Car towed in New York? Tow pounds, fees and lookup

Checked Nov 14, 2026 against official sources. We don't have your car: use the official lookup below.

Find your car

All tows in the city according to the Department of Finance, including NYPD, City Marshal and Sheriff tows4

Other ways to check:

NYC 311 · 311: All tows in the city. From outside NYC call (212) 639-96754
Local NYPD precinct: Tells you if a car was towed, stolen or relocated for a parade, demonstration or street fair. Also the contact for private-lot tows when no tow sign is posted2 5

Towed from a private lot (apartment, store)? Look for a posted sign with the name and phone number of the tow company and call it to get your car back. If there is no sign, call the local police precinct. DCWP caps private-lot tows at $125 for the tow and 3 days of storage, then $15 a day, with a $62.50 drop fee, and tow companies must accept at least two major credit cards.

Deadline to contest: 10 calendar days from the notice (New York rules). How to request a hearing

Cars towed by the NYPD for illegal parking usually go to the NYPD tow pound in the same borough, and the pounds are in the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens. Cars towed from private lots go to the tow company named on the posted sign, and the city's Find Towed Vehicle page or 311 can help locate any tow.

New York tow pounds: addresses and hours

NYPD Bronx Tow Pound

City impound · run by New York City Police Department

2444 Exterior Street, Bronx, NY 104682 3

Hours: Mon-Fri 8:00AM-8:00PM, Sat 8:00AM-3:00PM, Sun closed

Payment: cash, certified check payable to New York City Police Department, ATM bank debit card that allows withdrawals from checking accounts, money order, traveler's checks, Discover, American Express, MasterCard, Visa

Directions Call 718-585-1385

NYPD Brooklyn Tow Pound

City impound · run by New York City Police Department

Brooklyn Navy Yard, entrance at the corner of Sands Street and Navy Street, Brooklyn, NY2 3

Hours: 24 hours, 6 days a week: open from 7AM Monday until 5AM Sunday, closed 5AM Sunday until 7AM Monday

Directions Call 718-237-3300

NYPD Queens Tow Pound

City impound · run by New York City Police Department

31-22 College Point Boulevard, Flushing, NY 113542 3

Hours: Mon-Fri 8:00AM-10:00PM, Sat 8:00AM-3:00PM, Sun closed

Directions Call 718-359-6200

How much it costs to get your car out in New York

Fee	Amount	Applies to
NYPD regular tow fee2	$185	Police-ordered
NYPD tow pound overnight storage2 Details No storage charge if the car is picked up the same day it was towed. After that it is charged each night.	$20 / day	Police-ordered
NYPD immobilization device (boot) fee2	$185	Police-ordered
City release or admin fee2 Details The NYPD page lists no separate release fee. Parking judgments must be paid before release.	Not verified	Police-ordered
Private-lot tow, includes 3 days of storage (maximum)5	Up to $125	Private lot (apartment, store)
Private-lot tow storage after the first 3 days (maximum)5The first 3 days of storage are included in the tow charge.	Up to $15 / day	Private lot (apartment, store)
Private-lot drop fee (maximum)5	Up to $62.50	Private lot (apartment, store)

Trucks and heavy vehicles (1 fees)

Fee	Amount	Applies to
NYPD heavy duty tow fee2	$370	Police-ordered · Heavy trucks

Estimate your bill

Got your receipt? Check it for overcharges

Type what the lot charged for each line. We flag anything above a confirmed legal cap.

What to bring

Current vehicle registration certificate
Valid driver's license
Current insurance card for the vehicle

More detail, including when the car is not in your name: what to bring to the impound lot.

Local rules and how to contest

Illegally parked cars are usually taken to the NYPD tow pound in the borough where they were towed.
Only the registered owner, a spouse, or a representative with written authorization notarized by the owner can pick up the car.
A car will not be released if it has parking judgments. Judgment debt of $101 or more must be paid at the pound or to the Department of Finance.
You cannot pay the ticket that led to the tow at the pound. Pay or dispute it with the Department of Finance within 30 days of the ticket date.
If you catch an NYPD tow in progress, you can stop it by signing a Field Release Agreement and paying the penalties and fees within 30 days.
Cars towed by NYPD for DMV offenses such as no valid registration or insurance are released through a Department of Finance business center, not directly at the pound.
NYPD tow pounds are closed on New Year's Day, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

New York rules that apply

New York has no statewide cap on private-property tow or storage fees. 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.

Drop fee release: 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.
Your belongings: 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.
Hearing: 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.

Full New York towing law guide

Think the tow was wrong?

Questions

How do I find my towed car in New York?

Use NYC Find Towed Vehicle (https://www.nyc.gov/assets/finance/jump/find_towed_vehicle.html). All tows in the city according to the Department of Finance, including NYPD, City Marshal and Sheriff tows.

Where is the New York tow pound?

NYPD Bronx Tow Pound: 2444 Exterior Street, Bronx, NY 10468, Mon-Fri 8:00AM-8:00PM, Sat 8:00AM-3:00PM, Sun closed. NYPD Brooklyn Tow Pound: Brooklyn Navy Yard, entrance at the corner of Sands Street and Navy Street, Brooklyn, NY, 24 hours, 6 days a week: open from 7AM Monday until 5AM Sunday, closed 5AM Sunday until 7AM Monday. NYPD Queens Tow Pound: 31-22 College Point Boulevard, Flushing, NY 11354, Mon-Fri 8:00AM-10:00PM, Sat 8:00AM-3:00PM, Sun closed.

How much does it cost to get a car out of impound in New York?

For police-ordered tows the city lists a $185 tow and $20 per day of storage. Other fees may apply.

My car was towed from a private lot in New York. Where is it?

Look for a posted sign with the name and phone number of the tow company and call it to get your car back. If there is no sign, call the local police precinct. DCWP caps private-lot tows at $125 for the tow and 3 days of storage, then $15 a day, with a $62.50 drop fee, and tow companies must accept at least two major credit cards.

Sources

Last checked Nov 14, 2026. Fees and rules change: confirm with the lot or agency before you go. Spot an error? Tell us.

Census Bureau Vintage 2024 city and town population estimates (SUB-EST2024), U.S. Census Bureau. Checked Nov 14, 2026.
Towed Vehicles, New York City Police Department. Checked Nov 14, 2026.
Tow Pounds, New York City Police Department. Checked Nov 14, 2026.
Towed vehicles in New York City, NYC Department of Finance. Checked Nov 14, 2026.
Towing Services Guide, NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection. Checked Nov 14, 2026.