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

If your car was just towed in Texas - whether it rolled off a private lot, got pulled from a crash scene, or landed in a storage yard you've never heard of - this page walks through what state law actually says about the fees you can be charged, how to get your vehicle and belongings back, and who to call if something feels off. Every fact below is drawn directly from Texas regulations and cites its source, so you can verify it yourself.

Who regulates towing in Texas

The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) licenses tow companies, tow trucks, individual tow operators, and vehicle storage facilities statewide. If you believe a company, operator, or storage facility broke the rules - overcharged you, refused access to your vehicle, or mishandled your property - you can file a complaint directly with TDLR online, and it becomes part of that business's licensing record.

What a tow can cost

Texas publishes statewide maximum rates for private-property tows, organized by three weight tiers: up to $272, up to $380, and up to $489 per unit, with a combined cap of $978, unless a city or county has set a lower local maximum. Daily storage is capped at $22.85 for vehicles 25 feet or shorter and $39.99 for vehicles longer than 25 feet. A separate TDLR consumer-information page also lists a maximum drop fee of $135 - the amount a company can charge to release your car before it's fully hooked up and hauled away.

Because local governments can set their own (lower) caps, these numbers are ceilings, not guarantees - always ask for the itemized invoice and compare it against what your city allows. Our towing cost calculator can help you sanity-check a bill against these statewide maximums before you pay it.

Getting your car back from impound

Texas gives you a real window to reclaim a stored vehicle before it can be sold. A vehicle storage facility can only dispose of an unclaimed car 30 days after it sends a required second notification to the owner - if you don't respond within that window, you waive your rights to both the vehicle and anything left inside it. If the facility does sell the car, the proceeds first go toward the towing and storage fees owed; anything left over is supposed to go back to you as the owner.

Release hours matter too. A storage facility that accepts vehicles around the clock must also let you retrieve your vehicle around the clock. Facilities with more limited hours must still provide release within one hour of a request, from 8 a.m. to midnight Monday through Saturday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. If you're not sure where your car ended up, the phone number posted on the tow-away sign at the property is the fastest way to locate it.

If you're towed from private property

Texas treats a vehicle removed from a tow-away zone, or from private property without permission, as a private-property tow - and it draws a clear line based on timing. If the truck hasn't fully hooked up your vehicle yet, the property owner or towing company can't charge you anything to stop the tow. If it has already been fully hooked, they can charge a drop fee (capped at $135, per TDLR's consumer guidance) instead of hauling it away.

After an accident

If you're in a crash in Texas, call the police immediately if anyone is injured or killed, or if a vehicle can't be safely and normally driven away from the scene. An officer is required to file a report when there's an injury, a death, or apparent property damage of $1,000 or more - so most tow-worthy crashes will generate an official report. If you need a copy afterward, TxDOT sells crash reports through its online Crash Report Online Purchase System: a regular copy costs $6 and a certified copy costs $8.

The Move Over law

Texas's Move Over law applies to tow trucks working on the roadside, along with police, emergency, and utility vehicles. Drivers approaching a stopped vehicle with its lights on must move over one full lane if possible, or slow to at least 20 mph below the posted speed limit. On roads posted at 25 mph or lower, you're required to slow to 5 mph. A first offense can carry a fine of up to $1,250, and if a violation causes serious injury, the penalties escalate to potential jail time and a fine of up to $4,000.

Chains & winter traction

Texas law permits the use of tire chains - described as chains "of reasonable proportion" - whenever weather conditions like snow or ice might otherwise cause a vehicle to skid. Chains aren't mandated statewide the way they are in mountain states, but they're explicitly legal to use when conditions call for them.

FAQ

Can a Texas tow company charge me anything if my car hasn't left the lot yet? No. If the truck hasn't fully hooked up your vehicle, you owe nothing to stop a private-property tow. Once it's fully hooked, the company can charge a drop fee instead of completing the tow.

How long do I have before my towed car can be sold? A storage facility must send you a second required notice, and then wait 30 days after that notice before it can dispose of an unclaimed vehicle. Missing that window means giving up your claim to the car and anything inside it.

Who do I complain to if a Texas tow company overcharges me? File a complaint with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), which licenses tow companies, operators, trucks, and storage facilities and investigates consumer complaints against them.

Sources