State guide
Hawaii
Hawaii has statewide towing statutes with unusually specific fee and notice rules, including set private-property tow and storage charges in section 290-11. The state does not appear to provide one statewide public towed-vehicle lookup, so residents usually deal with county police, county vehicle-control programs, or the state consumer protection office.
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
- Not published by an official source we could verify. Ask the office.
- State rules on tow and storage fees
- Hawaii law sets statewide private-property tow and storage caps in section 290-11, including the tow charge, mileage, storage, difficult-hookup surcharge, overtime charge, and a limited overturned-vehicle add-on.
- Notice rules (police and owner)
- For private-property tows, notice to the legal owner and last registered owner must be sent within 15 days; for police-directed or disabled-vehicle tows under section 291C-165.5, notice must be sent within 20 days.
- Who regulates tow companies
- Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Office of Consumer Protection
- File a towing complaint
- Official page →
Official resources in Hawaii
State law for vehicles towed from private or public property without authorization, including fee caps, owner notice, payment methods, and release rules.
State law for police-directed traffic and disabled-vehicle towing, including owner notice and fee consequences if notice is late.
Official state consumer-protection office that says it receives towing complaints.
Official complaint page directing consumers to the current online complaint portal.
Official Honolulu page with the Unclaimed Vehicle Program and Motor Vehicle Control contact for claiming a towed POV.
Key facts for Hawaii
- For private-property tows, Hawaii law caps the basic tow at $75, or $85 when a dolly is used.
- Private-property towing may add $7.50 per mile, $25 daily storage for the first seven days, and $20 daily thereafter.
- If the owner appears before the tow truck drives away, the tow company must release the vehicle and charge no fee.
- For private-property tows, the towing company must notify the legal owner and last registered owner within 15 days.
- For police-directed or disabled-vehicle towing, the towing company must notify the lienholder and registered owner within 20 days.
- The Hawaii Office of Consumer Protection says it receives consumer complaints about towing.
City towed-car lookups and impound lots in Hawaii
| City | city | phone | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motor Vehicle Control Honolulu | Honolulu | (808) 768-2530 | Honolulu page says to contact Motor Vehicle Control with questions or problems claiming a towed POV under the Unclaimed Vehicle Program. |
| Abandoned Vehicle Office Maui | Wailuku | (808) 270-6102 | County office where legal or registered owners may claim abandoned vehicles taken into County of Maui custody; appointment requested. |
| Kauaʻi Police Department Abandoned Vehicles Kauai | Līhuʻe | Not published* | County police page for reporting and handling abandoned vehicles; says posted vehicles must be removed within 24 hours or they will be towed. |
| Hawaiʻi County Department of Environmental Management Derelict/Abandoned Vehicle Section Hawaii | Hilo | Not published* | County page for abandoned-vehicle reporting, status information, and related assistance programs. |
| Honolulu Police Department Towing Procedures Honolulu | Honolulu | Not published* | Official police policy page describing HPD towing procedures and stating tow companies must accept credit card, debit card, and cash. |
* 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, compare every charge on your receipt to section 290-11 before paying or filing a complaint.
- If the required owner notice arrived late, keep the envelope; Hawaii law can eliminate tow and storage charges when notice deadlines are missed.
- On Oahu, contact Motor Vehicle Control if you received an Unclaimed Vehicle in Custody letter or cannot locate a towed personal vehicle.
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 Hawaii's population center, for comparison only):
- Vehicle Abatement, California · about 2415 miles
- Police Services Directory - Towed Vehicles, Oregon · about 2530 miles
- Eugene Police Department, Oregon · about 2530 miles
- Call to confirm Ask the official office.DCCA Office of Consumer Protection
Website →Phone: (844) 808-3222 (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 Hawaii page on USA.gov can point you to the right office. - Know the current info? Tell us with a link to the official page.