Last Updated on November 4, 2022 by Lawrence Berezin
Car Towed?
Car towed? My guess is just about every NYC driver has suffered the out-of-body experience of returning to their parking space and not finding their car. I’m afraid that staring at the empty parking space will not bring their missing vehicle back.
Have you?
The routine, basic, run-of-the-mill violation tow
I’m going to say this over and over and over again,
“All of NYC is a tow-away zone. No notice required.”
This injustice dates back to 1956, resulting from a law passed by the NY State Legislature. There does not have to be a sign saying, tow-away zone, and your vehicle may be towed and for any reason.
You are the victim of a “Violation Tow” if you receive a parking ticket and have no unpaid parking tickets in judgment. The NYPD towed your vehicle and took it to one of the police impound lots in Manhattan, Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens. Here is the pertinent information for each impound yard. Go directly to the impound lot to redeem your vehicle.
Moreover, the NYPD will tow your car when you receive an NYC parking ticket with more than $101 in parking tickets in judgment. You must:
- Pay your parking ticket judgments
- Obtain a Vehicle Release Form
- Go to the impound lot and pay the NYPD towing fees to get your vehicle back
I fought the law, and the law won: A judgment tow by the sheriff
If you have at least $350 in unpaid NYC parking tickets, a vehicle registered in your name is subject to tow by the Sheriff. The tow can occur at any time or any place your a marshall finds your vehicle in NYC. The Sheriff or his deputy is looking for your car!
Here is what happens after the Sheriff tows your vehicle:
- The Sheriff will begin the process of preparing your vehicle for auction after 72 hours.
- If you do not pick up your vehicle within seventy-two (72) hours of taking it from you, the Sheriff will begin the process of notifying you your vehicle is being prepared for auction unless you do the following: (1) pay for and pick up the vehicle, (2) ask a “Sale Hold” by going to any Finance Business Center.
- The vehicle is generally auctioned anytime after 10 days.
How do I stop the auction process?
- Go to a Department of Finance office as soon as possible and pay your tickets
- Obtain a Vehicle Release Form after you pay your parking tickets
- Take your Vehicle Release Form to the impound lot
- Pay substantial fees to the Sheriff
- Tow fee
- Execution fee
- Storage charges at $10 per day for the first 2 days; increases to $15 per day on the 3rd day
- Taxes
Judgment Tow by the City Marshall
Man, oh, live, how many people are looking for my car. A LOT!
The same story that applies to a judgment tow by the Sheriff applies to a City Marshall tow, except you:
- Should immediately contact Marshall’s office for the borough in which your car was towed
- Follow Marshall’s instructions about how to redeem your vehicle
You must be the registered owner to redeem your vehicle from the City Marshall
What do I need when I go to the impound lot?
- A valid driver’s license (or bring someone along with a valid driver’s license)
- The original vehicle registration or the vehicle title
- Valid insurance card registered to the vehicle
- Vehicle Release Form
- An accepted method of payment
Commentary
If you use your vehicle regularly in NYC, knowing how to redeem your car as painlessly and efficiently as possible is essential. You can find your towed vehicle by clicking on this link and clicking on the “locate towed vehicle” bar in the right column.
Would you please share your experiences when you redeemed your vehicle to help other members of the driving public avoid some land mines?
[Editor’s note: Sources for this article were NYC DOF; and “The New York City Parking Survival Guide,” by Louis Camporeale, (Parking Pal Company Inc.)]
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Here is a guide to frequently asked questions prepared with the help of the Evil Empire. Yup, you heard me correctly. It appears old Darth is trying to be more helpful about towing policies in NYC.
Maybe just maybe, old Darth will wise up and stop towing for dollars. Oh well, it’s a start.
I have unpaid tickets from 2009,2010 2011. I moved to florida . I just returned a few days for a visit. My car was booted now my car will be towed . I owe $1585.00 all together. I totally forgot about the tickets. Do I have any options.I do realize the tickets must be paid which is my problem.
Hi Rodney,
Oh man…I am really sorry to report that you only have one year from the date default judgment is entered to contest an NYC parking ticket. Here’s a link the Evil Empire’s payment plan rules to see if you qualify.
Good luck, Rodney.
Regards,
Larry
PS…How’d you do with Irma…I currently live in South Florida.
