Towed Car Help

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Car towed in Philadelphia

Philadelphia is in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. 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 Philadelphia, call the Philadelphia Police Department non-emergency (Philly 311) to find out whether your car was towed and which company has it.

Apartment, store, or private lot

Read the tow-away sign at the lot entrance. It must show 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

$175.00
Most they can charge to tow a standard car from private property
$25.00
Most they can charge 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 Philadelphia (Phila. Code Sec. 9-605(11)(b)) maximums
ChargeMaximum
Tow, 11,000-17,000 lb$250.00
Storage per 24h, 11,000-17,000 lb$40.00
Tow, 17,000 lb and over$360.00
Storage per 24h, 17,000 lb and over$75.00

Neither the tow company, property owner nor anyone else may charge any other amount in connection with the tow and storage; storage prorated for part-days. See the official Philadelphia (Phila. Code Sec. 9-605(11)(b)) rates (opens in a new tab).

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. Pennsylvania's tow statutes read for this page do not describe a court hearing to get a car released. Magisterial district judges can hear money claims up to $12,000, which is the usual route to seek a refund for an overcharge or an unlawful tow.
  5. Consider small claims or a chargeback. Magisterial district judges hear civil claims up to $12,000, not counting interest and costs. 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. A car that is not reclaimed under the abandoned-vehicle chapter must be sold at public auction. Sale proceeds first repay the salvor's costs, and the rest goes to the state.

Common questions

Where is my car if it was towed in Philadelphia?

In Philadelphia, call the Philadelphia Police Department non-emergency (Philly 311) 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 Philadelphia?

For a standard passenger car towed from private property, the published maximum is $175.00 for the tow and $25.00 per day for storage, under Philadelphia (Phila. Code Sec. 9-605(11)(b)) rates. Other fees may apply; see the table on this page.

How long before a towed car is sold in Pennsylvania?

A car that is not reclaimed under the abandoned-vehicle chapter must be sold at public auction. Sale proceeds first repay the salvor's costs, and the rest goes to the state.

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

Ask the tow company when storage charges begin.

Not verified yet for Philadelphia

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
  • The effective date of the published rates
  • 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.