Car towed in Chicago? Auto pounds, fees and lookup
Checked Nov 14, 2026 against official sources. We don't have your car: use the official lookup below.
Find your car
City of Chicago towed vehicle search
Vehicles towed or relocated by the City of Chicago. Does not cover private-lot tows.14
Other ways to check:
- Chicago 311 · 311: Location and pound address for cars towed or relocated by the city. Call before reporting a car stolen, since it may have been relocated.24
- Department of Finance 24-hour towed vehicle line · 312-744-4444: 24-hour inquiries about cars towed by the city, seven days a week.1
- Department of Finance (towed for unpaid tickets) · 312-744-7275: Cars booted and towed for unpaid parking tickets. Hearing impaired line is 312-744-7277.1
- Chicago Police vehicle tow search: Chicago Police tow and stolen vehicle search linked from the city's auto pound page.2
- Chicago Police Department (pounds 1S and 4) · 312-745-6270: Cars held at police-run pounds 1S and 4 for crimes or evidence holds.2
Towed from a private lot (apartment, store)? Tows from private lots in Chicago are relocation tows licensed by the Illinois Commerce Commission, and the car goes to the tow company's own storage lot. Signs on the lot must give the tow company's name, address, phone and the place cars are taken, and the tower must tell local police within one hour. No storage fee may be charged if you claim the car within 24 hours, and complaints go to the ICC Police at 847-294-4326.
Cars towed or relocated by the City of Chicago go to a city auto pound, such as the Central Auto Pound at 500 E Wacker Dr or the pounds at O'Hare, 103rd and Doty, and 701 N Sacramento. Cars held by the Chicago Police for crimes or evidence go to police-run pounds 1S and 4, and private-lot tows go to the licensed relocation tower's own lot.
Chicago auto pounds: addresses and hours
Central Auto Pound
City impound
500 E Wacker Dr (Lower Level), Chicago, IL124
Hours: 24/7, 365 days a year
Payment: cash, credit, debit
O'Hare International Airport Auto Pound
City impound
10000 W Bessie Coleman Dr (City Auto Pound, Lot G), O'Hare International Airport, Chicago, IL1246
Hours: 24/7, 365 days a year
Payment: cash, credit, debit
Auto Pound #2
City impound · run by United Road Towing (city contractor)
103rd St and Doty Ave, Chicago, IL1246
Hours: 24/7, 365 days a year
Payment: cash, credit, debit
Auto Pound #3S (abandoned vehicles)
City impound · run by United Road Towing (city contractor)
103rd St and Doty Ave, Chicago, IL234
Hours: Mon-Sat 7am-5pm, closed holidays
Auto Pound #3N (abandoned vehicles)
City impound · run by United Road Towing (city contractor)
701 N Sacramento Ave, Chicago, IL234
Hours: Mon-Sat 7am-5pm, closed holidays
Auto Pound #6
City impound · run by United Road Towing (city contractor)
701 N Sacramento Ave, Chicago, IL1246
Hours: 24/7, 365 days a year
Payment: cash, credit, debit
Auto Pound 1S (Chicago Police)
City impound · run by Chicago Police Department
103rd St and Doty Ave, Chicago, IL23
Hours: 24/7, 365 days a year
Auto Pound #4 (Chicago Police)
City impound · run by Chicago Police Department
5555 W Grand Ave, Chicago, IL23
Hours: 24/7, 365 days a year
Chicago snow emergency towing
Winter Overnight Parking Ban and 2-Inch Snow Parking Ban. Winter Overnight Parking Ban: 3 am to 7 am every night from December 1 to April 1, whether or not it snows. The 2-inch ban has no fixed season. The overnight ban is automatic each winter and needs no declaration. The separate 2-inch snow ban can be activated by the city once at least two inches of snow are on the street, at any time of day or date.101112
Is it in effect? Check the city page
- The overnight ban covers 107 miles of main streets.
- Signs are permanently posted on these routes, and the city puts flyers on parked cars before the ban starts.
- The 2-inch snow ban covers about 500 more miles of main streets and is not activated often.
- Chicagoshovels.org has a map of affected streets.
Where the car goes: Cars towed for the overnight ban go to Pound 2 (10301 S. Doty Ave.) or Pound 6 (701 N. Sacramento). Under the 2-inch snow ban, cars may be ticketed or relocated to clear the way for plows.
How to find it: Check chicagoshovels.org or call 311 to find out if your car was towed for the ban. The city's towed vehicle search at webapps1.chicago.gov/vehicleSearch also covers cars towed or relocated by the city.
| Overnight ban tow1011The city calls this a minimum towing fee. | $150 |
| Overnight ban ticket1011 | $60 |
| Storage1011 | $25 / day |
Snow-ban fees can differ from the regular tow fees below. The city resets them some winters, so check its page.
How much it costs to get your car out in Chicago
| Fee | Amount | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Police or city tow, vehicle under 8,000 lb14Set by Municipal Code of Chicago 9-92-080. | $250 | Police-ordered |
| Police or city tow, vehicle 8,000 lb or more14Set by Municipal Code of Chicago 9-92-080. | $350 | Police-ordered |
| Daily storage, vehicle under 8,000 lb14Exceptions may apply, per the city. | $50 / day | Police-ordered |
| Daily storage, vehicle 8,000 lb or more14 | $100 / day | Police-ordered |
| Maximum total storage charge1 | Up to $1,500 | Police-ordered |
| Boot fee, passenger vehicle1Truck tractors, semi-trailers and trailers pay $400. | $100 | All tows |
Estimate your bill
Got your receipt? Check it for overcharges
Type what the lot charged for each line. We flag anything above a confirmed legal cap.
