Colorado towing laws

Colorado sets statewide maximum rates for private-property and police-ordered tows through PUC rules, and the caps rise with inflation every March 15.

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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.

Checked Nov 15, 2026 · Regulator: Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC)

Tow fee limit$250.91Most they can charge. For a private-lot tow, car or SUV.Storage per day$48.19 / dayMost they can charge. Car or SUV.Release if you get there first?PartlyFor tows from commercial lots, if you show up before the car leaves the property the driver must stop and…Get your belongings?YesYou can ask for your belongings any time from the tow until 30 days after the notice.Right to a hearingNot verifiedNot in the law we checked yet.Must take card?YesThey must accept: cash, credit.

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Fee limits

Towed from a private lotApartments, stores, businesses

Fee	Amount
Private-property tow base rate, light vehicle1 4 Details PUC posted cap for vehicles 10,000 lb GVWR or less, effective March 15, 2026, after a 2.28 percent inflation adjustment. The cap is adjusted for inflation every March 15. Mileage is extra.	Up to $250.91
Private-property tow mileage1 4 5 Details Base rate per mile towed, capped at 12 miles near I-25 or 16.5 miles elsewhere. The PUC adds a fuel surcharge that changes monthly. For November 2026 the surcharge is 1.44 dollars, for a maximum of 5.24 dollars per mile.	Up to $3.80 / mile
Drop charge, light vehicle1 4 Details Commercial lots only. No drop charge is allowed for tows from residential property. PUC posted cap effective March 15, 2026.	Up to $97.70
Owner and lienholder notice, private-property tow4 6Statute limits the charge for mailing the required notice to 75 dollars.	Up to $75

Police-ordered towsParking tickets, no insurance, arrests

Fee	Amount
Police-ordered tow, light vehicle, per hour1 4 Details PUC posted hourly cap effective March 15, 2026, billed in quarter hours after the first hour. Adjusted for inflation every March 15.	Up to $286.15 / hour

Any kind of tow

Fee	Amount
Daily storage, light vehicle1 4 6 Details Per 24-hour period, for vehicles under 10,000 lb. The tower may instead charge 1.82 dollars per foot of length. Only the first 24 hours can be charged until the owner notice is sent. PUC posted cap effective March 15, 2026.	Up to $48.19 / day
After-hours release charge1 4Extra charge for release outside business hours. PUC posted cap effective March 15, 2026.	Up to $106.06

Trucks and heavy vehicles (1 fees)

Fee	Amount	Applies to
Private-property tow base rate, 10,001 to 19,000 lb1 4 Details PUC posted cap effective March 15, 2026. Adjusted for inflation every March 15.	Up to $288.57	Private lot (apartment, store) · Medium trucks

Local rates. The PUC caps apply statewide. A city ordinance or the lot's tow agreement can set a lower drop charge.

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Type what the lot charged for each line. We flag anything above a confirmed legal cap.

Your rights: drop fee, belongings, hearing

Partly

Release for a drop feeIf you reach the car before it is towed away

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.1

Yes

Get your belongings outWithout paying the tow first

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.2 4

Yes

Payment they must take

Towers must accept cash and major credit cards such as Visa and MasterCard. A card surcharge may be added.2 4 7

Yes

Owner noticeWhat the tower must tell you or police

For a private-property tow the tower must notify police within 30 minutes. Within 10 days it must send the owner and any lienholder a notice by certified mail.6

Yes

Storage rules

The tower cannot charge storage beyond the first 24 hours until it sends the owner notice. Storage on an abandoned vehicle stops adding up 120 days after notice.1 6

Yes

What to bringTo get the car released

The car must be released on demand during business hours, or with one hour notice after hours in the first 24 hours. For residential tows you can get the car back by paying 15 percent of the bill, up to 60 dollars, and owing the rest after 90 days.2

Yes

Tow-away signsRequired on private lots

Signs must be at each entrance and inside the lot, at least two square feet, in English and Spanish, and list the restriction, the hours, and the tow company name and phone.3

Not verified Right to a hearing. We have not confirmed these in Colorado law yet. Why

Other deadlines

Claim before sale: If the car is not claimed within 30 days after the abandoned vehicle notice is sent, it can be sold.6

By situation

Colorado cities

Towed car in Denver

Think the tow or the bill was wrong?

Ask the lot for an itemized receipt, compare it to the legal limits in Colorado, 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 Colorado?

Yes. Private-property tow base rate, light vehicle: up to $250.91. Drop fee: up to $97.70. Storage: $48.19 per day.

Does a tow truck have to release my car in Colorado if I get there first?

Can I get my belongings out of a towed car in Colorado?

What payment do tow lots have to accept in Colorado?

Towers must accept cash and major credit cards such as Visa and MasterCard. A card surcharge may be added.

Sources

Last checked Nov 15, 2026. Fees and rules change: confirm with the lot or agency before you go. Spot an error? Tell us.

PUC Towing Carrier Rules, Rule 6511 Rates and Charges (4 CCR 723-6, Rule 6511), Colorado PUC (via Cornell LII). Checked Nov 14, 2026.
PUC Towing Carrier Rules, Rule 6512 Release of Motor Vehicle and Personal Property (4 CCR 723-6, Rule 6512), Colorado PUC (via Cornell LII). Checked Nov 14, 2026.
PUC Towing Carrier Rules, Rule 6513 Notice (4 CCR 723-6, Rule 6513), Colorado PUC (via Cornell LII). Checked Nov 14, 2026.
Towing Rates (current maximums effective March 15, 2026, with prior rate history) (4 CCR 723-6, Rules 6511 and 6512), Colorado PUC. Checked Nov 15, 2026.
Towing Carrier Fuel Surcharge (monthly maximum mileage charge for private-property tows) (4 CCR 723-6, Rule 6511(b)(IV)), Colorado PUC. Checked Nov 15, 2026.
Abandoned vehicles on private property, notice and report (C.R.S. 42-4-2103), Colorado General Assembly (via colorado.public.law). Checked Nov 14, 2026.
Towing carriers, fees, photos, and private-property authorization (C.R.S. 40-10.1-405), Colorado General Assembly (via colorado.public.law). Checked Nov 14, 2026.