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Michigan towing laws

In Michigan a car towed from private property without consent is handled as an abandoned vehicle.

More about Michigan

The tow company must tell police before it removes the car, and the Secretary of State mails the owner a notice with a form to request a hearing in district court within 20 days. State law does not cap the tow price, but it lets you challenge whether the towing and storage fees were reasonable.

Checked Nov 14, 2026

At a glance

Tow fee limitSet locallyNo statewide dollar cap in the Michigan Vehicle Code.Storage per daySet locallyNo statewide daily rate.Release if you get there first?YesIf you get to the car before it is towed away, the tow truck must unhook it and let you drive off after…Get your belongings?YesThe lot must let the owner inspect the car and take out personal property during regular business hours,…Deadline to contest20 daysCalendar days from the notice.Payment rulesNot verifiedNot in the law we checked yet.
  1. Find the carOfficial state search
  2. Check the billFee calculator
  3. Contest itWithin 20 days

Michigan state towed-car search

Run or named by a state agency. Check what it covers: most miss some kinds of tows.

Michigan Abandoned Vehicle Search

Towed vehicles that police have entered as abandoned, which includes private property tows once the tower reports them to police. Search by VIN or plate to see where the car is and who holds it, or call the help desk at 517-636-5234.9

City lookups: Detroit

Fee limits

Towed from a private lotApartments, stores, businesses

FeeAmount
Private-property tow, light vehicle14
DetailsNo statewide dollar cap in the Michigan Vehicle Code. Rates may be set by contract with the local police agency or city. You can ask the court to rule on whether the fee was reasonable.
Set by city or county

Any kind of tow

FeeAmount
Daily storage, light vehicle6
DetailsNo statewide daily rate. If an individually owned car goes to sale or scrap, total storage that can be collected is limited to the lowest of the contract rate, the lot's own rate, or 1,000 dollars.
Set by city or county
Total storage collectible when an abandoned car is sold or scrapped6
DetailsApplies only when the car is released for disposition and is owned by an individual. Does not apply to commercial vehicles or vehicles owned or leased by a business.
Up to $1,000
Abandoned vehicle fee paid to get the car back1
DetailsOwner pays a 40 dollar fee plus the towing and storage charges. Part of it goes to the state abandoned vehicle fund.
$40

Local rates. Towing and storage rates are often set by contract between a tow company and the local police agency or city. Check the city or police department where the car was towed.

What will I owe in Michigan?

Estimate your bill

Who had it towed?

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

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

If you get to the car before it is towed away, the tow truck must unhook it and let you drive off after you pay a reasonable service fee and get a receipt. This does not apply to police tows for a hazardous vehicle, suspected theft, evidence, or a crash.2

Yes

Get your belongings outWithout paying the tow first

The lot must let the owner inspect the car and take out personal property during regular business hours, with no fee for the first visit. Later visits can cost up to 25 dollars each.1

Yes

Right to a hearingTo contest the tow

You can file the petition from the notice with the district court to contest the tow or the reasonableness of the fees. You must file within 20 days after the date of the notice, and you can get the car back during the case by posting a bond or paying the fee and charges to the court. The court schedules the hearing within 30 days.134

Yes

Owner noticeWhat the tower must tell you or police

Before towing from private property the tow company must notify the police, who enter the car in the state police network within 24 hours. The Secretary of State then mails a notice to the owner and lender within 7 days that explains how to get the car back and how to request a hearing.1

Partly

Storage rules

Storage fees can be challenged as unreasonable in court. If a car is sold or scrapped, storage charges for an individually owned car are limited to the lowest of the contract rate, the lot's rate, or 1,000 dollars in total.46

Partly

What to bringTo get the car released

To get the car back without a hearing you pay the 40 dollar fee plus the towing and storage charges to the lot. Cars towed by police for suspected theft, evidence, or a crash must first be released by the police agency.12

Yes

Tow-away signsRequired on private lots

The property owner must post signs at each vehicle entrance, or one per 100 feet of road frontage if there are no curbs. Signs must say in letters at least 2 inches high that unauthorized vehicles will be towed at the owner's expense, give the tow company's name and phone, be mounted at least 4 feet up, and be in place 24 hours before a tow. Single and two-family homes are exempt.78

Not verified Payment they must take. We have not confirmed these in Michigan law yet. Why

Other deadlines

By situation

Michigan cities

Think the tow or the bill was wrong?

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

Michigan 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 Michigan if I get there first?

If you get to the car before it is towed away, the tow truck must unhook it and let you drive off after you pay a reasonable service fee and get a receipt. This does not apply to police tows for a hazardous vehicle, suspected theft, evidence, or a crash.

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

The lot must let the owner inspect the car and take out personal property during regular business hours, with no fee for the first visit. Later visits can cost up to 25 dollars each.

How do I contest a tow in Michigan?

You can file the petition from the notice with the district court to contest the tow or the reasonableness of the fees. You must file within 20 days after the date of the notice, and you can get the car back during the case by posting a bond or paying the fee and charges to the court. The court schedules the hearing within 30 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.

  1. Michigan Vehicle Code, abandoned vehicles (MCL 257.252a), Michigan Legislature. Checked Nov 14, 2026.
  2. Michigan Vehicle Code, immediate removal of vehicles (MCL 257.252d), Michigan Legislature. Checked Nov 14, 2026.
  3. Michigan Vehicle Code, court jurisdiction over towing (MCL 257.252e), Michigan Legislature. Checked Nov 14, 2026.
  4. Michigan Vehicle Code, hearing on petition (MCL 257.252f), Michigan Legislature. Checked Nov 14, 2026.
  5. Michigan Vehicle Code, public sale of abandoned vehicles (MCL 257.252g), Michigan Legislature. Checked Nov 14, 2026.
  6. Michigan Vehicle Code, towing and storage fees (MCL 257.252i), Michigan Legislature. Checked Nov 14, 2026.
  7. Michigan Vehicle Code, private property tow signs (MCL 257.252k), Michigan Legislature. Checked Nov 14, 2026.
  8. Michigan Vehicle Code, exceptions to sign rule (MCL 257.252l), Michigan Legislature. Checked Nov 14, 2026.
  9. Attorney General Nessel Reissues Consumer Alert on Michigan Towing Laws (July 3, 2025), Michigan Department of Attorney General. Checked Nov 14, 2026.