What to bring
- Valid photo ID
- Proof of ownership: valid title, current registration card, or a bill of sale no more than 30 days old
- Lease agreement if you lease the car
- Original notarized letter from the owner if you are picking up for them
- Valid driver's license if you will drive the car out
- Current plates and a Chicago city sticker if required
More detail, including when the car is not in your name: what to bring to the impound lot.
Local rules and how to contest
- You can contest the tow and the towing and storage fees at a post-tow hearing. Ask for it when you pick up the car, or at any auto pound within 15 days after release.
- Hearings are held in person by the Department of Administrative Hearings at 400 W Superior St, and you must attend.
- Before release you must also pay all parking, standing and compliance tickets in final determination on any car registered to you.
- Cars impounded for offenses such as DUI, drugs, firearms, drag racing or a suspended license are released only after you pay fines at the Vehicle Impoundment Office, 400 W Superior St.
- Unclaimed cars can be sold or scrapped after 21 days. You can ask for one 15-day extension by calling 312-746-4954, Monday to Friday 7am to 3pm.
- Your first payment for tow and storage must be made in person at the auto pound or a Finance payment center.
- Damage claims for the Central or O'Hare pound go to the City Clerk, 121 N LaSalle St, Room 107, 312-744-6867.
Illinois rules that apply
Towing from private lots in Illinois is capped at rates set by the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC). In Cook, DuPage, Kane, Will and Winnebago counties the ICC licenses the tow companies directly, and elsewhere state law still says private-lot tow charges cannot go above the ICC maximum. Police-ordered tows are not regulated by the ICC, so cities and police agencies set those fees.
- Drop fee release: In ICC counties a tower may not take a car if the owner shows up before it leaves the lot with the key and drives it away right away. Elsewhere the tower must unhook the car for a fee of no more than half its posted tow rate and give a receipt.
- Your belongings: Certain items are exempt from the tow lien and can be taken out without paying, including child car seats, eyeglasses, food, medicine, medical devices, driver's licenses, wallets and purses, cash and cards, and school textbooks. After a crash, an owner with insurance that covers towing can claim all personal property.
- Hearing: There is no state hearing for private-lot tows, but you can file a complaint with the ICC and get a refund of any overcharge. When a town impounds a car and charges an administrative fee, it must offer a hearing, mail notice within 10 days, and hold the first hearing within 45 days of that notice.
Think the tow was wrong?
Questions
How do I find my towed car in Chicago?
Use City of Chicago towed vehicle search (https://webapps1.chicago.gov/vehicleSearch/). Vehicles towed or relocated by the City of Chicago. Does not cover private-lot tows..
Where is the Chicago auto pound?
Central Auto Pound: 500 E Wacker Dr (Lower Level), Chicago, IL, 24/7, 365 days a year. O'Hare International Airport Auto Pound: 10000 W Bessie Coleman Dr (City Auto Pound, Lot G), O'Hare International Airport, Chicago, IL, 24/7, 365 days a year. Auto Pound #2: 103rd St and Doty Ave, Chicago, IL, 24/7, 365 days a year. Auto Pound #3S (abandoned vehicles): 103rd St and Doty Ave, Chicago, IL, Mon-Sat 7am-5pm, closed holidays. Auto Pound #3N (abandoned vehicles): 701 N Sacramento Ave, Chicago, IL, Mon-Sat 7am-5pm, closed holidays. Auto Pound #6: 701 N Sacramento Ave, Chicago, IL, 24/7, 365 days a year. Auto Pound 1S (Chicago Police): 103rd St and Doty Ave, Chicago, IL, 24/7, 365 days a year. Auto Pound #4 (Chicago Police): 5555 W Grand Ave, Chicago, IL, 24/7, 365 days a year.
How much does it cost to get a car out of impound in Chicago?
For police-ordered tows the city lists a $250 tow and $50 per day of storage. Other fees may apply.
My car was towed from a private lot in Chicago. Where is it?
Tows from private lots in Chicago are relocation tows licensed by the Illinois Commerce Commission, and the car goes to the tow company's own storage lot. Signs on the lot must give the tow company's name, address, phone and the place cars are taken, and the tower must tell local police within one hour. No storage fee may be charged if you claim the car within 24 hours, and complaints go to the ICC Police at 847-294-4326.
Sources
Last checked Nov 14, 2026. Fees and rules change: confirm with the lot or agency before you go. Spot an error? Tell us.
- Relocated and Towed Vehicle Information, City of Chicago Department of Finance. Checked Nov 14, 2026.
- Auto Pound Locations, City of Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation. Checked Nov 14, 2026.
- Chicago's Auto Pound Locations (Common Towing Questions), City of Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation. Checked Nov 14, 2026.
- Common Towing Questions, City of Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation. Checked Nov 14, 2026.
- Towing Information and Towing Process, City of Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation. Checked Nov 14, 2026.
- Payment Centers and Chicago EZ Pay Stations, City of Chicago Department of Finance. Checked Nov 14, 2026.
- Relocation Towing, Illinois Commerce Commission. Checked Nov 14, 2026.
- Relocation Towing Consumer Information Guide, Illinois Commerce Commission. Checked Nov 14, 2026.
- Census Bureau Vintage 2024 city and town population estimates (SUB-EST2024), U.S. Census Bureau. Checked Nov 14, 2026.
- Chicago's Winter Overnight Parking Ban Begins December 1 (news release, November 28, 2025), City of Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation. Checked Nov 14, 2026.
- Winter Snow Clearing, City of Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation. Checked Nov 14, 2026.
- Relocated and Towed Vehicle Information, City of Chicago Department of Finance. Checked Nov 14, 2026.