A car can be towed for various reasons such as illegal parking, unpaid tickets, unpaid insurance, criminal offenses, etc. It can also be towed from private property, commercial establishments, etc.
If for whatever reason your car gets towed, it should be recovered within a short period of time, failure to recover within this period will lead to the car getting auctioned off or an increase in the fee.
To recover a towed car, you will need to pay a certain fee, however, it is also possible to get it back without paying. To get it back without paying you will have to weigh your options and take some action.
To get a towed car back without paying, you should:
- Determine the car’s location
- Check why your car was towed
- Investigate the rules you violated
- Know what the towing laws in the State are
- Get the police involved
- Dispute the claim by filing a complaint
- Get free legal assistance
- Check out the towing company plan
- Get in touch with the church
- Seek help from a non-profit organization
Can You Get Your Towed Car Back Without Paying?
Yes, you can get your car back without paying. This is however under certain conditions and it is also not possible in some cases.
If for instance the car was towed because of expired tags, you won’t be able to get it back without paying or probably renewing the car’s registration and getting a new tag.
You can get your towed car back without paying if you are able to prove that the car was towed wrongly or through the court waiving the fee amongst others.
How to get a Towed Car Back Without Yard
To get a towed car back without paying, you should do the following:
1. Determine the Car’s Location
The first step to getting back a towed car is to determine where the car has been towed to. To get this information you may need to call the local parking authority and also provide information such as the car’s model, color, and license plate for ease of identification.
2. Check Why Your Car Was Towed
After you must have gotten your car’s location, you should also ask why your car was towed without your permission and who towed the car.
If you decide to call the local parking authority you will have to be patient as it may take time for them to pull up the information. You can also ask those around to know if they saw the car while it was been towed.
3. Investigate the Violation
To investigate or review the violation, look around the area where the car was parked to know if there’s any sign you must have missed before parking.
It could be that the car was towed because it was illegally parked or because it has no registration on it. An unregistered car parked on a public street can be towed by the police.
Also, remember that illegal parking can mean various things such as parking where you are not supposed to park, and parking for a long time where you are supposed to park for a short period of time,
4. Know What the Towing Law in the State is
Before you conclude that you are in the right and the car was towed wrongly you must examine the state’s law as regards parking in certain places.
If after your findings the towing company is found to be at fault they may be sued and you get to take your car without paying.
5. Get the Police Involved
You can also inform the police if you suspect that your car has been wrongfully towed. The police have the right to order that the car be returned to you without paying, this is on the ground that the towing company is at fault.
6. Dispute the claim by Filing a Complaint
Depending on the state, there are various ways of filing a complaint against towing. To file a complaint and dispute the claim, you must have proof that your car was wrongfully towed.
You should also request a hearing as soon as possible as the complaint is only valid for a number of days after the car has been towed. If your complaint is found to be valid, the car will be returned and the fee waived.
7. Get Free Legal Assistance
Another way to get a towed car back without paying is by seeking free legal assistance. The legal representative must be able to show why the car shouldn’t have been towed and the case must also be in your favor.
8. Check Out the Towing Company Plan
You can also get back a towed car without paying by finding out the towing company’s plan as regards payment.
Some towing companies have various plans and options in place that make you compensate for your car without paying. In some cases, it could be a payment plan or cutting down on the cost of recovering the towed car.
8. Get in Touch with the Church
You can also get a towed car back without paying by going through the local church. Some local churches have charity programs that help people get back their cars when towed. If the church doesn’t run a charity program, you can get paid and work in return.
9. Seek Help from a Non-Profit Organization
This particular option of getting your car back is not available in many states. To get your car back using this option, an appeal will be made for the car being a means of transportation or if it’s a passenger car as a source of income.
What Happens if You Take Your Car from Tow Yard Without Paying?
It is possible that a person tries to take their car from the tow yard without paying rather than going through the other means of getting the car back without paying. If you do this and get caught whether in action or not, some of the following will happen
- You can get a moderate charge for community service
- You can be charged more than you would have originally paid
- Imprisonment
- Charged for breaking and entering the towing company premises
- Charged for trespassing
- Charged for vandalism etc.
Is it Illegal to Steal Your Car from a Tow Company?
Yes, it is illegal to steal your car from a tow company. Although the car belongs to you and the title carries your name, once it has been towed, the towing company has the legal possession and right to keep it.
Therefore, taking the car out of the towing company premises without paying or permission is considered stealing and illegal.
To regain the rightful ownership of your towed car, you must pay and due your due diligence.
Does Getting Your Car Towed Affect Your License?
Getting your car towed is unlikely to affect your driver’s license, however, if the car gets towed repeatedly within a short period of time that is another case
Conclusion
Before proceeding to prove that your car has been wrongfully towed, you should have all your documents in hand and your facts right. You should also check in order to know what the state law says about parking in some places.