Towed vehicles in New York City

If your vehicle has been towed in New York City, follow these steps to identify why it was towed and how to retrieve it.

If you were parked illegally or did not have valid registration or insurance: Your vehicle was towed by the New York City Police Department.
If you have more than $350 in parking ticket or camera violations that are in judgment: Your vehicle was towed by a City Marshal or the Sheriff’s Office.

If towed by NYPD for parking illegally:

Location: Visit the NYPD Tow Pound in the borough where your vehicle was towed.
Payment: Pay judgment debt (required if you owe $101 or more), tow fees, and other charges at the pound. NYPD tow pounds accept credit cards, cash, certified checks, and money orders.
Note: You cannot pay the ticket that led to the tow at the pound. Pay or dispute the ticket separately with the Department of Finance online, by mail, or in-person within 30 days of the date of the ticket.

If towed by NYPD for DMV offenses:

Location: Visit a Department of Finance business center with your valid driver’s license and original vehicle title with your name on the front (or notarized authorization from the titleholder and the titleholder’s driver’s license, if you are not the titleholder). You will not be able to retrieve your vehicle if you do not have valid registration or insurance.
Payment: While at the business center, pay or dispute the judgment debt and fees. Various payment methods are accepted. You must settle all DMV offenses, parking tickets, and camera violations in judgment before retrieving your vehicle.
After making your payment, you will be instructed on where and how to retrieve your vehicle.

If towed by a City Marshal or the Sheriff’s Office for unpaid judgment debt of more than $350:

Payment: Call (646) 517-1000 or visit a Department of Finance business center. Bring a notarized authorization and certified copy of the title if the car is financed or leased.
Vehicle Release Form: After paying in person, request a Vehicle Release Form. No form is needed for phone payments.
If your registration was suspended due to having five summonses in judgment within a 12-month period and no other registration suspension, you may need a registration clearance. A registration clearance certifies that you have no parking debt and allows you to obtain or renew your vehicle registration at the DMV in person.
After making your payment, you will be instructed on where and how to retrieve your vehicle.

Stopping an NYPD tow in progress: If you catch your car being towed, you can stop the tow by signing a "Field Release Agreement" and agreeing to pay the penalties and fees within 30 days.
Stopping a City Marshal or Sheriff’s Office tow in progress: If payment of judgment debt, poundage, execution and dispatch fee is made on the Republic Immobilization Services portal before the tow of the vehicle is complete, the tow will be cancelled.

If the vehicle is not retrieved within 72 hours, it may be auctioned off as soon as 10 days after the tow.

Sheriff and City Marshal fees:

Visit the NYPD’s Towed Vehicles page for information about fees associated with NYPD tows.