State guide
Oregon
Oregon does not show a statewide public towed-vehicle search page in the official state sources I found. State law and the State Board of Towing regulate commercial towing, with private-property towing governed by statewide statutes requiring law-enforcement notification and owner notice deadlines.
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
- Yes, but not as a simple statewide dollar cap in the sources I found. ORS 98.812 limits private-property tow and storage charges to just and reasonable charges, and complaints go to the State Board of Towing.
- Notice rules (police and owner)
- For private-property tows, the tower must notify local law enforcement within one hour after the vehicle is placed in storage, and Oregon law gives an Oregon-registered vehicle owner three business days unless the tower mails or gives actual notice sooner.
- Who regulates tow companies
- Oregon State Board of Towing, within the Department of Transportation; DMV issues tow plates and tow business certificates.
- File a towing complaint
- Official page →
Official resources in Oregon
Board page with complaint instructions and links to towing laws, rules, and board materials.
Official complaint form for tow services, billing, fees, title issues, and lien concerns.
Explains that tow/recovery vehicles must have tow plates and a tow business certificate issued by DMV.
Contains statewide private-property towing rules, including police notice, owner notice timing, and the standard for charges.
Key facts for Oregon
- ORS 98.812 requires the tower to notify local law enforcement of a private-property tow location within one hour after storage.
- ORS 98.830 gives the owner three business days after storage unless the tower mails or gives actual notice sooner.
- ORS 98.812 allows a lien only for just and reasonable towage, care, and storage charges.
- The State Board of Towing says complaints may be sent by email to compliance@towboard.oregon.gov or by mail to the board.
- Oregon law requires tow vehicles engaged in compensated towing or recovery to have DMV tow plates and a tow business certificate.
City towed-car lookups and impound lots in Oregon
| City | city | phone | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Find my towed vehicle Multnomah | Portland | 503-575-3144 | Official Portland service to search by plate or VIN and find the tow lot. |
| Towing Instructions and Info Multnomah | Portland | 503-823-0044 | Official Portland Police page on finding and retrieving city-towed vehicles; gives records contact for investigative holds. |
| Get a Release for a Towed Vehicle Marion | Salem | Not published* | Official Salem Police page for in-person vehicle releases and tow-hearing requests within five business days. |
| Police Services Directory - Towed Vehicles Lane | Eugene | (541) 682-5131 | Official Eugene directory entry listing Eugene Police Records as the contact for towed vehicles. |
| Eugene Police Department Lane | Eugene | Not published* | Official facilities page listing Vehicle Impound Release at the police department. |
| Police Services and Resources - Vehicle Releases Multnomah | Gresham | 503-618-2318 | Official Gresham Police page stating Records issues vehicle releases Monday-Friday, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, closed 12:00 to 1:00 pm. |
* Not published: the official page doesn't list it. Call the office to confirm before you rely on it.
What to do next
- Ask the tow company when it notified local law enforcement and when owner notice was mailed, because both timing rules matter in Oregon.
- If the problem is billing, fees, title issues, or a lien, use the Tow Board complaint form and attach the invoice.
- Check the largest-city police or tow pages first, because Portland, Salem, Eugene, and Gresham each publish local release or lookup information.
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 Oregon's population center, for comparison only):
- Vancouver Neighborhood Parking and Traffic, Washington · about 64 miles
- Tacoma Municipal Code Title 11 - Traffic, Washington · about 176 miles
- Seattle Find a Towed Car, Washington · about 201 miles
- Call to confirm Ask the official office.ODOT DMV - Tow/Recovery Vehicles
Website →Phone: (503) 945-5000 (as listed on that page, checked Oct 4, 2026)Your city or county office: Association of Oregon Counties →Not sure who handles it locally? USAGov's free help line, 1-844-872-4681, or the Oregon page on USA.gov can point you to the right office. - Know the current info? Tell us with a link to the official page.