Alaska towing laws
Alaska has no statewide tow regulator, and state law sets no tow or storage prices, drop-fee rule, or private-lot sign rule.
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A tow company must send you a certified letter within seven working days, or it can lose the right to collect storage after 60 days, and an unclaimed car can be sold 30 days after the tow with 20 days notice. Anchorage adds its own rules, including posted signs, a curb release fee, and free access to your belongings at the scene.
At a glance
Fee limits
Any kind of tow
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
Private-property or police tow, light vehicle1DetailsState law gives the tower a lien for its charges but sets no dollar amount. Anchorage caps rates in its own code. | Set by city or county |
Daily storage1DetailsNo statewide amount. Storage stops counting toward the lien after 60 days if the owner was not notified in time. | Set by city or county |
Local rates. Alaska law does not set tow prices. Anchorage caps tow and storage rates in its municipal code (AMC 9.54) and publishes maximum rates for police rotation tows. Check the city or borough where the car was towed.
Anchorage (police rotation tows, daytime rates)
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
Call-out fee, vehicle under 10,000 lb, daytime3DetailsMaximum for 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Evening and holiday maximums are higher. A 10 percent fuel surcharge on the call-out fee is also allowed. | Up to $85 |
| Daily storage, daytime rate3Maximum daytime rate in the police rotation program. | Up to $15 / day |
| Curb release, daytime3 | Up to $50 |
| After-hours release3 | Up to $50 |
What will I owe in Alaska?
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Your rights: drop fee, belongings, hearing
Release for a drop feeIf you reach the car before it is towed away
State law has no drop-fee rule. In Anchorage, a private-lot tow truck still on scene must release the car for the curb release fee if you can move it right away.14
Get your belongings outWithout paying the tow first
State law does not give a right to take belongings out before paying. In Anchorage, the tow operator must let you get personal items out at the scene for free if you do not get a curb release.14
Right to a hearingTo contest the tow
There is no statewide tow hearing. A city that removes abandoned or junk cars under its own abatement ordinance must tell owners and lienholders of their right to a city hearing. In Anchorage, a private tow without proper signs or paperwork lets you sue for a full refund of towing and storage.24
Payment they must take
State law does not say which forms of payment a tow company must take. Anchorage police rotation tow companies must accept the same forms of payment after hours that they take during business hours.13
Owner noticeWhat the tower must tell you or police
Unless you already got the car back, the tow company must mail a certified letter to the registered owner and main lienholder within seven working days after the tow. For abandoned cars removed by police, the storer must notify the owner within 30 days.12
Storage rules
There is no statewide storage price. If the company does not send the certified letter on time and you had no actual notice, storage after 60 days is not part of its lien.1
What to bringTo get the car released
For abandoned vehicles removed under state law, you can get the car back before auction by showing proof of ownership or right to possession and paying towing, storage, notice, and impound costs.2
Other deadlines
- Claim before a lien sale: If the car stays unclaimed for 30 days at the tow company, it can be sold after 20 days notice served on the owner and lienholders.1
- Reclaim an impounded abandoned car: For an abandoned car impounded by police, title can pass to the state or city if no one reclaims it within 15 days of the notice.2
Think the tow or the bill was wrong?
Ask the lot for an itemized receipt, compare it to the legal limits in Alaska, and request a hearing before the deadline. Our step-by-step guide and calculator are free.
Guides: how to fight a tow · what to bring · impound costs by city
Questions
Is there a limit on towing fees in Alaska?
Alaska has no statewide cap on the main towing fees. Cities and counties may set their own.
Does a tow truck have to release my car in Alaska if I get there first?
State law has no drop-fee rule. In Anchorage, a private-lot tow truck still on scene must release the car for the curb release fee if you can move it right away.
Can I get my belongings out of a towed car in Alaska?
State law does not give a right to take belongings out before paying. In Anchorage, the tow operator must let you get personal items out at the scene for free if you do not get a curb release.
How do I contest a tow in Alaska?
There is no statewide tow hearing. A city that removes abandoned or junk cars under its own abatement ordinance must tell owners and lienholders of their right to a city hearing. In Anchorage, a private tow without proper signs or paperwork lets you sue for a full refund of towing and storage.
What payment do tow lots have to accept in Alaska?
State law does not say which forms of payment a tow company must take. Anchorage police rotation tow companies must accept the same forms of payment after hours that they take during business hours.
Sources
Last checked Nov 15, 2026. Fees and rules change: confirm with the lot or agency before you go. Spot an error? Tell us.
- Towing, transporting, and storage lien (AS 28.10.502), Alaska Legislature. Checked Nov 15, 2026.
- Abandoned vehicles (AS 28.11.010 to 28.11.120) (AS 28.11.020, 28.11.040, 28.11.050, 28.11.060, 28.11.100), Alaska Legislature. Checked Nov 15, 2026.
- APD Rotational Tow Program (rates section) (APD Rotational Tow Program sec. 3, as revised March 1, 2018), Anchorage Police Department. Checked Nov 15, 2026.
- Anchorage Municipal Code 9.54.020 and 9.54.050, private party impounds (copy posted by Vulcan Towing) (AMC 9.54.020, 9.54.050), Vulcan Towing (reproducing Municipality of Anchorage code). Checked Nov 15, 2026. Secondary source.