Washington towing laws

Washington tow companies must register with the Department of Licensing, file their rates there, and may not charge more than those filed rates.

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For private-property impounds with a standard Class A, D or E truck, state law caps the filed hourly tow rate and daily storage at 135 percent of the State Patrol impound rates in effect when the tower filed. The State Patrol rates from October 15, 2026 are $297 an hour and $75 a day, so the cap can be no higher than $400.95 an hour and $101.25 a day. You can ask the district or municipal court for a hearing on the tow within 10 days.

Checked Nov 15, 2026 · Regulator: Washington State Department of Licensing (registered tow truck operators)

Tow fee limit$400.95Most they can charge. For a private-lot tow, car or SUV.Storage per day$101.25 / dayMost they can charge. For a private-lot tow, car or SUV.Release if you get there first?NoState law does not set a drop fee or require release at the scene.Get your belongings?YesPersonal belongings must be kept intact for 20 days and returned on request during business hours with ID,…Deadline to contest10 daysCalendar days from the notice.Must take card?YesThey must accept: cash, credit, check.

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Fee limits

Towed from a private lotApartments, stores, businesses

Fee	Amount
Private-property impound, hourly tow rate (Class A, D or E truck), highest possible cap1 4 Details The law does not name a dollar figure. It caps the filed hourly rate at 135 percent of the State Patrol Class A rate in effect when the tower filed its fee schedule. The State Patrol Class A rate is $297 an hour from October 15, 2026, and 135 percent of that is $400.95. Towers that filed earlier may be capped lower, so check the rate the tower filed with the Department of Licensing. Applies only to a parked, upright car with all wheels, not involved in an accident. After the first hour, time is billed to the nearest quarter hour.	Up to $400.95 / hour
Private-property impound, daily storage, highest possible cap1 4 Details The law caps filed storage at 135 percent of the State Patrol daily storage rate in effect when the tower filed. The State Patrol rate is $75 a day from October 15, 2026, and 135 percent of that is $101.25. Towers that filed earlier may be capped lower. Storage is charged per 24 hours, to the nearest half day, starting once the car is unloaded and logged at the lot.	Up to $101.25 / day
Private-property impound, after-hours release fee, per hour1 3 4 Details The law caps this at 100 percent of the State Patrol after-hours release fee. State Patrol rules say that fee is an hourly rate of no more than half the Class A rate, and the State Patrol lists $149 an hour from October 15, 2026. It applies only when staff come in to release the car on weekdays before 8 a.m. or after 5 p.m., on weekends or on state holidays.	Up to $149 / hour

Police-ordered towsParking tickets, no insurance, arrests

Fee	Amount
State Patrol impound, Class A or E truck, per hour3 4 Details Maximum hourly rate the State Patrol chief sets each October for tows the State Patrol calls, effective October 15, 2026 through October 14, 2027. City and county police tows follow local contracts.	Up to $297 / hour
State Patrol impound, daily storage3 4 Details Set by the State Patrol for its own impounds, effective October 15, 2026 through October 14, 2027. Charged per 24 hours to the nearest half day.	Up to $75 / day

Any kind of tow

Fee	Amount
Drop fee (owner returns before the car is removed) Details State law has no separate drop fee rule. Some cities, like Seattle, set an uncompleted tow fee.	Not verified

Local rates. Cities that set their own private impound maximums before 2013 may keep enforcing them. Seattle sets maximum fees for private-property impounds and adjusts them each year.

Seattle

Fee	Amount
Private impound, first hour of towing5 Details Effective April 20, 2026. After the first hour, $54.75 per 15 minutes ($219 an hour). Applies to Class A, D or E trucks. No extra labor or hookup charges are allowed.	Up to $306.88
Private impound storage ($42.98 per 12 hours)5Seattle sets $42.98 per 12-hour period, effective April 20, 2026.	Up to $85.96 / day
After-hours release fee5	Up to $100
City of Seattle impound fee5	$15
Uncompleted tow fee, per 15-minute period5 Details Charged in 15-minute periods from dispatch to release when the car is being hooked up or towed but has not been driven away.	Up to $76.72

What will I owe in Washington?

