Towed Car Help

Home / Oklahoma / Shawnee

Car towed in Shawnee

Shawnee is in Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma. 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 Shawnee, call the Shawnee Police non-emergency (option 1 for an officer) 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 72 hours, so call the police non-emergency line and ask where your car went.

OAC 595:25-5-7(b); 47 O.S. 954A(F)

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

What they can charge

Not published
Tow maximum not stated as a flat amount; see notes below
$23.94
Oklahoma (statewide, Corporation Commission nonconsensual tow rates) ceiling per day of storage

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.

Other Oklahoma (statewide, Corporation Commission nonconsensual tow rates) maximums
ChargeMaximum
Administrative fee$33.25
After-hours or gate fee$19.95
Drop fee (released before removal, under 10,000 lb)$99.75
Hookup, vehicle 8,000 lb or less (distance rates)$108.06
Distance rate per mile, 8,000 lb or less, 25 miles or less$4.99
Distance rate per mile, 8,000 lb or less, over 25 miles$4.16
Hourly rate, vehicle 8,000 lb or less (min 1.5 hours)$99.75
Ownership/lienholder check for private property impound$33.25
Lien notice processing fee (plus actual certified postage)$50.00
After-hours release, per quarter hour$19.95

There is no single flat tow price. A company bills either distance (hookup plus per-mile) or hourly, not both, so a typical short tow can be about $108 plus mileage, and fuel surcharge adjustments may apply. Companies may charge less than these maximums. See the official Oklahoma (statewide, Corporation Commission nonconsensual tow rates) rates (opens in a new tab).

Estimate your bill

What to bring

  • To get the car you need proof of ownership (title or registration), photo ID, and proof of insurance or a non-use affidavit. Someone else needs a notarized letter from you.
  • The Commission's FAQ says wrecker operators are not required to accept anything but cash. Ask what forms of payment are taken before you go. Call ahead to ask which types the lot takes.

Paperwork locked inside the car? You can get your personal property out of the car on request, and the company may not hold it for payment. No fee applies for this during normal business hours, but after-hours fees can apply.

OAC 595:25-5-3(11); OCC Q&A 62; 47 O.S. 955(E); OAC 595:25-5-3(12); OCC Q&A 58-60

Getting it back

  • During normal business hours the company must let you look at the car to identify it before release. Getting the title or registration papers from the car is allowed.
  • Inspect the car before you drive away, and photograph any damage.

Before you sign anything: Photograph the car and note any damage before you pay or drive away, and keep the signed inventory copy of the tow form that lists what was inside.

OAC 595:25-5-3(12),(18); 47 O.S. 954A(E),(F)

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. The Corporation Commission sets maximum rates for private-property (nonconsensual) tows and storage across the state, and a tow company may charge less but not more. Rates took effect June 1, 2024.
  3. File a complaint.
    • Oklahoma Corporation Commission, Nonconsensual Tow Rate Complaint
    • Department of Public Safety, Wrecker Services Division
  4. Go to court if needed. For a tow that was not legal (not a rate problem), contact the Department of Public Safety Wrecker Services Division at (405) 425-2312. Disputes about the lien or sale can also be taken to district court.
  5. Consider small claims or a chargeback. Oklahoma small claims court handles money claims and replevin of personal property up to $10,000, excluding attorney fees and costs. The plaintiff gives up a jury trial. If you paid by credit card and the charge was improper, you can dispute it with your card issuer under the Fair Credit Billing Act.

Deadlines to watch

Your car can be sold. A tow company with a lien can start sale proceedings 20 days after the lien arises. Notice of sale must be posted and mailed by certified mail at least 10 days before the sale.

The tow company must ask the state for the owner's name within 3 business days, then mail you a certified notice of where the car is within 7 days of getting it. If the company skips this notice, you do not owe storage charges.

Oklahoma deadlines, counted from the law

See the dates for your tow

Common questions

Where is my car if it was towed in Shawnee?

In Shawnee, call the Shawnee Police non-emergency (option 1 for an officer) 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 72 hours, so the police non-emergency line can usually tell you where the car is.

How much can a tow company charge in Shawnee?

Local maximum rates for private-property tows in Shawnee 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 Oklahoma?

A tow company with a lien can start sale proceedings 20 days after the lien arises. Notice of sale must be posted and mailed by certified mail at least 10 days before the sale.

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

Ask the tow company when storage charges begin.

Not verified yet for Shawnee

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

Sources

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