State guide
District of Columbia
The District has an official owner-facing towed-vehicle page and phone line through DC DMV, while towing operations and impoundment are handled with DC Department of Public Works and police involvement depending on the tow. Towing businesses, tow trucks, and tow storage lots are licensed in the District, and DLCP tells consumers to complain there if they were excessively charged or towed by an unlicensed operator.
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
- Yes. DC DMV has an official owner-facing tow locator page and directs owners to call the Towing Control Dispatch Center at (202) 541-6083.
- Statewide towed-vehicle search
- Official page →
- State rules on tow and storage fees
- Official DC pages I found cap public tow/impound fees at $100 towing and $20 per day storage, or $275 towing when special equipment is required; DLCP licensing materials require tow businesses to disclose/file private tow fee schedules, but I did not find a statewide private-property fee cap on the pages reviewed.
- Notice rules (police and owner)
- For privately stored abandoned, accident, or recovered stolen vehicles, DPW sends owner/lienholder notice within 5 days and publishes notice within 10 days if addresses cannot be determined.
- Who regulates tow companies
- District of Columbia Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP)
- File a towing complaint
- Official page →
Official resources in District of Columbia
Official owner-facing page to locate a towed vehicle, with Towing Control Dispatch Center contact details.
Official DPW page describing District towing and impoundment operations.
District consumer-rights page explaining licensing, complaint routes, and basic towing rights.
Official DLCP consumer-protection page used to file complaints about businesses.
Official licensing fact sheet for towing businesses, tow trucks, and tow storage lots.
Key facts for District of Columbia
- DC DMV directs owners to call the Towing Control Dispatch Center at (202) 541-6083 to locate a towed vehicle.
- DLCP says all tow companies operating in the District must be licensed, and complaints about unlicensed tows or excessive charges should go to DLCP’s Consumer Protection Unit.
- District code sets public-impound reclaim fees at $100 towing and $20 per day storage, or $275 towing when special equipment is required.
- For a vehicle removed to a private towing company’s storage facility as an abandoned, accident, or recovered stolen vehicle, DPW must send towing/storage notice within 5 days.
- If the owner or lienholder address cannot be determined, DPW must publish towing and storage notice within 10 days after delivery to storage.
- Vehicles on private property without the owner’s consent may be removed immediately after a notice of infraction is issued and conspicuously placed on the vehicle.
City towed-car lookups and impound lots in District of Columbia
| City | city | phone | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Locate a Towed Vehicle | Washington | (202) 541-6083 | Official tow-locator service; the page also lists office hours and service location. |
| DC Department of Public Works Towing | Washington | Not published* | Official DPW towing page for public tows and impoundment information. |
| Blue Plains Impoundment Lot | Washington | (202) 645-5544 | MPD page says vehicles are released directly from this lot; Monday-Friday: 8 am - 3:30 pm, with after-hours service/viewings by appointment. |
| Evidence Control Branch | Washington | (202) 727-3230 | MPD evidence/property office for impounded and recovered-property issues; same page lists Blue Plains information. |
* Not published: the official page doesn't list it. Call the office to confirm before you rely on it.
What to do next
- Use the DC DMV tow-locator page or call the Towing Control Dispatch Center before assuming the car was stolen.
- If a private tow seems improper, verify the tow company’s District license and submit a DLCP consumer complaint with photos, receipts, and the tow paperwork.
- If your vehicle is in MPD evidence custody rather than a routine public tow, contact the Blue Plains Impoundment Lot or Evidence Control Branch instead of the usual tow line.
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 District of Columbia's population center, for comparison only):
- General Order 4-14 Towing of Vehicles, Maryland · about 15 miles
- Police Department General Orders, Maryland · about 19 miles
- DOT Impounded Vehicle Inventory Control (IVIC), Maryland · about 35 miles
- Call to confirm Ask the official office.DC DMV Locate a Towed Vehicle
Website →Phone: (202) 737-4404 (as listed on that page, checked Oct 4, 2026)Your city or county office: Local governments →Not sure who handles it locally? USAGov's free help line, 1-844-872-4681, or the District of Columbia page on USA.gov can point you to the right office. - Know the current info? Tell us with a link to the official page.