State guide
Maryland
Maryland has a statewide private-property towing statute, but fees are tied to local public-safety impound rates rather than one uniform statewide schedule. Baltimore City provides an official impound lookup, while other large cities mainly publish police towing or impound rules instead of a public search tool.
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
- No single statewide public towed-vehicle search page was found, but Baltimore City operates an official impounded-vehicle lookup.
- State rules on tow and storage fees
- For private-property tows, fees are capped by state law at local-rate-based limits; where no local limit exists, the default cap is $250 for towing and recovery plus $30 per day storage.
- Notice rules (police and owner)
- A private-property tower must notify the local police department within 1 hour after towing and must notify the owner, insurer, and secured party within 7 days, excluding days the business is closed.
- Who regulates tow companies
- Maryland law sets statewide rules, while towing oversight is partly local; the MVA handles investigations of violations of Maryland vehicle laws.
- File a towing complaint
- Official page →
Official resources in Maryland
State private-property towing statute covering fee limits, police notice, owner notice, and required authorization.
Explains MVA investigation requests and complaint forms for violations of Maryland vehicle laws.
Official Consumer Protection Division complaint instructions and contact numbers.
Official state advisory warning about predatory towing and suspicious activity after crashes or breakdowns.
Official Baltimore City search tool for impounded vehicles.
Key facts for Maryland
- Unless local law sets otherwise, a private-property tower may not charge more than twice the local public-safety impound tow fees.
- If the political subdivision has no fee limit, the statutory default is $250 for towing and recovery and $30 per day for storage.
- A private-property tower must notify the police department within 1 hour after towing the vehicle.
- The tower must notify the owner, insurer of record, and any secured party within 7 days, excluding days the business is closed.
- The statute requires parking-lot-owner authorization before towing, including photographic evidence of the violation or event.
- Maryland’s Insurance Administration warns drivers about predatory towing and says suspicious activity can be reported through its fraud process.
City towed-car lookups and impound lots in Maryland
| City | city | phone | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| DOT Impounded Vehicle Inventory Control (IVIC) Baltimore City | Baltimore | Not published* | Official Baltimore City search page for impounded vehicles using VIN, tag, or tow reference ID. |
| Vehicle Towing and Impound Procedures Frederick | Frederick | Not published* | Frederick Police towing and impound procedures, including authorized tow firms and city-established rates. |
| General Order 4-14 Towing of Vehicles Montgomery | Rockville | Not published* | Rockville Police towing order explaining abandoned, enforcement, and impound tows and owner notifications through Montgomery County. |
| Police Department General Orders Montgomery | Gaithersburg | Not published* | Official Gaithersburg police orders page linking General Order 616.1 on parking, stolen vehicles, and towing. |
* Not published: the official page doesn't list it. Call the office to confirm before you rely on it.
What to do next
- Ask which police department received the 1-hour tow notice; Maryland law requires the tower to report the tow there.
- Request the itemized actual notice costs if they were charged to you; the statute specifically addresses those charges.
- If you suspect a scam tow after a crash, document the company name, driver, lot location, and charges before filing complaints.
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 Maryland's population center, for comparison only):
- Locate a Towed Vehicle, District of Columbia · about 19 miles
- DC Department of Public Works Towing, District of Columbia · about 19 miles
- Blue Plains Impoundment Lot, District of Columbia · about 19 miles
- Call to confirm Ask the official office.MDOT MVA Investigations & Compliance
Website →Phone: (410) 768-7000 (as listed on that page, checked Oct 4, 2026)Your city or county office: Maryland Manual: county governments →Not sure who handles it locally? USAGov's free help line, 1-844-872-4681, or the Maryland page on USA.gov can point you to the right office. - Know the current info? Tell us with a link to the official page.