Vehicle Towing Rights

There are laws about towing and what towing companies can do to your vehicle. This guide explains:

• When a vehicle may be towed from your home
• What to do if your vehicle has been towed
• Your rights under Colorado law  

The information in this guide applies to private residential property towing and does not apply to vehicles towed by the police or from businesses. Private residential property means homes, apartments, condos, co-ops, or mobile homes. 

When can a vehicle be towed without notice?

A towing company may tow your vehicle from private residential property without giving you notice in certain situations. Examples include:

• When there are parking permit problems: Your vehicle does not have the right permit, the permit is expired, or it can’t be seen.
• When you are parking in someone else’s assigned space: The property assigns spaces and your vehicle is parked in the wrong one.
• When you are parking in an accessible parking space without permission.
• When you are parking in a fire lane.
• When you are blocking a driveway.
• When you are blocking a roadway.
• When your lender takes back the vehicle because you are behind on payments. This is also called repossession. 
  • See our Car Repossession guide for more information.
• When a judge orders the vehicle to be towed.

If your vehicle is towed, check posted signs in the parking area for the towing company’s name. If the vehicle was towed from an apartment complex, the leasing office may also be able to tell you which company to contact and why the vehicle was towed. 

How do I get my vehicle back?

If your vehicle has been towed, act quickly. The cost to get your vehicle out of storage usually increases every day. 

When you go to the towing company to pick up your vehicle, towing companies must follow certain rules:

1. They must accept cash and major credit cards.
2. Their storage lot must have a sign showing the company name, phone number, and business hours.
3. If you ask, the company must provide an itemized bill listing all charges and fees. An itemized bill is when each charge is shown separately. 

What about the stuff in my vehicle?

Even if you cannot pay the towing fees right away, you still have the right to get your personal items from your vehicle.

You may ask to get your belongings within 30 days of the tow, and the company cannot charge you a fee to remove your things. 

What if I can’t pay the towing fee?

You can pay a reduced towing fee to retrieve your vehicle if you can’t pay the full amount right away. But to do this you must sign and complete a Towed Vehicle Release Form. You can get this form from the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC) website. 

The reduced fee is:

• 15% of the towing fee, or
• $60, whichever amount is less.

You will still owe the towing company the rest of the towing charges. 

What laws do towing companies follow?

Colorado law requires towing companies to follow certain rules when towing a vehicle from private property. For example:

• The towing company must take pictures of the vehicle.
• The towing company must create a report explaining why the vehicle was towed.
• Within 10 days, the towing company must notify:
  • The Colorado Department of Revenue
  • The vehicle owner (by certified mail)
  • Any lienholder on the vehicle
    • A lienholder is someone who owns a right in the vehicle, such as the bank that you have an auto loan from.
  • If someone did not ask their car to be towed, then the towing company must keep a record of this for 3 years.

If a towing company does not follow Colorado towing laws:

1. It cannot charge fees for the tow.
2. Any fees already paid must be refunded.
3. In some cases, you may be able to recover attorney’s fees if the violation damaged the vehicle. 

Proving that the law was violated is your responsibility as the vehicle owner. Make sure to carefully document what happened and take written notes. Make sure to keep all text messages, emails, and paper documents you receive about the tow.

Where to learn more

The Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC) oversees towing companies in Colorado. The PUC website has forms, information, and additional resources about towing rules. 

Need more help?

If you are low-income, a senior, or a veteran, you may qualify for free legal help from Colorado Legal Services (CLS). To apply or ask if you might qualify, go to the CLS website and find the office that serves your area. If you call or visit, CLS can help you in your native language.

You can get help from the courts. Every judicial district has staff called “Sherlocks” to help people with their legal questions. To find the Sherlock in your county, visit the Judicial Department’s Sherlock webpage.