Towed Car Help

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Car towed in Bismarck

Bismarck is in Burleigh County, North Dakota. 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 Bismarck, call the Bismarck 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, so call the police non-emergency line and ask where your car went.

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 Bismarck yet. Ask the tow company for its rate sheet. It must give you one on request.

Estimate your bill

What to bring

  • A government photo ID and proof you own the car, such as the registration or title.
  • Payment. Call ahead to ask which types the lot takes.

Getting it back

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

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. Ask the company for a written, itemized bill listing every charge.
  3. File a complaint.
  4. Go to court if needed. If you send the lienholder written notice that you challenge the amount, the quick ownership route is not available and the company must go to court to enforce the lien.
  5. Consider small claims or a chargeback. North Dakota small claims court handles money claims up to $15,000. There is no jury and the decision cannot be appealed. 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. The statutory notice for that kind of lien gives you 60 days from mailing to pay or to tell the company you challenge the amount. Whether this section applies to a tow yard holding a towed car was not confirmed.

A business that lawfully holds your property to store it or carry it can claim a lien for what you owe. To take ownership of it that way, it must mail a notice of intent to foreclose by registered or certified mail to the address you gave when the item was left.

North Dakota deadlines, counted from the law

  • Owner has to pay or challenge after notice mailed: 60 days after the tow company's notice, if text says it was not confirmed whether this applies to a tow yard. N.D.C.C. 35-20-11 (opens in a new tab)

See the dates for your tow

Common questions

Where is my car if it was towed in Bismarck?

In Bismarck, call the Bismarck 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, so the police non-emergency line can usually tell you where the car is.

How much can a tow company charge in Bismarck?

Local maximum rates for private-property tows in Bismarck 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 North Dakota?

The statutory notice for that kind of lien gives you 60 days from mailing to pay or to tell the company you challenge the amount. Whether this section applies to a tow yard holding a towed car was not confirmed.

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

Ask the tow company when storage charges begin.

Not verified yet for Bismarck

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

Sources

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