Towing Laws in Georgia: Your Rights, Costs & Impound Rules

If your car was just towed in Georgia - off a private lot, from a crash scene, or anywhere else - this page explains what state law says about the fees you can be charged, how to get your vehicle and belongings back, and where to take a complaint. Every fact below comes directly from Georgia statutes and regulator pages, each cited so you can verify it yourself.

Who regulates towing in Georgia

The Georgia Department of Public Safety (DPS) regulates non-consensual towing and booting from private property statewide - any company doing that kind of towing needs a DPS permit, and DPS also sets the maximum rates those companies can charge. It's worth knowing that the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division doesn't handle towing complaints directly; it directs people instead to the towing company, the property owner, or local licensing authorities.

What a tow can cost

Georgia's DPS Maximum Rate Tariff No. 5 caps nonconsensual tow removal fees at $228.00 and daily storage at $33.00 for vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or less. Notably, the first 24 hours of storage are free before that daily rate kicks in. Cumulative notification fees - what a company can charge for notifying you and any lienholders about the tow - are capped at a maximum total of $91.00, and after-hours release is capped separately at $65.00.

These are statewide ceilings for private-property tows, so an invoice that exceeds them is worth questioning. Our towing cost calculator can help you check a bill against these caps before you pay.

Getting your car back from impound

Georgia law requires towing and storage companies to notify vehicle owners, lienholders, and security-interest holders once a vehicle has been towed and impounded. From there, a company can pursue a lien on an abandoned or unclaimed vehicle by following the notification process laid out in the state's Abandoned Motor Vehicle Act, using Form MV-603. On the practical side, a nonconsensual towing lot is required to have an attendant on-site during normal business hours five days a week, plus at least four hours on one additional day - and a release attendant must be reachable by phone 24 hours a day, every day, so you're never fully locked out of getting your vehicle back.

If you're towed from private property

Georgia's statewide tariff governs how a trespassing vehicle can be nonconsensually removed and stored from private property, including the $228.00 removal cap and $33.00 daily storage cap described above. Any posted notice warning that unauthorized vehicles will be towed has to meet the specific signage requirements laid out in DPS Rule 570-38-7.

After an accident

Georgia requires you to notify the nearest law enforcement agency immediately if anyone is injured or killed in a crash, or if property damage exceeds $500.00 - a relatively low bar that captures most fender-benders involving a tow.

The Move Over law

Georgia's Move Over law covers stationary towing or recovery vehicles displaying flashing lights. If it's possible given the road and traffic conditions, you're required to move into a lane away from the stopped vehicle. If that's not possible, you must reduce to a reasonable and proper speed below the posted limit and be ready to stop. A violation is punishable by a fine of not more than $500.00.

Chains & winter traction

Under Georgia law, the Department of Transportation can designate specific roadway sections during winter weather events where tire chains become mandatory. On those designated sections, commercial vehicles must chain at least four drive-wheel tires, and buses at least two. Four-wheel-drive vehicles with appropriate tires, or vehicles fitted with snow tires carrying a manufacturer's all-weather rating, can substitute for chains.

FAQ

What's the most a Georgia tow company can charge for a private-property tow? Under DPS's statewide tariff, removal is capped at $228.00 for vehicles up to 10,000 pounds, with the first 24 hours of storage free and $33.00 per day after that.

Who do I contact if I think I was overcharged for a tow in Georgia? Start with the towing company, the property owner, or local licensing authorities - the state Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division does not handle towing complaints directly, since DPS regulates towing companies and permits.

How much can I be fined for not moving over for a tow truck in Georgia? Violating Georgia's Move Over law carries a fine of not more than $500.00.

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