What happens to your car after a police-ordered tow in New Jersey
When police order a tow, the car goes to the yard of a company on that town's list. Call the police department's non-emergency number to learn which company and what release is needed, bring your license, registration and insurance card, and move quickly because storage usually adds up by the day.
The short answer
When police order a tow, the car goes to the yard of a company on that town's list. Call the police department's non-emergency number to learn which company and what release is needed, bring your license, registration and insurance card, and move quickly because storage usually adds up by the day.
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Call nowWhy the police tow cars
Police in New Jersey order tows for several reasons: the driver was arrested or taken to a hospital after a crash, the car was disabled in the road and nobody called a private tow, the registration or insurance was not valid, the car was parked where it blocked traffic or an emergency route, or it was abandoned. In each case the officer calls a towing company the town has approved, and that company takes the car to its own storage yard.
This is a normal process and it is not the same as a private-property tow from a store lot or an apartment complex. The steps to get the car back are similar, but the first call is different.
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Call nowStep one: find out where the car is
If you were not on scene, start with the police department of the town where the car was parked. Call the non-emergency line, not 911. Give the plate number and the location. They can tell you whether the car was towed by order, which company has it, and whether you need a release form from the department before the yard will hand it over.
If you were on scene, the officer or the tow driver may have given you a card. Hold onto it. Ask the yard's hours on the first call, because some yards release vehicles only during set hours.
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Call nowStep two: gather your documents
Yards generally ask for proof that you own the car and can legally drive it away. Bring your driver's license, the current registration and your insurance card. If the registration is in the car, ask the yard whether they will let you retrieve it. If someone else's name is on the registration, bring a written authorization from the owner along with copies of their ID; call ahead to ask exactly what the yard accepts.
If the tow was because the registration or insurance had lapsed, you will usually need to fix that first, or arrange for the car to leave the yard on a truck rather than under its own power.
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Call nowStep three: pick it up, and check before you pay
Ask for an itemized bill showing the tow, the storage days and any other charges. Walk around the car before you sign anything and photograph any damage you did not have before. If a charge looks wrong or you cannot get an itemized bill, you can file a complaint with the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs.
Move quickly. Storage is typically charged by the day, so a car left over a long weekend costs more than one picked up the next morning.
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Call nowIf the car was towed after a crash
When a crash tow was ordered by the police, the car is usually in the rotation company's yard. Call your insurer early. Ask whether they will pay the tow and storage directly, whether they want the car moved to a body shop or to an insurer's inspection site, and whether an appraiser will come to the yard. Some insurers move cars out of storage yards quickly to stop the daily charges; others expect you to arrange it.
Personal belongings are a common question. Ask the yard when you can retrieve items from the car, and bring ID. Take everything you need, including the registration, garage door openers, child seats and toll tags, because the car may not come back to you for some time if it is being repaired or declared a total loss.
If the car may be a total loss, your insurer will usually handle the move from the yard. If it is repairable, you choose the body shop in most cases, and the car has to get there. That is a short local tow from the yard once the release is done.
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Call nowWhere we fit in
We do not perform police-ordered or impound tows, and we do not run a storage yard. What we can do is move the car once the yard releases it. If the car does not run, has a lapsed registration, or simply needs to go to your mechanic or body shop instead of your driveway, call (908) 444-0129. Tell the dispatcher the name and address of the yard and the destination, and we quote the job as a flat hook fee plus a per-mile rate before the truck rolls. Make sure the release is done and the yard is open when we arrive.
For crash damage, our accident towing page explains how to avoid an unwanted yard in the first place: call your own tow and tell the officer it is coming. For non-running cars going from the yard to a shop, a flatbed is usually the right truck.
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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?
- 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
- Tip #38: Always get an itemized receipt for a tow or roadside job
- All posts
Questions drivers ask about this
Short answers.
How do I find out which company towed my car in New Jersey?
Call the non-emergency line of the police department in the town where the car was parked. Give the plate number and location, and they can tell you which company has it and whether you need a release.
What do I need to bring to get my car back?
Usually your driver's license, current registration and insurance card. If the car is not in your name, bring the owner's written authorization and call the yard first to confirm what they accept.
Do you handle impound or police tows?
No. Once the yard releases the car, we can tow it from the yard to your mechanic, body shop or driveway at a price quoted on the phone.
Who do I complain to about towing or storage charges?
The New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs takes towing complaints. Keep the itemized bill and your photos.
Ask the dispatcher anything.
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