It is a pain, i live in canada i was pn a 2 days vacation trip to NYC, the signalisation isn’t as clear as where i live, after 2-3 hours i was going back to my car with my kids and it disapeared, someone told me it may be towed, made done call. I had to pay 25 USD for a taxi + 185 USD to get my car back (nypd towing fee) then at my car i had a parking ticket of 110 USD. (They told me i must pay it too, i think its excessive) that make 400 canadian dollars for a misunderstood parking space in vacation, and lost half a day of my 2 days with their extremly slow employee. If it happened in my country i would fight this abuse on tourist. I may never go back in NYC
Oh man, I despise towing for parking violations!
You only have to pay the tow fee, not the ticket. You can fight the ticket.
Did they make you pay the ticket before giving you back your car?
Regards,
Larry
I parked my car in a no parking spot (i didn’t see the sign) and the NYPD booted my car for 2 hours. Then they towed my car. Then I called them and they said they didn’t have it. Ended up calling 311 and they said that it was with NYPD.
I was charged:
$185 for 2 hour boot
$185 for tow
$60 for storage (partially because I had to call 311 to find out they had it)
Then on top of it all they gave me a parking ticket for $60!
I won’t dispute I should be penalized but I think this is an abuse by the police department. Wouldn’t a tow be enough of a penalty? $500 to get my car back is crazy.
How is that not abuse? Is there any way to fight back on this?
Hi, Chris,
I couldn’t agree more.
I totally despise booting and two-hours later towing a chariot for a parking violation.
It is a grotesque, money-grabbing behavior.
I’ve written every public official I could think of. Sadly, no one replied.
I’ve written several blog posts condemning this draconian practice.
You may wish to contact your city council representative.
Good luck.
Regards,
Larry
Hello,
I have a boot on my car. My car isn’t worth anything and I was planning to donate it to charity, anyways. I know it will be towed soon and I’m fine with that. They can have it. Would that satisfy the payment? I owe $750 in tickets (most of which is late fee, etc). My car is worth about that so would it be a fair trade or will they still come after me for payment if I let them tow it?
Hi, A,
Good morning.
Sorry about the ticket and boot pain.
The Evil Empire will auction your car and give you credit for the amount they receive.
But, they will deduct all fees, costs and $750 (tickets) from the recovery and look to you for the balance.
Regards,
Larry
Hi Larry! You seem to know a lot about this stuff… Hopefully you are still checking in on this blog..
Wondering if I let them auction off my car, will I be faced with an abandonment ticket or any type of prosecution for not returning for my vehicle?
If I were to purchase a new vehicle are there going to be any setbacks based on the situation with the towed vehicle? Thank you!
Hi, Sage,
Good morning.
The consequence of an auction is if the Evil Empire recovers less from the sale then you owe for the ticket(S) and tow.
They will chase after you for the balance.
Frankly, I’m not sure of all the weapons the Evil Empire has at its disposal under these circumstances, but you’re still a debtor. If they can connect a new plate to your old plate (registered owners), they may be able to boot or tow your new car.
Good luck.
Regards,
Larry
I have a car and is impounded by the police because is not registered,not insured,the brake light on the driver’s side was not showing as i was told by the police ,that i can say i did not know at the time that i was stopped..
I was given five tickets for these offenses uninspected,improper plate.
Now i don;t know what these will lead to please ai really need your best advice as to fellow thanks
Hi, James,
I’m sorry to report that I am no longer answering questions on the blog.
Just a little too much for this old guy to keep up with.
Good luck.
Regards,
Larry
Hello!
I came to NYC from Florida to start a new job last year and this year January 11th, 2018 my car had a boot on it. I called to find out why did I have a boot on my car and they said I had unpaid tickets, I told the person I never received any tickets on my car or in the mail, she told me to pay the tickets and dispute it if I want my car. I had called the Department of Finance numerous and I mean numerous of times and all they said was pay the fines to get my car back. I asked them where was the tickets made out and they said two school zone, one in Manhattan and the other one in front of my house ( In a residence area, meaning no alternate parking is on the block). For three months I have been fighting to get some answers and evidence of the tickets ever being place on the vehicle and mailed out and NOTHING!!!! Now after three months my vehicle which is financed has been destroyed (based on the Storage company the car was left at) and no one has sent me any info about my car being destroyed and the plates was also destroyed however on the boot website it shows a payment was done on March 19th for the amount of $1,441.00 for sales tax. Is this legal especially for someone who is out of state?? How can I get help with this?? The only tickets I had got was from EZ Pass for the cashless tolls, so I was getting something from NYC in Florida. I have been so stressed out dealing with this back and forth with NYC, I am really hating this place I was born in smh. Can anyone please direct me ???
