State guide
Michigan
Michigan has a statewide official search for abandoned or towed vehicles through the Secretary of State. State pages say towing and storage fees are usually set by agreement between the police agency and the towing company, while disputes over the tow or unreasonable fees must generally be taken to district court.
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
- Michigan provides a statewide official Abandoned Vehicle Search through the Secretary of State for locating the vehicle and custodian.
- State rules on tow and storage fees
- I did not find a statewide dollar cap for private-property non-consent tow and storage fees on the state pages reviewed; Michigan says those fees are normally set by agreement between the police agency and the towing company, and owners may challenge unreasonable fees in district court.
- Notice rules (police and owner)
- Private-property non-consent towing requires posted warning signs; after a vehicle is towed, state guidance says the tower shares the location with local police, police check stolen status within 24 hours, and the Secretary of State mails owner notice within seven days.
- Who regulates tow companies
- Michigan State Police, Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division, Regulatory and Credentialing Section
- File a towing complaint
- Official page →
Official resources in Michigan
File a Complaint
Attorney General complaint portal referenced for towing complaints.
Key facts for Michigan
- Michigan has a statewide Abandoned Vehicle Search that owners, law enforcement, and custodians can use.
- Michigan says tow companies share a towed vehicle's new location with local police.
- Within 24 hours, police determine whether the vehicle was reported stolen and enter it in the law enforcement information network.
- The Secretary of State must notify owners by mail within seven days.
- Owners have 20 days from the notice date to request a hearing.
- State consumer guidance says towing and storage fees are normally set by agreement between the police agency and the towing company.
City towed-car lookups and impound lots in Michigan
| City | city | phone | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Police Towing Fees Wayne | Detroit | Not published* | Official Detroit payment page for police towing fees. |
| Vehicle Storage Facility Kent | Grand Rapids | 616.456.3403 | Grand Rapids impound page explains release steps, documents, hours, and police-department paperwork requirements. |
| Police Department - Towing Fee Schedule Macomb | Warren | Not published* | Warren Police page links the city's towing fee schedule for regulated wreckers. |
| Operations Division Macomb | Sterling Heights | 586-274-4200 | Sterling Heights Police lists the contact number for impounded vehicles. |
* 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 Michigan Abandoned Vehicle Search first with your VIN or plate number, then call the listed custodian before going to the yard.
- If you want to challenge the tow or fees, file the district-court petition within 20 days from the notice date.
- If police directed the tow, also complain to the local police agency because the agency can act on violations of its towing agreement.
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 Michigan's population center, for comparison only):
- Fort Wayne PPI / Repo Tow Reporting, Indiana · about 132 miles
- South Bend Business Licenses - Towing, Indiana · about 132 miles
- South Bend Police Department Policy Manual, Indiana · about 132 miles
- Call to confirm Ask the official office.File a Complaint
Website →Phone: (877) 765-8388 (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 Michigan page on USA.gov can point you to the right office. - Know the current info? Tell us with a link to the official page.