Tow truck towing car on the street.
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Nothing will make you see red faster than realizing your car got towed.
In the year since I have been back in Houston, I have been towed not once, but twice. And frankly, I am tired of Ubering to shady tow yards and forking over hundreds of dollars to someone hidden behind a blacked out window.
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These were (according to me) minor parking mistakes: staying one hour too long in a spot or entering one license plate number wrong when registering my car at my apartment complex. Whatever “minor” mistake it was, I can assure you, the tow truck company does not care.
So if you’re like me, you can cry about it, I admittingly have. But after you’re done, here’s a survival-guide on how it’s going to go, with sprinkles of some know-your-right-bits to ensure you’re not overpaying.
So, um where is my car?
Here’s the deal: private properties where towing is enforced must legally meet certain signage requirements, including displaying the name or phone number of the storage facility the car is located. It should be easy to find out where it went.
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Tow signage posted around neighborhoods in the Uptown Galleria area.
Macy Meinhardt/Macy Meinhardt
Pull up your vehicle’s make, model and vehicle number, this information is typically listed on your insurance documents.
Give the number on the sign a call and be ready to convey your vehicle information.
If you can’t find the number, use the free lookup tool by the City of Houston and Harris County to find your vehicle.
Most cars are taken to a licensed storage facility within 25 miles, but that is not legally binding.
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Facing the tow yard
Vehicle storage facilities charge a daily holding fee, so it’s wise to go ahead and be done with it promptly. Here are some of your rights to keep in mind upon pickup:
If a Texas vehicle storage facility accepts them 24 hours a day, it must make them available for release 24 hours a day, within one hour of your request.
If it doesn’t accept vehicles 24 hours a day, it must make them available within one hour between 8 a.m. and midnight Monday through Saturday, and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, except on nationally recognized holidays.
Drivers are also allowed to access their car to retrieve personal items or ownership documents free of charge.
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You will be asked to prove ownership or authorized use before you can gain access, though. Acceptable documents include: insurance card, car title, a notarized power-of-attorney signed by the car owner or a car registration renewal card. A drivers license is sufficient enough for ownership if the name matches the vehicle’s DMV database.
The fine print on your tow bill
Now I am going to hold your hand when I tell you this; it’s not just the cost of the tow that you will see on your bill.
Several fees including daily storage, city admin and impoundment can quickly raise your bill above $300.
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Fee signage listed at a vehicle storage facility where tow pickups occur in Southwest Houston.
Macy Meinhardt
Here were the fees on my latest tow bill:
Towing fee: $232. This is the maximum price for most standard passenger vehicles if your car was taken to a storage yard 20 miles away or less.
If your car is taken to a storage yard over 20 miles, the tow charge can increase by an additional $4.64 per mile.
Daily storage fee: $22.85. This is the maximum amount drivers can be charged each day your car is held. It also applies even if your car is there for less than a day.
Impound fee: $22.85. In Texas, a storage facility can charge a maximum impound fee of $22.85 for qualifying work, such as securing a vehicle that has broken or inoperative parts with a tarp, making a written inventory of unsecured property, or obtaining the vehicle’s registration information. The itemized bill must state exactly what service was performed and the date.
(Side note: Make sure you carefully scrutinize and ask questions about what services were performed to justify an impoundment fee, I wish I did. )
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City fee: $24.26
This is a fee imposed by the City of Houston, effective January 2026. The money collected helps cover the Houston Police Department’s enforcement of private storage lot agreements and costs related to nonconsent towing.
Credit Card Processing: $12.23
According to state laws, the swipe fee cannot be higher than the actual percentage or amount charged to the towing company by the credit card issued.
Other fees you may see:
If you leave your car unclaimed for several days, the facility is obligated to send a certified letter to the registered owner. That notification alone can tack on $50.
If you drive an electric vehicle like a Tesla, well, expect to see a “special equipment” fee. Since EVs cannot be towed with two wheels at a time, they require a flatbed truck, which are more expensive to operate.
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The grand total I paid for a tow that occurred in August over just one incorrect license plate number set me back $317.96—money I would have rather used to go towards my grocery bill. Sigh.
Tow companies know drivers are eager to get their cars back. Take a breath, check the charges and make sure the transaction has gone by the book.
To learn more about consumer towing rights, visit: Consumer Information about Towing – Texas.gov
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