Why is the tow yard charging me every day, and how do I stop the storage fees?
Storage keeps adding up because California lets a tow yard charge by the calendar day once a car has been stored more than 24 hours. The only way to stop it is to get the car out. Call the yard today, ask exactly what they need to release it, and go with ID, proof of ownership and payment.
What California law says about storage charges
If the car is released within 24 hours of arriving at the storage facility, the yard can only charge one day of storage, no matter what the calendar date is. After 24 hours, it can charge for each calendar day or part of a day. (Vehicle Code 22658(i) for private property tows, Civil Code 3068.1(a) for stored vehicles generally.)
If you ask for the car inside the first 24 hours, bring the fees and the right documents, and the yard will not release it or is closed during normal business hours, you only owe one day of storage until after the first business day. (Vehicle Code 22658(i).)
For a private property tow, a towing or storage charge is excessive if it is higher than what that company would charge for the same tow done for local police, or its rate approved by the CHP, whichever is greater. A company that charges an excessive rate can owe the owner four times the amount charged. (Vehicle Code 22658(i) and (j).)
If your insurance company is paying for the tow and storage after an accident or a stolen vehicle recovery, the fees have to be reasonable. Since AB 987 (Chapter 345, Statutes of 2025), a storage charge for a state holiday that is higher than the yard's posted standard daily rate is presumed unreasonable (Vehicle Code 22524.5).
The yard has to accept a valid credit card in your name or cash (Vehicle Code 22658(k) for private property tows, 22651.1 for police tows), and before taking payment it has to give you an itemized invoice of the actual charges (Vehicle Code 22651.07).
How to stop the fees today
- Find out which company has the car. Private property tows must post a sign at the entrance with the tow company's name and number (Vehicle Code 22658(a)). If you are not sure, call the police non-emergency line for the city it was towed from.
- Call the yard and ask for the total so far, the daily storage rate, their hours, and the exact documents they need.
- If police ordered the tow, get the release from that agency first. The yard cannot let the car go without it.
- Bring a valid ID, the registration or title, and a credit card in your name or cash. If someone else is picking up for you, ask the yard what written authorization they accept.
- Ask for the itemized invoice before you pay, check the dates against when the car was towed, and walk around the car for damage before you leave.
If you cannot get the car out right away
Every day it sits adds another charge, and a tow yard holds a lien on the car for its towing and storage charges (Civil Code 3068.1). If a car is left long enough, the yard can start the lien sale process. If paying the whole bill today is the problem, call the yard and ask what they can do. Waiting only makes the number bigger.
The car will not start once it is released
Cars that sit in storage often come out with a dead battery or a flat. If yours will not drive out, call dispatch at (951) 277-6778 with the yard's address and where it needs to go, and we will tow it to your home or your shop anywhere in our service area.
Common questions
Can a tow yard charge storage for a full day if I pick up the car the same day?
They can charge one day. If the car is released within 24 hours of being stored, California allows only one day of storage, regardless of the calendar date (Vehicle Code 22658(i), Civil Code 3068.1(a)). After 24 hours, each calendar day or part of a day can be charged.
What if the tow yard is closed when I try to get my car?
If you ask for the car within the first 24 hours with the fees and documents, and the yard will not release it or is not open during normal business hours, you only owe one day of storage until after the first business day (Vehicle Code 22658(i)).
Does the tow yard have to take a credit card?
Yes. California requires the storage yard to accept a valid credit card in the owner's or agent's name, or cash, for towing and storage (Vehicle Code 22658(k) for private property tows, 22651.1 for police tows).
Can I see what I am being charged for?
Yes. Before taking payment, the facility has to give you an itemized invoice of the actual towing and storage charges (Vehicle Code 22651.07). Check the dates and line items before you pay.
Can you tow my car home from the storage yard?
Yes. Call (951) 277-6778 with the yard's address and where you want the car to go. A dispatcher quotes it on the phone before a truck rolls.
Need your car moved from the yard?
A dispatcher answers and quotes it on the phone before a truck rolls.
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