New York towing laws
New York has no statewide cap on private-property tow or storage fees.
More about New York
State law lets cities limit those charges, and New York City caps private-lot tows at $125 through the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP). A tower holding a car for the police must mail the owner a certified notice within five working days, and you have 10 days after a lien sale notice to challenge the bill in court.
At a glance
Fee limits
Towed from a private lotApartments, stores, businesses
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
Private-property tow, light vehicle12DetailsNo statewide number. State law lets local governments limit what a tower may charge for towing and storage from private lots. | Set by city or county |
| Daily storage, light vehicle12No statewide number. Storage limits, where they exist, are set by local law. | Set by city or county |
Drop fee (release before the car is towed away)23DetailsNo statewide drop fee rule was found. New York City caps it at $62.50 for private-lot tows. | Set by city or county |
Local rates. Cities and towns may cap private-lot towing and storage charges by local law. New York City caps tows from private lots and blocked driveways, and DCWP licenses the tow companies that do them. A 2024 City Council bill to raise these caps (Int. 545) was filed at the end of session without passing.
New York City
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
Tow from a private parking lot, includes the first three days of storage34DetailsThe same $125 cap (plus tax) applies to a tow for blocking a private driveway. Set by NYC Admin. Code 19-169(c)(8) and 19-169.1(a) as cited by DCWP in 2026. | Up to $125 |
| Daily storage from the fourth day34No storage charge for the first three days because they are included in the $125 tow. | Up to $15 / day |
| Drop fee to unhook a car before it is towed from a private lot34 | Up to $62.50 |
| Boot removal in a private lot or on a private street3The booting company must remove the boot within 30 minutes and must take credit cards. | Up to $25 |
What will I owe in New York?
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Your rights: drop fee, belongings, hearing
Release for a drop feeIf you reach the car before it is towed away
No statewide drop fee rule was found. In New York City a tow company may charge no more than $62.50 to unhook a car before towing it from a private lot.34
Get your belongings outWithout paying the tow first
No statewide rule was found. At New York City police tow pounds you can ask for a property release to take personal items such as luggage or a car seat, but not car parts. Someone other than the owner needs a notarized letter from the owner.9
Right to a hearingTo contest the tow
No statewide tow hearing was found. If a tower sends a notice of sale to enforce its lien, you have 10 days after the notice is served to ask a court to cancel or reduce the lien. Outside New York City, a person harmed by a violation of the parking-lot notice law may sue for actual damages or $150, whichever is greater.16
Payment they must take
No statewide payment rule was found. In New York City, DCWP-licensed tow companies must accept credit cards, and NYPD tow pounds take major credit cards, debit cards, cash, certified checks, and money orders.3910
Owner noticeWhat the tower must tell you or police
A tower holding a car for the police must mail the owner a certified letter within five working days saying who has the car, what is owed and when it can be picked up. If the letter is late, storage only counts from the day it is mailed. For abandoned cars, the town or city must notify the owner and any lienholder before the car is sold. No statewide notice rule for private-lot tows was found.58
Storage rules
No statewide storage rule was found. In New York City the first three days of storage after a private-lot tow are included in the $125 tow charge.34
What to bringTo get the car released
A tower holding a car for the police must release it to the owner or the owner's representative once all charges are paid. At New York City police tow pounds you need a valid driver's license, the original registration or title, and proof of insurance. Someone picking up for you needs a notarized letter from the owner too.59
Tow-away signsRequired on private lots
Outside New York City, a private parking lot with room for five or more cars must post a conspicuous notice that unauthorized cars will be towed at the owner's expense, with contact details for the lot operator and the authorized tow company. The lot may not tow without that notice.1
Other deadlines
- Earliest lien sale after the first newspaper ad: Before a lien sale, the sale must be advertised in a newspaper once a week for two weeks and held at least 15 days after the first ad. A car worth under $500 can be sold for scrap, but not sooner than 30 days after the sale notice or 60 days after the tow, whichever is later.7
- Claim an abandoned car from the town or city: An abandoned car held by a town or city can be sold, and ownership passes to the town or city, 10 days after it notifies the owner. You must pay removal and storage costs to claim it.8
By situation
New York cities
Think the tow or the bill was wrong?
Ask the lot for an itemized receipt, compare it to the legal limits in New York, 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 New York?
New York 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 New York if I get there first?
No statewide drop fee rule was found. In New York City a tow company may charge no more than $62.50 to unhook a car before towing it from a private lot.
Can I get my belongings out of a towed car in New York?
No statewide rule was found. At New York City police tow pounds you can ask for a property release to take personal items such as luggage or a car seat, but not car parts. Someone other than the owner needs a notarized letter from the owner.
How do I contest a tow in New York?
No statewide tow hearing was found. If a tower sends a notice of sale to enforce its lien, you have 10 days after the notice is served to ask a court to cancel or reduce the lien. Outside New York City, a person harmed by a violation of the parking-lot notice law may sue for actual damages or $150, whichever is greater.
What payment do tow lots have to accept in New York?
No statewide payment rule was found. In New York City, DCWP-licensed tow companies must accept credit cards, and NYPD tow pounds take major credit cards, debit cards, cash, certified checks, and money orders.
Sources
Last checked Nov 15, 2026. Fees and rules change: confirm with the lot or agency before you go. Spot an error? Tell us.
- New York General Business Law 399-v (parking facility towing notice) (N.Y. Gen. Bus. Law § 399-v), New York State Senate. Checked Nov 14, 2026.
- New York Vehicle and Traffic Law 1642 (local traffic rules in cities over one million) (N.Y. Veh. & Traf. Law § 1642(a)(15), (a)(20)), New York State Senate. Checked Nov 14, 2026.
- Towing Services Guide (rate caps), NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection. Checked Nov 14, 2026.
- DCWP petition against Instant Recovery Corp. (2026), citing NYC tow rate caps (NYC Admin. Code §§ 19-169(c)(8), 19-169.1(a)), NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection. Checked Nov 14, 2026.
- New York Lien Law 184 (lien for towing and storing motor vehicles) (N.Y. Lien Law § 184), New York State Senate. Checked Nov 15, 2026.
- New York Lien Law 201-a (court proceeding to test a lien) (N.Y. Lien Law § 201-a), New York State Senate. Checked Nov 15, 2026.
- New York Lien Law 202 (lien sale notice and timing) (N.Y. Lien Law § 202), New York State Senate. Checked Nov 15, 2026.
- New York Vehicle and Traffic Law 1224 (abandoned vehicles) (N.Y. Veh. & Traf. Law § 1224), New York State Senate. Checked Nov 15, 2026.
- Towed vehicles, frequently asked questions, NYC Department of Finance. Checked Nov 15, 2026.
- Retrieve a Towed Vehicle, NYC Department of Finance. Checked Nov 15, 2026.