Tip #57: Bring ID, registration and your insurance card when you go to a tow yard
Most tow yards want to see proof that you can take the car: a driver's license, the registration and an insurance card, plus payment. Call the yard first and confirm the list so one trip is enough.
Tip #57 in one line
Most tow yards want to see proof that you can take the car: a driver's license, the registration and an insurance card, plus payment. Call the yard first and confirm the list so one trip is enough.
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Call nowThe usual paperwork
Requirements vary from yard to yard and town to town, but most ask for the same things. **A valid photo ID**, usually your driver's license. **The vehicle's registration**, to show the car is yours or that you are allowed to take it. **Proof of insurance**, typically the insurance card. If the registration and insurance card are in the glove box of the towed car, tell the yard; many will let you retrieve them with an escort.
If someone else owns the car, such as a parent, a spouse or a company, expect to need a signed letter of authorization from the owner, and sometimes a copy of the owner's ID.
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Call nowCall before you go
Phone the yard first and ask four things: what documents they need, what forms of payment they accept, their hours for releases, and the total owed as of today. Ask whether the police department has to sign off first, which is common after a police-ordered tow. Write down who you spoke to.
A wasted trip is expensive when storage is billed by the day. One call usually saves one day.
Bring your own payment in a form the yard takes, and do not assume it takes cards. Bring a phone charger, too; a yard visit can mean waiting, and you may need your phone to show a digital insurance card or to call for the second tow. Before you leave, walk around the car and photograph it, so any damage from the tow or the yard is on record.
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Call nowGetting the car from the yard to the shop
If the car does not drive, you will need a second tow from the yard to your mechanic or home. We do not run a yard or take police rotation calls, but once the car is released we can move it to the shop or driveway you choose at our normal price, a flat hook fee plus mileage, quoted on the phone. A flatbed is the safe choice for a car that was damaged or will not roll.
Tell the dispatcher at (908) 444-0129 the yard's address and hours so the truck arrives while the gate is open. More on what to have ready is on our drivers page and in our towing questions.
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Call nowMore on towing rules & pricing
Keep reading, or go back to every post on the blog.
- Flatbed vs wheel-lift towing: which does your car need?
- What happens to your car after a police-ordered tow in New Jersey
- Towed from private property in New Jersey: your rights
- Towing pricing red flags in New Jersey
- Local tow company vs national roadside network: who actually shows up?
- Moving a car long distance from New Jersey: towing vs car carrier
- Tip #34: Choose the destination before the truck arrives: home, shop or dealer
- Tip #35: Ask the destination about storage charges before you pick it
- All posts
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