When your car is towed, it's taken to an impound lot, which is a locked lot where the car will stay until you can pay a fee to have it released. Having a car impounded is inconvenient at best and frightening at worst because the fees grow daily, and after a set amount of time, that impounded car gets sold, with the money going to the tow company and impound lot – and then you have no car. If you've found out that your car was towed to an impound lot, you need to get to work. Depending on why it was towed, you could face several steps toward getting it back.

Find out Why It Was Impounded if You Don't Know Already

If you parked illegally, thinking you'd only be gone a minute, and then you came back to find your car gone, you've got a pretty good idea of why your car was towed. But sometimes you find your car was towed for no obvious reason. At that point, call the police or the tow company (depending on whose number you can get first) to verify that the car was towed. Ask why it was towed because your next steps depend on this answer.

Correct the Issue That Led to Impounding, if Applicable

If your car was towed for a reason that you have to fix, such as an out-of-date registration sticker, you'll have to fix that problem before you can get the car released. The department you speak with will let you know exactly what you have to do. If the car is part of a police investigation, you may have to wait to have it released, but make sure you're not being charged for an impound that the police are requiring for their purposes.

Do You Need a Release Form From the Police?

Sometimes you need to get a release form from your local law enforcement department. This varies between cities and states, and you should find out if you need one when you call about why the car was impounded. This release may be part of the process of fixing whatever it is that got your car towed, or it could be a separate form declaring that the car is OK to be released to the legal owner.

Pay the Fees as Soon as You Can

Once you've cleared up any problems and gotten the OK from whichever organization is holding your car, you need to pay the impound fees as quickly as you can. These fees can grow daily, and in some areas, the fees grow every 12 hours or so. Over a couple of weeks, that can add up to a painful amount. If you don't have the cash available, then this is one time when placing the debt on a credit card or asking family for help is a good idea. No one likes to be in debt, but you risk losing your car if you can't get enough money to get it out of the impound lot.

For more information contact a company such as Plano Tow Services.

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