Louisiana towing laws

Louisiana sets one statewide price list for nonconsent tows, including police-ordered and private-property tows.

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The Public Service Commission caps a light-duty private-property tow at 152.50 dollars and outside storage at 34 dollars per calendar day, and adjusts the rates every April. Tow companies must take credit cards and cannot charge you to get your belongings out during business hours.

Checked Nov 14, 2026 · Regulator: Louisiana Public Service Commission, Transportation Division

Tow fee limit$152.50Most they can charge. For a private-lot tow, car or SUV.Storage per day$34 / dayMost they can charge. Car or SUV.Release if you get there first?Not verifiedNot in the law we checked yet.Get your belongings?YesA tow or storage company cannot charge you to get your belongings out of the car during normal business hours.Deadline to contest10 daysCalendar days from the notice.Must take card?YesThey must accept: cash, credit.

Fee limits

Towed from a private lotApartments, stores, businesses

Fee	Amount
Private-property tow, light duty (10,000 lb or less)1 3 Details Flat rate. Can be 186 dollars if the tow company documents that repositioning equipment, a fold-down light bar or an extra operator was needed. Rates effective April 1, 2026.	Up to $152.50

Police-ordered towsParking tickets, no insurance, arrests

Fee	Amount
Police-ordered or other nonconsent tow, light duty1 Details Hourly, from dispatch until the car reaches the lot. One and a half hour minimum, then billed in half-hour steps. Recovery work and a fuel surcharge can be added.	Up to $152.50 / hour

Any kind of tow

Fee	Amount
Daily storage, outside1 Details Covered storage is capped at 40.50 dollars and oversize storage at 61.50 dollars per calendar day.	Up to $34 / day
Gate fee1	Up to $64.50
Official Report of Stored Vehicle filing fee (in-state)1 Details 42 dollars for out-of-state notices. Mailing letters to the owner and lender may cost postage plus 5 dollars per letter.	Up to $36

Trucks and heavy vehicles (2 fees)

Fee	Amount	Applies to
Private-property tow, medium duty (10,001 to 26,000 lb)1 Details Flat rate effective April 1, 2026.	Up to $335	Private lot (apartment, store) · Medium trucks
Private-property tow, heavy duty1 Details Flat rate effective April 1, 2026.	Up to $430.50	Private lot (apartment, store) · Heavy trucks

Local rates. Nonconsent tow rates are set statewide by the Public Service Commission and change each April 1 based on a price index. Local rules were not reviewed yet.

What will I owe in Louisiana?

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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

Yes

Get your belongings outWithout paying the tow first

A tow or storage company cannot charge you to get your belongings out of the car during normal business hours. Outside business hours it may charge up to 64.50 dollars.1

Partly

Right to a hearingTo contest the tow

If a public agency had your car towed and stored, you can ask that agency for an administrative hearing on whether the tow was proper. The request is due within 10 days after the owner notice is mailed and the hearing is held within 3 business days. Complaints about private tow charges go to the Public Service Commission.1 4 5

Yes

Payment they must take

Tow companies must accept credit cards, though a card processing fee may be added as a separate line on the invoice. If you pay cash and they have no change, they must mail it to you within 10 days.1

Yes

Owner noticeWhat the tower must tell you or police

The tow company must give you a written notice at the scene or at first contact saying the tow is nonconsent and rates are set by the Public Service Commission. The storage lot must mail notice to the owner and any lender within 10 business days after getting the owner's information from the state, or 5 business days if it got the information electronically.1 4

Yes

Storage rules

Storage is charged per calendar day at the Public Service Commission rates. If you file a written complaint with the Commission, storage stops adding up from that date and is not owed if the charges are found excessive.1

Yes

Tow-away signsRequired on private lots

Property owners must post State Police approved signs at entrances and exits warning that unauthorized cars may be towed, plus signs or markings at any reserved spaces. The tow company must make sure the signs are in place before towing.3

Not verified Release for a drop fee, What to bring. We have not confirmed these in Louisiana law yet. Why

Other deadlines

Recover an overcharge: If a private-property tower charges more than the uniform fee, you can sue to recover the extra amount, storage costs, reasonable attorney fees and court costs. The Commission can also order refunds of up to 200 percent of an overcharge.1 3

By situation

Louisiana Apartment Towing Laws: Your Rights

Think the tow or the bill was wrong?

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

Yes. Private-property tow, light duty (10,000 lb or less): up to $152.50. Storage: $34 per day.

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

A tow or storage company cannot charge you to get your belongings out of the car during normal business hours. Outside business hours it may charge up to 64.50 dollars.

How do I contest a tow in Louisiana?

What payment do tow lots have to accept in Louisiana?

Tow companies must accept credit cards, though a card processing fee may be added as a separate line on the invoice. If you pay cash and they have no change, they must mail it to you within 10 days.

Sources

Last checked Nov 14, 2026. Fees and rules change: confirm with the lot or agency before you go. Spot an error? Tell us.

Schedule of Prescribed Rates and Requirements for Non-Consensual Towing, Recovery and Related Services (Attachment A, amended for 2025 PPI, effective 4-1-2026) (LPSC General Order 12-20-2024 (R-35595), Attachment A), Louisiana Public Service Commission. Checked Nov 14, 2026.
General Order 12-20-2024 (R-35595), corrected (LPSC General Order 12-20-2024 (R-35595)), Louisiana Public Service Commission. Checked Nov 14, 2026.
Towing of motor vehicles from private property (La. R.S. 32:1736), Louisiana State Legislature. Checked Nov 14, 2026.
Owner notification of a stored vehicle (La. R.S. 32:1720), Louisiana State Legislature. Checked Nov 14, 2026.
Hearings (La. R.S. 32:1727), Louisiana State Legislature. Checked Nov 14, 2026.