State guide
California
California has detailed statewide rules for private-property towing in the Vehicle Code, including sign, timing, release, and rate rules. I did not find a single statewide public towed-car locator; instead, major cities publish their own impound or tow pages.
Checked against official sources on October 4, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
- How to find a towed car
- California does not appear to have one statewide public towed-vehicle search; major cities and impound contractors provide local lookup tools instead.
- State rules on tow and storage fees
- California caps private-property nonconsent tow and storage charges indirectly: charges are excessive if they exceed the greater of the local law-enforcement contract rate or the CHP-approved rate for that jurisdiction, and same-day or under-24-hour storage is limited to one day.
- Notice rules (police and owner)
- For private-property tows, the person authorizing the tow must notify local traffic law enforcement within one hour, and the tow operator must immediately give written notice to the registered and legal owner if known or ascertainable.
- Who regulates tow companies
- California Highway Patrol for CHP tow agreements and rate approvals referenced in Vehicle Code section 22658; complaints about wrongful private-property tows are directed locally.
Official resources in California
Primary statewide private-property towing law covering signs, one-hour police notice, owner notice, release rules, and excessive-charge standards.
Sets the one-hour waiting rule for some free public parking lots before a private-property tow may occur.
Explains CHP tow service agreements and complaint handling for tow operators used by CHP.
Key facts for California
- I did not find a statewide public California towed-vehicle locator on state sites.
- A private-property tow authorizer must notify the local traffic law-enforcement agency within one hour after authorizing the tow.
- If the tow operator knows or can ascertain the owner, written notice to the registered and legal owner must be given immediately.
- Private-property tow/storage charges are excessive if they exceed the greater of local law-enforcement contract rates or CHP-approved rates for that jurisdiction.
- If the vehicle is released within 24 hours, only one day's storage may be charged.
- For some free public parking lots, a vehicle generally cannot be towed within one hour of being parked.
City towed-car lookups and impound lots in California
| City | city | phone | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle Abatement Santa Clara | San Jose | Not published* | Official city page explaining abandoned-vehicle enforcement and post-storage hearing availability. |
* Not published: the official page doesn't list it. Call the office to confirm before you rely on it.
What to do next
- If the tow was from private property, ask for the written tow authorization and the separate notice listing the local law-enforcement or prosecuting agency number.
- If you retrieve the vehicle within 24 hours, check that only one day's storage was charged.
- If you believe the tow was unlawful, contact the city police or prosecuting agency listed for that jurisdiction and request any available post-storage hearing.
Not seeing your city or county?
Not every city publishes its rules online. Try these, in order:
- General Start with the statewide information above.
- Closest verified Nearest places where we have verified local data outside this state (distance from California's population center, for comparison only):
- Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department: Locating Your Towed or Recovered Stolen Vehicle, Nevada · about 225 miles
- AutoReturn | Henderson, NV, Nevada · about 235 miles
- Locate My Vehicle | City of North Las Vegas, Nevada · about 235 miles
- Call to confirm Ask the official office.California Vehicle Code section 22658
Website →Phone not shown: use the contact page on the official website above.Your city or county office: Local governments →Not sure who handles it locally? USAGov's free help line, 1-844-872-4681, or the California page on USA.gov can point you to the right office. - Know the current info? Tell us with a link to the official page.