petition in the associate circuit court in the county where the car is stored within 10 days of the company's notice. You can have the car released by posting a bond or other security equal to the towing and storage charges.
  5. Consider small claims or a chargeback. Missouri small claims court hears money claims up to $5,000, not counting interest or costs. You can also sue for the double or four-times damages the towing statute allows if the rules were broken. 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.

Deadlines to watch

Your car can be sold. If the car is unclaimed 30 days after the notice is mailed and you have not asked for a hearing, the company can apply to the state for title. A car may also be sold as scrap on a bill of sale once 30 days have passed since the notice.

After the state looks up the owner, the tow company must send a certified-mail notice with the storage lot's details, the reason for the tow and the charges owed. The notice must say you may reclaim the car during business hours, may request a hearing, and that title can transfer after 30 days.

Missouri deadlines, counted from the law

See the dates for your tow

Common questions

Where is my car if it was towed in Ballwin?

In Ballwin, call the Ballwin Police Department non-emergency line to find out whether your car was towed and which company has it. For a private tow, the tow company must report it to police within 2 hours, so the police non-emergency line can usually tell you where the car is.

How much can a tow company charge in Ballwin?

Local maximum rates for private-property tows in Ballwin are not verified on this site yet. Ask the tow company for its posted rate sheet, which it must give you on request.

How long before a towed car is sold in Missouri?

If the car is unclaimed 30 days after the notice is mailed and you have not asked for a hearing, the company can apply to the state for title. A car may also be sold as scrap on a bill of sale once 30 days have passed since the notice.

Do I pay storage if I get my car back quickly?

Ask the tow company when storage charges begin.

Not verified yet for Ballwin

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
  • Local maximum rates for private-property tows
  • 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 St. Louis County

Sources

Last checked 2026-10-17. These are the laws and official pages this page is based on.