State guide
Texas
Texas licenses tow companies, tow trucks, tow operators, and vehicle storage facilities through TDLR, and state law/TDLR guidance set statewide maximum private-property tow and storage charges unless a municipality or county sets a lower fee. Texas also gives vehicle owners a tow-hearing process and requires detailed notices from vehicle storage facilities.
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
- Texas caps private-property non-consent towing and VSF charges statewide through TDLR guidance unless a city or county has set a lower authorized fee.
- Notice rules (police and owner)
- TDLR says owners/lienholders get detailed VSF notices, and a private-property tow must be reported to local law enforcement within two hours of storage acceptance.
- Who regulates tow companies
- Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR).
- File a towing complaint
- Official page →
Official resources in Texas
Official licensing and enforcement hub for tow companies, tow operators, tow trucks, and VSFs.
Owner rights page covering private-property tows, retrieval rights, and tow-hearing rights.
Official statewide maximum private-property tow, storage, notification, and impound fee page.
Official notice-timing and content checklist for vehicle storage facilities.
Official complaint portal for tow trucks and vehicle storage facilities.
Key facts for Texas
- TDLR says tow truck companies, tow trucks, and tow truck operators must be licensed by TDLR.
- Statewide private-property tow maximums are $272, $380, and $489 per unit or $978 maximum, by vehicle weight.
- The daily storage maximum is $22.85 for vehicles 25 feet or less and $39.99 for vehicles over 25 feet.
- A VSF may charge one $50 notification fee covering all notices.
- TDLR says if a Texas-registered vehicle is not sent the first notice, only five days of storage may be charged.
- For a private-property tow, TDLR says local law enforcement must be notified within two hours of accepting the vehicle for storage.
City towed-car lookups and impound lots in Texas
| City | city | phone | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Impounded Vehicles Bexar | San Antonio | Not published* | SAPD page for impounded or towed vehicles; directs owners to the city contractor’s locator and recovery process. |
| Auto Pound Dallas | Dallas | 214-670-5116 | Dallas Police auto pound page with retrieval information and location details. |
| Wrecker Enforcement Travis | Austin | Not published* | Austin Police page for public-road tows and tow complaints; it directs public-road tows to the online search system or 3-1-1. |
| Auto Pound Tarrant | Fort Worth | Not published* | Fort Worth Police impound page with vehicle locator, customer service number, and current city-approved wrecker fees. |
* Not published: the official page doesn't list it. Call the office to confirm before you rely on it.
What to do next
- Request a tow hearing within 14 days if you think the tow, boot, or charges were illegal.
- At the lot, ask for the tow ticket and the nonconsent towing fee schedule; Texas requires itemized charges.
- If the tow company or storage lot violated state rules, file a TDLR complaint even if you also pursue a tow hearing.
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 Texas's population center, for comparison only):
- Property Recovery, Louisiana · about 232 miles
- Norman Police Department - Parking Enforcement, Oklahoma · about 298 miles
- Service Oklahoma - Impounded Vehicles, Oklahoma · about 314 miles
- Call to confirm Ask the official office.TDLR towing homepage
Website →Phone: (512) 463-6599 (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 Texas page on USA.gov can point you to the right office. - Know the current info? Tell us with a link to the official page.