Iowa towing laws

Iowa has no statewide towing fee caps and no state agency that licenses tow companies.

More about Iowa

State law mainly covers abandoned and impounded vehicles, including cars left on private property without permission for more than 24 hours, and it has no drop-fee, sign, or payment rules. The owner gets a certified letter and has 10 days from that notice to reclaim the car, or to ask for a hearing after a police tow, before it can be sold.

Checked Nov 15, 2026

Tow fee limitSet locallyState law sets no dollar amount for private-property tows.Storage per daySet locallyState law sets no daily storage amount or free period.Release if you get there first?NoState law has no rule requiring a tow truck to release your car for a drop fee.Get your belongings?NoState law lets you reclaim the car or the personal property in it, but only after paying the towing,…Deadline to contest10 daysCalendar days from the notice.Must take card?No state ruleLots can set their own payment terms. Call ahead.

Fee limits

Towed from a private lotApartments, stores, businesses

Fee	Amount
Private-property tow, light vehicle1 2 Details State law sets no dollar amount for private-property tows. Some cities regulate private towing in their own codes.	Set by city or county

Police-ordered towsParking tickets, no insurance, arrests

Fee	Amount
Police-ordered tow, light vehicle1 Details Police agencies use their own staff or hire private tow companies, so rates are set locally.	Set by city or county

Any kind of tow

Fee	Amount
Daily storage1 2 Details State law sets no daily storage amount or free period. You must pay the storage charges to reclaim the car.	Set by city or county

Local rates. Cities, counties and police agencies set or contract for tow and storage rates. Some cities also have their own rules for towing from private lots.

What will I owe in Iowa?

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.

Your rights: drop fee, belongings, hearing

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

State law has no rule requiring a tow truck to release your car for a drop fee.1

Get your belongings outWithout paying the tow first

State law lets you reclaim the car or the personal property in it, but only after paying the towing, storage and notice charges.1

Partly

Right to a hearingTo contest the tow

If police took the vehicle, or hired a company to do it, you can ask the police agency for a hearing to contest the fees or the planned sale. You must ask, or reclaim the car, within 10 days of the notice. We found no state hearing for purely private tows.1

Payment they must take

State law does not say which forms of payment a tow company or police lot must accept.1

Yes

Owner noticeWhat the tower must tell you or police

The police agency or tow company holding an abandoned vehicle must send a certified letter to the registered owner and lienholders within 20 days of taking it. If the owner cannot be found, one newspaper notice is enough.1

Storage rules

State law sets no limit on storage charges and no free period. To reclaim the car or its contents you must pay all towing, preservation, storage, and notice charges.1 2

Yes

What to bringTo get the car released

To drive away an abandoned or impounded vehicle you must pay the towing, storage and notice charges and show a valid driver's license and proof of insurance.1

Tow-away signsRequired on private lots

State law sets no sign rules for private lots. It treats a car left on private property without the owner's consent for more than 24 hours as abandoned, and the property owner can then have a garagekeeper take it.1 2

Other deadlines

Reclaim the vehicle: Reclaim the vehicle and its contents before you lose all rights to them and they can be sold or scrapped.1

Think the tow or the bill was wrong?

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

Iowa 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 Iowa if I get there first?

State law has no rule requiring a tow truck to release your car for a drop fee.

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

State law lets you reclaim the car or the personal property in it, but only after paying the towing, storage and notice charges.

How do I contest a tow in Iowa?

What payment do tow lots have to accept in Iowa?

State law does not say which forms of payment a tow company or police lot must accept.

Sources

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

Iowa Code 321.89, abandoned vehicles (Iowa Code § 321.89), Iowa Legislature. Checked Nov 15, 2026.
Iowa Code 321.90, disposal of abandoned motor vehicles (Iowa Code § 321.90), Iowa Legislature. Checked Nov 15, 2026.