Towed Car HelpCar towed in Wausau
Wausau is in Marathon County, Wisconsin. 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 Wausau, call the Wausau Police non-emergency dispatch to find out whether your car was towed and which company has it.
- Wausau Police non-emergency dispatch715-261-7795
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.
Wis. Stat. 349.13(3m)(d)2; Wis. Admin. Code Trans 319.05(1), (2)
No record of a tow anywhere? Report the car to police as possibly stolen.
What they can charge
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.
| Charge | Maximum |
|---|---|
| Indoor storage, per 24 hours | $35.00 |
| Special equipment or unusual circumstances (extra) | $150.00 |
| Mileage surcharge per mile beyond 20-mile round trip | $3.00 |
| Municipal service fee (only if city requests it, plus matching tow-company fee) | $35.00 |
The tow is capped at $150 and storage at $25 per 24 hours outdoors. Extra charges for special equipment, long trips, and city fees are allowed only in the cases the rule lists, and administrative, gate and lien-processing fees cannot be added as special-equipment charges. See the official Wisconsin (statewide, Dept. of Transportation rule Trans 319) rates (opens in a new tab).
What to bring
- A government photo ID and proof you own the car, such as the registration or title.
- You pay the reasonable towing and storage charges directly to the tow company, and it may keep the car until you pay. Wisconsin law does not say which payment methods it must accept. Call ahead to ask which types the lot takes.
Wis. Stat. 349.13(3m)(d)3
Getting it back
- Storage starts when the tow company notifies police, and you cannot be billed for any calendar day when the lot was open for pickup less than 4 consecutive hours between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Storage is counted in whole 24-hour periods rounded up.
- Wisconsin's private-property tow law does not say you can inspect the car, retrieve belongings, or that a company may not make you sign a waiver. No rule was found on these points.
- Inspect the car before you drive away, and photograph any damage.
Before you sign anything: Photograph your car and the tow slip before paying. The tow company is protected from liability for towing a car at an officer's request except for lack of reasonable care or willful conduct, so document any damage.
Wis. Admin. Code Trans 319.03(4); Wis. Stat. 349.13(3m); Wis. Admin. Code ch. Trans 319; Wis. Stat. 349.13(5)(a)
Was the tow legal?
Common problems with private tows in Wisconsin include missing tow-away signs, and charges above the legal maximum.
Check my towSale deadlinesEvidence checklistDispute letter
Tow-away sign rules in Wisconsin
These apply to lots where tows are done under Wis. Stat. 349.13(3m).
- Where: At each vehicle entrance, easy to read from a car driving in, plus another easy to read from the parking spot; bottom edge at least 4 feet off the ground.
- Lettering at least 2 inches tall.
- Must show: a warning that unauthorized vehicles will be towed.
How to dispute a tow
- Collect evidence. Photograph the lot entrances and any signs, keep every receipt, and write down times and names.
- Ask for an itemized invoice. For a tow from private property with no citation issued, the company may charge only ordinary and reasonable fees, capped at $150 for the tow itself. Storage is capped at $25 per 24 hours outdoors or $35 per 24 hours indoors.
- File a complaint.
- Wisconsin DATCP Bureau of Consumer Protection
- Local police non-emergency line
- Consider small claims or a chargeback. Wisconsin small claims handles money claims up to $10,000 (tort claims up to $5,000). The general limit rises to $15,000 on January 1, 2027 under 2025 Wis. Act 105. 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. An unclaimed abandoned car is sold by sealed bid or auction under local ordinance, or may be junked or donated. Sale proceeds go first to costs, and any shortfall can be pursued against the owner.
For a car treated as abandoned, the municipality or county must mail a certified notice to the owner and lienholders and hold the car at least 10 days before it can be sold or donated. The notice says failing to reclaim it is a waiver of ownership.
Wisconsin deadlines, counted from the law
- Car deemed abandoned if charges unpaid and no installment agreement: 30 days after the tow, if no written installment agreement. Wis. Stat. 349.13(3m)(d)3 (opens in a new tab)
- Municipality or county must hold car after certified notice before sale: 10 days after the tow company's notice, if car treated as abandoned. Wis. Stat. 342.40(3)(c) (opens in a new tab)
Common questions
Where is my car if it was towed in Wausau?
In Wausau, call the Wausau Police non-emergency dispatch 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 Wausau?
For a standard passenger car towed from private property, the Wisconsin (statewide, Dept. of Transportation rule Trans 319) ceiling is $150.00 for the tow and $25.00 per day for storage. Wausau may set its own lower limits, so ask the tow company for its rate sheet.
How long before a towed car is sold in Wisconsin?
An unclaimed abandoned car is sold by sealed bid or auction under local ordinance, or may be junked or donated. Sale proceeds go first to costs, and any shortfall can be pursued against the owner.
Do I pay storage if I get my car back quickly?
Ask the tow company when storage charges begin.
Not verified yet for Wausau
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.
- https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/code/admin_code/trans/319 (opens in a new tab)
- https://www.wausauwi.gov/your-government/police/contacting-us (opens in a new tab)
- https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/statutes/349.13 (opens in a new tab)
- https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/statutes/342.40 (opens in a new tab)
- https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/statutes/799.01 (opens in a new tab)
- https://datcp.wi.gov/Pages/Programs_Services/FileConsumerComplaint.aspx (opens in a new tab)
- https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/wi-court-of-appeals/2185020.html (opens in a new tab)