Car towed in Dallas? Auto pound, fees and lookup
Checked Nov 14, 2026 against official sources. We don't have your car: use the official lookup below.
Find your car
Police-ordered and city parking tows held at the Auto Pound. Have the plate, VIN, year, make, model and owner name ready.14
Other ways to check:
- Dallas 311 · 311: The city says 311 can tell you if your car was towed from private property and by whom.45
- Dallas Parking Management and Enforcement · 214-948-5346: Cars booted or towed for parking violations on city streets.4
Towed from a private lot (apartment, store)? Cars towed from apartments, parking lots and other private property go to the tow company's licensed storage lot. Look for the tow sign on the property, ask property management, or call 311. The storage lot must report the tow to Dallas police within two hours.
Deadline to contest: 14 business days from the tow (Texas rules). How to request a hearing
Cars towed by Dallas police or city parking enforcement usually go to the Dallas Police Auto Pound at 1955 Vilbig Road. Cars towed from apartments and other private lots go to the towing company's storage lot, and 311 can say who towed them.
Dallas auto pound: addresses and hours
Dallas Police Auto Pound
City impound · run by Dallas Police Department
1955 Vilbig Rd, Dallas, TX 7520812
Hours: Vehicles can be retrieved 9 am - 5 pm, daily
How much it costs to get your car out in Dallas
| Fee | Amount | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Storage at a city pound, vehicle 25 feet or shorter3Only one day is charged if the car leaves within 12 hours. | $20 / day | Police-ordered |
| Storage at a city pound, vehicle over 25 feet3 | $35 / day | Police-ordered |
| Impoundment fee at a city pound3 | $20 | Police-ordered |
| Notification fee at a city pound3 | $50 | Police-ordered |
| City immobilization (boot) fee for unpaid parking tickets3Unpaid parking fines and costs must also be paid. | $100 | All tows |
Police-ordered emergency wrecker tow4DetailsSet under City Code Chapter 15D, but we could not read the current amount on an official page. | 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
- Original state-issued photo ID or driver license (a copy is not accepted)
- Current auto insurance
- Certificate of title or bill of sale
- Registration printout from the DMV if ownership changed in the last 30 days
- Notarized authorization to release if you are not the registered owner
More detail, including when the car is not in your name: what to bring to the impound lot.
Local rules and how to contest
- Dallas City Code Sec. 28-4 sets Auto Pound fees: storage, a 20 dollar impoundment fee and a 50 dollar notification fee, plus towage.
- Fees may be waived when a car was taken into protective custody without an arrest, violation or crash, or when an investigation finds no violation or offense.
- Complaints about a wrongful private tow go to 311 or the city Transportation Regulation Division at 214-670-3161. Attach the receipt from the wrecker or storage lot.
- Under Texas law you can contest a tow in a Dallas County justice court by filing a written request before the 14th day after the tow, not counting weekends and legal holidays.
Texas rules that apply
Texas sets statewide maximums for private-property tows, drop fees, and storage lot charges, and TDLR licenses tow companies and storage lots. You have a right to a tow hearing in justice court, but you must ask for it within 14 business days of the tow. Police-ordered tow rates are set by each city or county, not the state.
- Drop fee release: If you get back before your car is fully hooked up, the tower must let it go for free. If it is fully hooked up but still on the lot, you can pay a drop fee of up to $135 for a car and keep it. The driver must tell you that you can pay the drop fee and must take cash, credit, or debit.
- Your belongings: Once you show you own the car or have the right to it, the lot must let you take your personal belongings out, with no fee. You can also get into the glove box or console for papers that prove who you are or that you own the car.
- Hearing: You can ask a justice of the peace court in the county the car was towed from for a hearing on whether the tow was legal and whether you were overcharged. File a written request before the 14th day after the tow, not counting weekends and legal holidays. The hearing must be held within 21 calendar days after the court gets your request. If the tower or lot never gave you the hearing-rights notice, the deadline does not apply.
Think the tow was wrong?
Questions
How do I find my towed car in Dallas?
Use Dallas Police Auto Pound or call 214-670-5116. Police-ordered and city parking tows held at the Auto Pound. Have the plate, VIN, year, make, model and owner name ready..
Where is the Dallas auto pound?
Dallas Police Auto Pound: 1955 Vilbig Rd, Dallas, TX 75208, Vehicles can be retrieved 9 am - 5 pm, daily.
How much does it cost to get a car out of impound in Dallas?
For police-ordered tows the city lists $20 per day of storage. Other fees may apply.
My car was towed from a private lot in Dallas. Where is it?
Cars towed from apartments, parking lots and other private property go to the tow company's licensed storage lot. Look for the tow sign on the property, ask property management, or call 311. The storage lot must report the tow to Dallas police within two hours.
Sources
Last checked Nov 14, 2026. Fees and rules change: confirm with the lot or agency before you go. Spot an error? Tell us.
- Dallas Police Auto Pound, Dallas Police Department. Checked Nov 14, 2026.
- Dallas Police Auto Pound: Claiming a Vehicle, Dallas Police Department. Checked Nov 14, 2026.
- Dallas Ordinance No. 32470 amending Chapter 28, Sec. 28-4 (2023) (Dallas City Code Sec. 28-4), City of Dallas (via American Legal Publishing). Checked Nov 14, 2026.
- Dallas Parking Tickets: Booted, Towed or Impounded Vehicles, City of Dallas. Checked Nov 14, 2026.
- Dallas Transportation Regulation FAQ, City of Dallas. Checked Nov 14, 2026.
- Texas Occupations Code ch. 2308 (Towing and Booting) (Tex. Occ. Code §§ 2308.452-2308.456), Texas Legislature. Checked Nov 14, 2026.
- Texas Occupations Code ch. 2303 (Vehicle Storage Facilities) (Tex. Occ. Code § 2303.1511), Texas Legislature. Checked Nov 14, 2026.
- Census Bureau Vintage 2024 city and town population estimates (SUB-EST2024), U.S. Census Bureau. Checked Nov 14, 2026.