North Dakota towing laws
North Dakota has no statewide maximum towing rate, but storage is capped at $50 a day for cars, pickups, vans and trucks up to 20,000 pounds when a towing company holds an abandoned vehicle or one from an emergency tow.
More about North Dakota
Under state law a vehicle left on private property without the property owner's consent can be treated as abandoned, and the tow company must tell police within 12 hours or lose its storage fee.
At a glance
North Dakota state towed-car search
Run or named by a state agency. Check what it covers: most miss some kinds of tows.
A public list of vehicles impounded by the North Dakota Highway Patrol, with the tow company name, address and phone. It is a Highway Patrol list, so city police and private lot tows may not appear.2
Fee limits
Towed from a private lotApartments, stores, businesses
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Private-property tow, light vehicleState law sets no maximum towing charge. Not confirmed whether any city sets one. | Not verified |
Any kind of tow
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
Daily storage, abandoned or emergency tow, up to 20,000 lb1DetailsApplies to passenger vehicles, pickups, vans and trucks up to 20,000 pounds registered gross weight held by a commercial towing service. This covers private-lot tows because state law defines a car left on private property without the consent of the person in control of the property as an abandoned vehicle and lets a towing service remove it at the property owner's request. It also covers emergency tows after a crash or breakdown. | Up to $50 / day |
What will I owe in North Dakota?
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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
Owner noticeWhat the tower must tell you or police
A tow company that takes an abandoned vehicle must notify the local police within 12 hours of the tow. Within 10 days it must send a certified letter to the owner and lienholders saying where the car is and that they have 30 days to reclaim it.1
Storage rules
Storage is capped at $50 a day for vehicles up to 20,000 pounds. If the tow company did not notify police within 12 hours, it may not collect any storage fee and must return the car at no cost.1
What to bringTo get the car released
The owner, lienholder or insurer can reclaim the vehicle by paying all towing and storage charges.1
Not verified Release for a drop fee, Get your belongings out, Right to a hearing, Payment they must take, Tow-away signs. We have not confirmed these in North Dakota law yet. Why
Other deadlines
- Reclaim the car before the tow company can take title: The owner or lienholder has 30 days after the notice to reclaim the car by paying towing and storage. After that the tow company can get title to the vehicle from the state.1
Think the tow or the bill was wrong?
Ask the lot for an itemized receipt, compare it to the legal limits in North Dakota, 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 North Dakota?
We have not confirmed a statewide cap in North Dakota yet.
Sources
Last checked Nov 15, 2026. Fees and rules change: confirm with the lot or agency before you go. Spot an error? Tell us.
- N.D. Century Code ch. 23.1-15 Abandoned motor vehicles (N.D. Cent. Code §§ 23.1-15-01, -03, -05, -06), North Dakota Legislative Branch. Checked Nov 15, 2026.
- NDHP Vehicle Impound Report, North Dakota Highway Patrol. Checked Nov 14, 2026.