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Your rights: drop fee, belongings, hearing

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

State law does not set a drop fee or require release at the scene. Seattle caps an uncompleted tow fee at $76.72 per 15 minutes.1 5

Yes

Get your belongings outWithout paying the tow first

Personal belongings must be kept intact for 20 days and returned on request during business hours with ID, without charge. You can also sign a form to have the tower store them free for 30 days.1 2

Yes

Right to a hearingTo contest the tow

You can contest the tow or the charges in district or municipal court. The written request must reach the court within 10 days of getting the hearing notice and more than five days before the auction, and you pay a filing fee. If the tow is found invalid, the person who ordered it pays the fees and you can recover the filing fee and damages for loss of use.1

Yes

Payment they must take

The tower must accept commercially reasonable tender, which includes cash, major bank credit cards, and personal checks on Washington bank branches with two pieces of ID. A tower may refuse a check it cannot verify.1

Yes

Owner noticeWhat the tower must tell you or police

The tower must tell police right away by phone or radio, then in writing within 24 hours. It must mail the registered and legal owners a notice within 24 hours that names who ordered the tow and explains the right to redeem the car and ask for a hearing.1 2

Yes

Storage rules

The car must go to the nearest inspected lot listed with the state. The office must be open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays, and staff must be reachable 24 hours a day to release cars within a reasonable time. Storage on an unclaimed car is limited if the tower misses state deadlines.1

Yes

What to bringTo get the car released

The owner, someone with written permission, or the insurer can redeem the car by paying the charges. The tower must hand over a hearing request form and an itemized invoice and post its rates at the lot.1

Yes

Tow-away signsRequired on private lots

Nonresidential lots need a sign at least 15 by 24 inches near each entrance showing when cars may be impounded and the name, phone number and address of the tow company. Residential property does not need signs.1 2

Other deadlines

Auction of an unclaimed car: An unclaimed car can be sold at public auction once 15 days have passed after the tower mails the notice of custody and sale. You can redeem it any time before the auction starts.1 2

By situation

Washington Apartment Towing Laws: Your Rights

Washington cities

Towed car in Seattle

Think the tow or the bill was wrong?

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

Yes. Private-property impound, hourly tow rate (Class A, D or E truck), highest possible cap: up to $400.95. Storage: $101.25 per day.

Does a tow truck have to release my car in Washington if I get there first?

State law does not set a drop fee or require release at the scene. Seattle caps an uncompleted tow fee at $76.72 per 15 minutes.

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

Personal belongings must be kept intact for 20 days and returned on request during business hours with ID, without charge. You can also sign a form to have the tower store them free for 30 days.

How do I contest a tow in Washington?

What payment do tow lots have to accept in Washington?

Sources

Last checked Nov 15, 2026. Fees and rules change: confirm with the lot or agency before you go. Spot an error? Tell us.

Revised Code of Washington ch. 46.55 Towing and impoundment (RCW 46.55.063, .070, .080, .090, .100, .110, .118, .120, .130), Washington State Legislature. Checked Nov 15, 2026.
WAC ch. 308-61 Tow truck operators (WAC 308-61-125, -135, -145, -158), Washington State Department of Licensing. Checked Nov 14, 2026.
WAC ch. 204-91A Tow truck operators, State Patrol rules (WAC 204-91A-140), Washington State Patrol. Checked Nov 15, 2026.
Tow Rates for WSP Impounds, effective October 15, 2026 through October 14, 2027, Washington State Patrol. Checked Nov 15, 2026.
Max Towing Fees: Private Property Impounds (Seattle Municipal Code 6.214.220), City of Seattle Finance and Administrative Services. Checked Nov 14, 2026.