Car towed in Columbus? Impound lot, fees and lookup

Checked Nov 14, 2026 against official sources. We don't have your car: use the official lookup below.

Find your car

Find an Impounded Vehicle (City of Columbus)

Vehicles held at the Columbus Police Impound Lot. The city does not say it covers private-lot tows.1 2

Other ways to check:

Columbus Police Impound Lot · 614-645-4620: Police and city tows held at the impound lot.1 2
Columbus Division of Police non-emergency line · 614-645-4545: Private-property tows. Ohio law requires tow companies to report these tows to police, and police must share the record with the owner by phone or in person.3 4
Mobility and Parking Services · 614-645-6400: Questions about city parking tows and impound rules.1 2

Towed from a private lot (apartment, store)? Under Ohio law a private-lot tow must go to a lot within 25 miles where it can be recovered, delivered within two hours, and the tow company must notify Columbus police within two hours. Police keep a record and must give the details to the owner who calls or visits. With proof of ownership you can take personal items out of the car without paying, and if you think the tow was unlawful you may be able to file a civil action under Ohio Revised Code 4513.611.

Cars towed by Columbus police or for city parking violations go to the Columbus Police Impound Lot at 2700 Impound Lot Rd, where a city contract tow company does the towing. Cars towed from private lots go to the tow company's own lot, and the tow company must report the tow to Columbus police within two hours.

Columbus impound lot: addresses and hours

Columbus Police Impound Lot

City impound · run by City of Columbus Division of Police, with towing by a city contract tow company (Pro-Tow office on site)

2700 Impound Lot Rd, Columbus, OH 432071 2

Hours: Mon-Fri 10am-4pm

Payment: cash, credit, debit, money order

Directions Call 614-645-4620

How much it costs to get your car out in Columbus

Fee	Amount	Applies to
City or police tow1Vehicles over 7,000 lb may pay more.	$125	Police-ordered
Administrative fee1Charged only if a certified notice has been sent.	$30	Police-ordered
Storage fee1 Details The city lists an $18 storage fee charged only after a certified notice is sent, but does not say if it is per day.	Not verified	Police-ordered

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 physical photo ID, not a copy, active or expired no more than 30 days
Current registration or the front of an Ohio title (a signed-over Ohio title is not accepted)
A licensed driver to drive the car out, or the car must be towed out
Notarized Authorization of Release if you are picking up for the owner
Notarized Hold Harmless Letter if you are a lienholder

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 must also pay any outstanding parking tickets before release.
Report damage or missing property before you leave the lot, at the Pro-Tow office window at 2700 Impound Lot Rd. The city says it is not liable for damage or theft.
Personal property can be picked up Mon-Fri 10am-4pm. After hours, access for medicine, child car seats, ID, keys or key documents is case by case through the call box at the main gate.
Cars seized by the State of Ohio for OVI can only be released by court order from the assigned judge.
The city's impound pages do not describe a hearing to contest a police tow.

Ohio rules that apply

Ohio caps what a tow company can charge when it tows from a private tow-away zone. For a car or light truck the limits are $144 to tow and $22 a day for storage, set by PUCO rule effective January 1, 2026. If you get back before the car is hauled away, the tower must offer to release it for half the tow fee.

Drop fee release: If you arrive after the car is hooked up but before it leaves the lot, the tower must tell you that you can pay no more than half the PUCO tow fee and get the car released on the spot.
Your belongings: With proof of ownership you can take personal items out of the car without paying any fee and without taking the car. Items attached to the car do not count.
Hearing: There is no state tow hearing. When you pick up the car the lot must give you written notice that you may be able to sue under Ohio's tow law if you think the tow was unlawful. You can also file a complaint with PUCO.

Full Ohio towing law guide

Think the tow was wrong?

Questions

How do I find my towed car in Columbus?

Use Find an Impounded Vehicle (City of Columbus) (https://www.columbus.gov/Services/Parking-Street-Services/Mobility-Parking-Services/Impounded-Vehicles/Find-My-Vehicle). Vehicles held at the Columbus Police Impound Lot. The city does not say it covers private-lot tows..

Where is the Columbus impound lot?

Columbus Police Impound Lot: 2700 Impound Lot Rd, Columbus, OH 43207, Mon-Fri 10am-4pm.

How much does it cost to get a car out of impound in Columbus?

For police-ordered tows the city lists a $125 tow. Other fees may apply.

My car was towed from a private lot in Columbus. Where is it?

Under Ohio law a private-lot tow must go to a lot within 25 miles where it can be recovered, delivered within two hours, and the tow company must notify Columbus police within two hours. Police keep a record and must give the details to the owner who calls or visits. With proof of ownership you can take personal items out of the car without paying, and if you think the tow was unlawful you may be able to file a civil action under Ohio Revised Code 4513.611.

Sources

Last checked Nov 14, 2026. Fees and rules change: confirm with the lot or agency before you go. Spot an error? Tell us.

Impounded Vehicles, City of Columbus Mobility and Parking Services. Checked Nov 14, 2026.
Find My Vehicle, City of Columbus Mobility and Parking Services. Checked Nov 14, 2026.
Common Questions, Columbus Division of Police, City of Columbus Division of Police. Checked Nov 14, 2026.
Ohio Revised Code 4513.601 Removal of vehicle from private tow-away zone (Ohio Rev. Code 4513.601), State of Ohio. Checked Nov 14, 2026.
Census Bureau Vintage 2024 city and town population estimates (SUB-EST2024), U.S. Census Bureau. Checked Nov 14, 2026.