State guide
Delaware
Delaware now has a dedicated state statute for private-property and public-parking-area nonconsensual tows of vehicles 5,000 pounds or less. I did not find a statewide public towed-vehicle search on official Delaware pages, but Wilmington has an official vehicle-release page and Delaware law gives consumers fee and access protections.
Checked against official sources on October 4, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
Try a ZIP like 30303, “Travis County” or “Columbus, OH”
- How to find a towed car
- No statewide public towed-vehicle search was found on official Delaware state pages I reviewed.
- State rules on tow and storage fees
- Delaware statewide law regulates private-property nonconsensual tow fees by requiring them to be reasonable, setting presumptions for excessiveness, and capping noncommercial/rental tows at $250 plus $50 per day storage.
- Notice rules (police and owner)
- For Chapter 69A nonconsensual tows, I found no statewide police-notification rule; to assert a lien, the tow/storage company must send certified-mail notice to the owner, lessor, and lienholder within 30 days.
- Who regulates tow companies
- Delaware Department of Justice, Fraud & Consumer Protection Division
Official resources in Delaware
Delaware Code Chapter 69A
Primary statewide law for nonconsensual tows from private or public parking areas, including signs, fees, after-hours access, and remedies.
Key facts for Delaware
- Delaware’s Chapter 69A applies to nonconsensual tows of nonabandoned vehicles weighing 5,000 pounds or less from private or public parking areas.
- State law caps noncommercial and rental-vehicle nonconsensual tow fees at $250 and daily storage at $50, with no other towing-related charges above those maximums.
- If the owner returns before the vehicle leaves the parking area, the tow must stop; any drop fee may not exceed 50% of the tow fee.
- No storage or ancillary fees may be assessed if the vehicle is retrieved within 24 hours from when the tow begins.
- To assert a lien for unpaid towing or storage on a nonconsensually towed vehicle, notice by certified U.S. mail must be sent within 30 days.
- A Chapter 69A violation is an unlawful practice under Delaware’s consumer-protection law.
City towed-car lookups and impound lots in Delaware
| City | city | phone | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wilmington Police Department New Castle | Wilmington | Not published* | Largest-city police department page with non-emergency contact information. |
| Newark Police Department New Castle | Newark | 302-366-7111 | Official police page; Newark public notices say owners of certain towed vehicles must obtain a Vehicle Release Form from Newark Police. |
* Not published: the official page doesn't list it. Call the office to confirm before you rely on it.
What to do next
- Photograph the tow signs and ask the tow company for the required photos and tow documentation; Delaware law says they must provide them on request without charge.
- If you can retrieve the vehicle within 24 hours, check that no storage or ancillary fees were added.
- If the tow violated Chapter 69A, keep receipts and consider a DOJ consumer complaint and court action for reimbursement and damages.
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 Delaware's population center, for comparison only):
- Towing, Pennsylvania · about 56 miles
- Philadelphia Parking Authority - Booted & Towed Vehicles, Pennsylvania · about 56 miles
- DOT Impounded Vehicle Inventory Control (IVIC), Maryland · about 57 miles
- Call to confirm Ask the official office.Delaware Code Chapter 69A
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 Delaware page on USA.gov can point you to the right office. - Know the current info? Tell us with a link to the official page.