Car towed in Kingsport

1Find who towed your car

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

2What they can charge

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

Estimate your bill

3What 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.

4Getting it back

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

5Was the tow legal?

Common problems with private tows in Tennessee include refusing to release the car when you came back before it left.

Check my towSale deadlinesEvidence checklistDispute letter

Tow-away sign rules in Tennessee

These apply to only lots licensed under a local ordinance.

• Where: At each designated entrance and visible from every parking space.
• Size: at least 36 by 24 inches.
• Lettering at least 2 inches tall.
• Must show: a warning that unauthorized vehicles will be towed.

Tenn. Code Ann. 55-31-203(b)(9) (opens in a new tab)

6How 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. A tow company may not charge more than the maximum approved by the Tennessee Highway Patrol district for the same service. The statute sets no single dollar schedule; ask the company for its filed rates.
3. File a complaint.
   • Tennessee Attorney General, Division of Consumer Affairs
     Website (opens in a new tab)
4. Consider small claims or a chargeback. Tennessee has no separate small claims court; civil claims up to the general sessions court limit (reported as $25,000) are heard there. That figure came from the assignment's notes and was not confirmed on a statute page. 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.

7Deadlines to watch

Tennessee deadlines, counted from the law

• Storage cannot be charged beyond: 21 days after the tow, if unless owner consents or company sent 10 days' advance notice by overnight carrier. Tenn. Code Ann. 55-31-402(a), 55-31-403 (opens in a new tab)
• Storage company must confirm the owner within: 3 business days after the tow. Tenn. Code Ann. 55-31-302(g)(1)-(2) (opens in a new tab)
• Storage limited to this many days if owner/notice deadlines are missed: 6 days after the tow, if company missed the owner-confirmation or notice deadlines. Tenn. Code Ann. 55-31-302(g)(1)-(2) (opens in a new tab)
• Notice gives owner this many days to reclaim before car may be treated as abandoned and sold: 20 days after the tow company's notice. Tenn. Code Ann. 55-31-302(a) (opens in a new tab)
• Garagekeeper lien enforceable only after: 30 days (see the law for when the count starts), if garagekeeper lien process. Tenn. Code Ann. 66-19-103(b)(1) (opens in a new tab)

See the dates for your tow

Common questions

Not verified yet for Kingsport

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 Sullivan County

• Bristol