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Your rights after a tow in New York

New York law sets rules for towing from private property, such as apartment complexes and store lots. Counties and cities set the maximum rates. Here is what the law says, in plain English.

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Tow-away signs

Outside New York City, a lot with room for 5 or more cars must post a clear notice listing the lot operator's name, address and phone, the same for the tow company, and a statement that unauthorized vehicles will be towed at the owner's expense. N.Y. Gen. Bus. Law 399-v(1)-(2) (opens in a new tab)
The state law says the notice must be displayed prominently and conspicuously but sets no size, height or distance-from-the-entrance rule, and no hours-in-advance rule. N.Y. Gen. Bus. Law 399-v(2) (opens in a new tab)
A lot owner or operator may not tow, or authorize a tow, unless the required notice is posted. If you are towed from a lot without it, you can sue for your actual damages or $150, whichever is greater, and the court can award attorney's fees and, for willful violations, more (up to three times actual damages, capped at $1,000). N.Y. Gen. Bus. Law 399-v(3), (6) (opens in a new tab)
The state sign rule does not apply in cities of one million or more (New York City). In NYC, the lot must post a sign with the tow company's name, address and phone, its hours for getting cars back, its towing and storage fees, and the hours when parking is prohibited and cars will be towed. N.Y. Gen. Bus. Law 399-v(5); N.Y.C. Admin. Code 19-169.1(b) (opens in a new tab)

If you get back before the tow leaves

In New York City, if you arrive after the car is hooked up but before it is removed, the driver must unhook it and let you drive away. The fee can be no more than half the tow charge ($62.50) and you must get a receipt. The drivers must carry a copy of this rule. Outside NYC, no statewide drop-fee rule was found. N.Y.C. Admin. Code 19-169.1(g) (opens in a new tab)
In New York City, a car cannot be towed from private property if anyone is sitting in it. N.Y.C. Admin. Code 19-169.1(d) (opens in a new tab)

Where your car can be taken and who must be told

In New York City, the car must go straight to the tow company's own secure storage lot inside the city and no more than 10 miles from where it was towed. If none qualifies, it goes to the closest licensed lot in the city. New York State has no distance rule for private-property tows. N.Y.C. Admin. Code 19-169.1(e) (opens in a new tab)
Statewide, a towing company that removes a car from private property at the owner's request, without your written consent, must notify the local police station right away with the car's description and the time it was removed. N.Y. Veh. & Traf. Law 1210(c) (opens in a new tab)
In New York City, the tow company must call the local police precinct within 30 minutes after the car arrives at its lot and give the precinct the storage location, removal time and the name of who authorized the tow. A separate city rule requires a report within 2 hours of any tow. N.Y.C. Admin. Code 19-169.1(f), 20-528 (opens in a new tab)

Getting your car back

In New York City, you can inspect the car before accepting it back. The company cannot require you to sign away damage claims, and it must give you a detailed signed receipt showing its legal name when you pay. N.Y.C. Admin. Code 19-169.1(h) (opens in a new tab)
In New York City, licensed tow companies must accept payment by credit card in person, so you do not have to pay cash. No statewide card-acceptance rule was found. N.Y.C. Admin. Code 20-527 (opens in a new tab)
New York State lets cities and towns set the hours a tow company must be open to release cars, but sets none itself. NYC requires the sign to list the company's redemption hours. N.Y. Gen. Bus. Law 399-v(7)(iv); N.Y.C. Admin. Code 19-169.1(b) (opens in a new tab)

What they can charge

In New York City, a licensed company towing a car from a private lot under a contract with the owner may charge at most $125 for the tow plus the first three days of storage, then $15 per day. The charge is payable before the car is released. N.Y.C. Admin. Code 19-169.1(a); NYC DCWP rate caps (opens in a new tab)
New York State has no statewide cap on private-property tow or storage charges. State law lets cities and towns regulate what a tower may charge, require tow contracts, and set release hours. A bill for statewide caps (S7717-A/A8858) was still in committee in the Assembly as of its last recorded action on 2026-05-11 and was not law when checked. N.Y. Gen. Bus. Law 399-v(7); S7717-A/A8858 (2025-26) (opens in a new tab)
In New York City, a car may only be removed with express written permission from the property owner or its agent for that specific car, stating its location, make, model, color and plate number. Companies without a city tow license cannot charge for the tow or storage at all. N.Y.C. Admin. Code 19-169.1(a), (c) (opens in a new tab)
If a NYC tow violates these rules, you owe nothing for removal and storage, and the lot owner or tow company must refund what you paid and cover damage from the removal and storage. Fines start at $500. N.Y.C. Admin. Code 19-169.1(i)-(j) (opens in a new tab)

Storage liens and sale of your car

A garage or storage lot that tows and stores a car at the owner's request or with the owner's consent has a lien for its towing and storage charges and may hold the car until paid. If it gave you a written estimate, the lien cannot exceed that estimate. The certified-mail notice steps in this section apply to police-ordered tows. N.Y. Lien Law 184(1)-(2) (opens in a new tab)
Before selling a car to collect a lien, the lienor must serve you a written notice (certified and first-class mail) with an itemized claim and the sale time and place. The payment deadline in the notice cannot be sooner than 10 days after service. N.Y. Lien Law 201 (opens in a new tab)
The sale notice must tell you that you can start a court proceeding to challenge the lien or the amount within 10 days of service. N.Y. Lien Law 201, 201-a (opens in a new tab)
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. Fair Credit Billing Act (FTC guidance) (opens in a new tab)

Who enforces the rules

The state Attorney General can sue to stop violations of the parking-lot towing notice law and seek civil penalties of $50 to $1,000 per violation. Town attorneys and city law departments can enforce it too. N.Y. Gen. Bus. Law 399-v(4-a) (opens in a new tab)
In New York City, the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection licenses tow companies and takes complaints about overcharging or cash-only demands. Tow trucks must display the company name, phone and DCWP license medallion. NYC DCWP Towing Services Guide (opens in a new tab)
The state abandoned-vehicle law (a car left on someone else's property more than 96 hours without permission) governs what local authorities do with abandoned cars. It is not the rule that lets a lot tow your parked car. N.Y. Veh. & Traf. Law 1224 (opens in a new tab)

Where to complain

NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP). Licenses NYC tow companies and takes complaints about overcharges, cash-only demands and unlicensed towers. Keep your receipt and the truck's medallion number. File a complaint (opens in a new tab)
Local police precinct or 311 (New York City). To find where a car was taken, call 311 or the local precinct; the tow company must report each tow there.
New York State Attorney General. Can sue lots and tow companies that tow without the required notice and seek penalties of $50 to $1,000 per violation. Look up its consumer complaint form on the AG website.

Outside New York City, small claims in city courts and Nassau/Suffolk district courts are capped at $5,000, and town and village justice courts at $3,000. In the NYC Civil Court the limit is $10,000. Amounts exclude interest and costs.

Check your tow

Sources

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