My Car Got Towed
Find a Towed Car/Vehicle
- Seattle public street tow: Cars/vehicles towed from a Seattle street can be found by looking up your license plate number or vehicle identification number (VIN) on the Seattle impound vehicle search website, or call Lincoln Towing at (206) 364-2000.
- Private property tow: Check the posted signs to find what company towed the car and their contact information, or contact the property owner.
Information on towing fees: Find a Towed Car
Getting Your Car Out of Impound
Please get your car from the storage lot as soon as possible to avoid storage fees. In addition to paying the tow fees, you will need the following to get your car:
- Documentation showing proof of your ownership.
- Current registration, title, or lease agreement.
- License plate number or VIN.
- Valid picture identification, such as a driver's license or identification card.
A licensed driver is required to drive the car from the lot. Otherwise, you may arrange to have the car towed from the lot for a fee.
The registered owner needs to pick up the car. If someone other than the registered owner needs to pick up the car, they will need a notarized statement from the registered owner.
More information: Redeeming Your Vehicle
I Can’t Afford to Pay to Release My Towed Car
Request a hearing if your car was towed from a Seattle street and you can’t afford to get it out of impound. The hearing is an opportunity to explain your situation to a court magistrate. The magistrate may reduce your ticket fines, or may approve you to set up a monthly payment plan.
Go to the tow yard and tell them you want to request a hearing. You will fill out a hearing request form. The tow yard will give you your hearing date and time.
Dispute My Tow
You can request a hearing to dispute an impound.
Please keep any paperwork you receive from the tow yard and from the court, including your receipt from the tow yard. This is important to make sure the court can process your refund if you win your case.
Tow dispute for cars still in impound
Go to the tow yard and tell them you want to request a hearing. You will fill out a hearing request form. The tow yard will give you your hearing date and time.
Tow dispute for cars out of impound
Ask for a Impound Hearing Request form when you pick up the car from the tow yard. You must mail or return the Impound Hearing Request Form to Seattle Municipal Court no later than 10 days after your vehicle was towed.
If you want to dispute the ticket(s) you received when your car was towed, request a ticket hearing. Your ticket hearing will be separate from the impound hearing.