Missouri towing laws
Missouri sets no statewide dollar caps but lets cities and counties set maximum towing and storage charges, and Kansas City caps a private-property tow at 265 dollars plus 30 dollars per 24 hours.
More about Missouri
If you catch the tow truck before it leaves the lot, the tow company can charge no more than half its regular tow fee. Storage lots must accept cash, and you can ask the associate circuit court to decide if the tow was wrongful within 10 days of the tow company notice.
At a glance
Fee limits
Towed from a private lotApartments, stores, businesses
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
Private-property tow, light vehicle34DetailsNo statewide dollar cap. Cities and counties may set maximum reasonable towing and storage charges by ordinance. The posted tow-away sign must show the maximum fee for towing and storage. | Set by city or county |
| Drop fee (car released before it leaves the lot)4No more than half the regular towing charge. | Up to 50% of the tow fee |
Any kind of tow
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
Daily storage, light vehicle24DetailsStorage for a nonconsent tow must be reasonable and may not be more than the lot charges for cars towed with the owner's consent. | Set by city or county |
Local rates. State law lets each county, city, town, or village set maximum towing, storage, and other charges. Kansas City caps private and public tow charges, and St. Louis posts its own city tow lot fees. Check local ordinances where the car was towed.
Kansas City (private-property tows)
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Private-property tow, most passenger vehicles5The cap drops to 120 dollars if the car was reported stolen. | Up to $265 |
| Drop fee (car hooked up but still on the property)5 | Up to $132.50 |
| Storage per 24-hour period5Any part of a 24-hour period counts as a full period, so 25 hours costs 60 dollars. | Up to $30 / day |
| Retrieval fee5 | Up to $25 |
What will I owe in Missouri?
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Your rights: drop fee, belongings, hearing
Release for a drop feeIf you reach the car before it is towed away
For a private-property tow, if you return before the car is removed from the property the tow company may charge no more than half of its regular towing charge. The full tow charge applies only once the car has left the property and is in transit.4
Get your belongings outWithout paying the tow first
For police-ordered tows, prescription medicine must be given back on request. Other belongings can be held until charges are paid, but the lot must either release them or let you inspect them and give you an itemized receipt.1
Right to a hearingTo contest the tow
Within 10 days after you receive the tow company's notice you can file a petition in the associate circuit court in the county where the car is stored to decide if it was wrongfully taken. You can get the car back while the case is pending by posting a bond equal to the towing and storage charges.2
Payment they must take
Storage lots holding cars towed from private property must accept cash from the registered owner and keep enough money on hand to make change.4
Owner noticeWhat the tower must tell you or police
Written notice of the tow, the reason, and where the car was taken must go to the registered owner and any lienholder within five working days. After the state looks up the owner, the tow company must also send a certified letter within ten business days explaining the charges and your right to a hearing.24
Storage rules
Storage charges for a nonconsent tow must be reasonable and cannot be higher than the lot charges for consent tows. Storage may only be charged for the time the tow company is following the required notice steps.2
What to bringTo get the car released
The owner or a lienholder can reclaim the car by showing proof of ownership or security interest and paying all reasonable towing and storage charges.12
Tow-away signsRequired on private lots
Without a police officer's approval, a private lot can only have cars towed if the owner or manager is present and a sign is posted at every entrance. The sign must be at least 17 by 22 inches with letters at least 1 inch tall, warn that cars will be towed at the owner's expense, show the maximum towing and storage fee, and give a phone number to find the car. Other rules apply to small residential properties and unposted lots after notice to police.3
Other deadlines
- Reclaim the car before title can transfer: If the car is still unclaimed 30 days after the notice is mailed and no hearing was requested, the tow company can apply for title to the car.2
- Penalty for an improper private tow: A property owner who has a car towed without following the state rules is liable to the car owner for double the towing or storage charges. A tow company that tows from private property without written authorization from a person present at the time is liable for four times the charges.4
By situation
Think the tow or the bill was wrong?
Ask the lot for an itemized receipt, compare it to the legal limits in Missouri, 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 Missouri?
Missouri 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 Missouri if I get there first?
For a private-property tow, if you return before the car is removed from the property the tow company may charge no more than half of its regular towing charge. The full tow charge applies only once the car has left the property and is in transit.
Can I get my belongings out of a towed car in Missouri?
For police-ordered tows, prescription medicine must be given back on request. Other belongings can be held until charges are paid, but the lot must either release them or let you inspect them and give you an itemized receipt.
How do I contest a tow in Missouri?
Within 10 days after you receive the tow company's notice you can file a petition in the associate circuit court in the county where the car is stored to decide if it was wrongfully taken. You can get the car back while the case is pending by posting a bond equal to the towing and storage charges.
What payment do tow lots have to accept in Missouri?
Storage lots holding cars towed from private property must accept cash from the registered owner and keep enough money on hand to make change.
Sources
Last checked Nov 15, 2026. Fees and rules change: confirm with the lot or agency before you go. Spot an error? Tell us.
- Missouri Revised Statutes, abandoned property removal and police tows (RSMo 304.155), Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Checked Nov 15, 2026.
- Missouri Revised Statutes, notice, storage charges, and court petition (RSMo 304.156), Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Checked Nov 15, 2026.
- Missouri Revised Statutes, towing from private property (RSMo 304.157), Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Checked Nov 15, 2026.
- Missouri Revised Statutes, owner notice, drop charge, payment, and local fee limits (RSMo 304.158), Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Checked Nov 15, 2026.
- Tow Bill of Rights (Internet Archive copy of June 9, 2026, live page blocks automated reads), City of Kansas City, Missouri. Checked Nov 15, 2026.
- Towing, retrieval of a towed car, City of St. Louis Street Department. Checked Nov 15, 2026.