Car towed in Denver? Vehicle impound facilities, fees and lookup
Checked Nov 14, 2026 against official sources. We don't have your car: use the official lookup below.
Find your car
Autura (AutoReturn) Tow Tracker
Vehicles towed to a City and County of Denver owned impound lot. Search by state CO and Denver, plate, VIN, or tow date. Private-lot tows may not show up here.3
Other ways to check:
- Denver Police non-emergency line · 720-913-2000: Tells you if your car was relocated to a nearby street, impounded, or not on record (press 0 for the operator). Also takes stolen car reports.34
- Denver Vehicle Impound Facility · 720-865-0470: Questions about cars held at the city impound lot, release rules, and fees.2
- Public Nuisance Abatement Team · 720-913-8044: Backup contact if you cannot use the Autura site, and for cars seized under the public nuisance law. You can also call 311.3
Towed from a private lot (apartment, store)? The city's Autura search only covers city-owned impound lots, so a car that does not show up there may have been towed to a private lot. Call the Denver Police non-emergency line at 720-913-2000 and press 0 to ask where it went.
Cars impounded by Denver police or parking enforcement go to the city-run Denver Vehicle Impound Facility at 5160 York St, which is run by the Denver Sheriff Department. Denver often relocates towed cars to a nearby legal spot instead of impounding them, so if your car is not in the impound search, call the Denver Police non-emergency line.
Denver vehicle impound facilities: addresses and hours
Denver Vehicle Impound Facility (VIF)
City impound · run by Denver Sheriff Department
5160 York St, Denver, CO 802162
Hours: Vehicle and property release Mon-Fri 10am-6pm, Sat 8am-3pm, closed Sundays and city holidays
Payment: cash, money order, cashier's check, traveler's check, credit card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover)
Temporary event impound at Gary Price Campus (Denver Public Works)
City impound · run by City and County of Denver
1271 W Bayaud Ave, Denver, CO 802232
How much it costs to get your car out in Denver
| Fee | Amount | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Impound towing, vehicle under 6,000 lb2 | $120 | Police-ordered |
| Impound towing, vehicle over 6,000 lb2 | $170 | Police-ordered |
| Impound storage, vehicle under 6,000 lb2 | $20 / day | Police-ordered |
| Impound storage, vehicle over 6,000 lb2 | $30 / day | Police-ordered |
| Relocation tow (car moved to a nearby legal spot, not impounded)4 | $100 | Police-ordered |
| Boot fee (on top of all unpaid fines)4Booted cars left unpaid for 72 hours are towed to impound. | $100 | Police-ordered |
| Separate city release fee2The impound page lists only towing and storage. No separate release fee is published. | Not verified | 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 (US state driver license or ID card, US military ID, or passport) with a name that matches the ownership papers
- Proof of ownership: current registration or title in your name (faxed title from the lienholder is accepted)
- To drive it out: valid US driver license, current registration, and current insurance, and the car must be roadworthy
- To tow it out: a PUC-certified commercial tow truck (no dollies, ropes, chains, or transport trucks)
- Booted cars: a receipt showing all parking fees are paid
- Someone else picking up: a notarized letter from the owner with year, make, model, VIN, and the person's name
- Valid driver license
- 120 dollars
More detail, including when the car is not in your name: what to bring to the impound lot.
Local rules and how to contest
- To contest a boot or impound, schedule a hearing in person at 1437 Bannock St, Denver, CO 80202, Mon-Fri 8am-4pm (the city pages list Room 135 and Room 140).
- The hearing officer can only decide if the tow was in Denver, if you are the owner, and if there was probable cause. The officer cannot lower tow or storage fees.
- Storage keeps adding up while you wait, so pay or schedule a hearing quickly.
- Call the Parking Violations Bureau at 866-280-9988 if the owner died, the car or plate was stolen, or the car was sold before the ticket.
- Cars are held at least 30 days after holds are dropped before auction or junking, under C.R.S. 42-4-1804 and D.R.M.C. 54-814.
- Cars towed from Denver International Airport also need DEN parking fees paid first (DEN Parking 303-342-4650).
- Photos of your car at impound can be requested by email to [email protected] with ID and title or registration.
Colorado rules that apply
Colorado sets statewide maximum rates for private-property and police-ordered tows through PUC rules, and the caps rise with inflation every March 15. Tows from residential lots get extra protection, including no drop charge, free removal of belongings, and the right to get the car back by paying 15 percent of the bill up to 60 dollars. The tower must give you photos of your car and the reason for the tow if you ask.
- Drop fee release: For tows from commercial lots, if you show up before the car leaves the property the driver must stop and let you pay the drop charge instead. Tows from residential property cannot charge a drop fee at all.
- Your belongings: You can ask for your belongings any time from the tow until 30 days after the notice. It is free for residential tows and up to 102.28 dollars an hour for commercial or police tows (PUC rate effective March 15, 2026). Medicine, medical devices, child car seats, ID, phones, cash and credit cards must be handed over free.
- Hearing: Not confirmed yet.
Think the tow was wrong?
Questions
How do I find my towed car in Denver?
Use Autura (AutoReturn) Tow Tracker (https://search.autoreturn.com/). Vehicles towed to a City and County of Denver owned impound lot. Search by state CO and Denver, plate, VIN, or tow date. Private-lot tows may not show up here..
Where is the Denver vehicle impound facility?
Denver Vehicle Impound Facility (VIF): 5160 York St, Denver, CO 80216, Vehicle and property release Mon-Fri 10am-6pm, Sat 8am-3pm, closed Sundays and city holidays. Temporary event impound at Gary Price Campus (Denver Public Works): 1271 W Bayaud Ave, Denver, CO 80223.
How much does it cost to get a car out of impound in Denver?
For police-ordered tows the city lists a $120 tow and $20 per day of storage. Other fees may apply.
My car was towed from a private lot in Denver. Where is it?
The city's Autura search only covers city-owned impound lots, so a car that does not show up there may have been towed to a private lot. Call the Denver Police non-emergency line at 720-913-2000 and press 0 to ask where it went.
Sources
Last checked Nov 14, 2026. Fees and rules change: confirm with the lot or agency before you go. Spot an error? Tell us.
- Census Bureau Vintage 2024 city and town population estimates (SUB-EST2024), U.S. Census Bureau. Checked Nov 14, 2026.
- Vehicle Impound, City and County of Denver, Denver Sheriff Department. Checked Nov 14, 2026.
- Tow Tracker, City and County of Denver. Checked Nov 14, 2026.
- Tickets, Towing and Disputes, City and County of Denver. Checked Nov 14, 2026.