Hi, Roxanne,
I’m afraid your nightmare is beyond the limited scope of my parking ticket expertise. If it were me, I would hire a lawyer to get to the bottom of this mess.
Regards,
Larry
Hi my car has Georgia tags i had tickets in nyc they booted and towed my car stating the registration was expired I can’t renew it until the car is back in GA they are giving me a hassle to release it even though I have all the information they asked me for. They even asked me for a copy of the title but they only except emails or mail and the finance company said it can take a few business days to send it better yet them receiving it. Is there anyway I can get my car out before they try to auction it off
Hi, A,
Ouch!
What specific Rule do they claim you violated?
I’m referring to reference to 4-08, not the Violation Code.
Looking forward to your reply.
Regards,
Larry
Dear Larry,
Thank you for this article as it was very informative and detrimental, on how I found I was a victim of a “violation tow” by an NYPD Traffic Police Officer. I stationed my vehicle opposite 1322 Commerce Avenue on November 26, 2018 at 14:56 hours, to take my son and myself to the Department of Motor Vehicles.
We both had to go to the DMV as we both had to renew, our NYS/DMV ID for my son and my Driver’s License. At 15:01 hours my vehicle was ticketed and towed. I received a ticket for No Standing for $115.00 and the NYPD Traffic Officer also had my vehicle towed. As my son and I depart the DMV I am staring in shock, as no vehicle is no longer where I stationed it.
I Googled some information and your information popped right up, along with the links of where to pick up your vehicle. I arrived at 745 East 141st Street NYPD Impound and picked up my personal vehicle for the cost of $185.00, not too include the expenses I already had endured at the DMV. Larry, thanks so much as this helped me pick up my vehicle but, this draconian law has to be revised by our legislators.
I was remanded to Rikers on a 730 from court, leaving my car illegally parked on the street. No representation or liaison for over 60 days, only to find out that it was towed when I returned. Sold on judgements, NYC claims no connection on the authorization for Marshal to proceed. Does not appear on their website. No notice was given to me at my last known or registered address. No guilty verdict on any charges, yet did 60 days. No entries made in court records. No seizure, as I was incarcerated during this time and under full control of the state, etc. Personal property is no where to be found. No financial accounting of sale from impound and no balance was provided to me. Precinct of no help, as they discouraged me reporting it stolen, refusing to take report. Dirty cops? No justice. How can this be Nazi Germany?
I was the “victim” of a violation tow today (January 8, 2018). I have parked in NYC, and on the UWS, for 15 years without incident and am beyond careful about my parking. My car was parked legally across from my building, and suddenly missing today. The cop wrote that it was parked across marked pavement, which was 100% not true (and observed by staff in my building). With not one previous ticket on it, it was towed to the pound. As I have seen vehicles very obviously parked by fire hydrants or in other wrong spaces, clearly there is discretion on the part of NYPD to tow or not tow. To say today’s exercise of discretion was shocking is an understatement. Forget fighting the ticket (which I am doing), the trauma of believing my car stolen for 15 minutes and then having to rush to get it from the pound was worse than the $$$ I paid out.
Hi, Aglata,
Oh man, what a shame.
I totally despise towing for tickets. It’s shameful.
Especially when the power and discretion to tow are abused.
Good luck fighting the good fight, Aglata.
Regards,
Larry
My car was towed for no apparent reason. I parked it near my work as I was losing my license for 3 months. I checked on it and started in every week or 2. When I had friends come to tow it back to Pa. For me it was gone. I finally found out it was towed to the place where they crush cars!!!! Now I’m not sure if I can get it back. It was registered and insured! How is this legal? They stole my car!
Hi, Max,
Oh man, what a shame.
The evil Warriors or Cops were probably relying on the parking rule that prohibits leaving your car parked on the street for 7-days.
They are permitted to remove it.
Sorry, man.
Regards,
Larry