towing laws give police and property owners the right to tow your vehicle if it’s illegally parked, obstructing traffic, or abandoned. The maximum towing fee in Colorado is set at $160, but additional storage fees can accumulate on a per-day basis.

Car owners should contact local authorities to receive specific instructions if they believe their vehicle has been towed.
Property owners are required to provide advance 24-hour notice and contact local authorities before they can legally tow a vehicle.
Vehicle owners have the right to retrieve personal property from their vehicle and to release their vehicle if they can pay 15% of the fees upfront.

Colorado towing laws for police

Title 42

of the Colorado Revised Statutes (C.R.S.) contains the legal procedures for police officers to remove and store motor vehicles that have been abandoned or illegally parked.

Here are the most likely reasons why your car might be towed by police in Colorado:

The vehicle is parked somewhere which results in the obstruction of traffic.

The driver is unable to operate the vehicle due to injury or illness.

The driver has been arrested and taken into police custody.

The vehicle has been left on a public street with its engine running.

The vehicle is considered unsafe.

The driver has left the vehicle unattended for 72 hours or more.

The driver has unpaid traffic tickets.

If law enforcement tows your vehicle, you’ll need to retrieve it from an impound lot.

How to get your car out of an impound lot in Colorado

Drivers are required to retrieve their towed car from an impound lot within 30 days. Otherwise, the vehicle will be auctioned off or sent to a vehicle disposal center for recycling.

What to do: Call your police department immediately and ask for instructions.

The exact steps you’ll need to take will depend on the city or county where the vehicle was towed—but you’ll generally be asked to go to the impound lot during normal business hours and provide the following:

A valid driver’s license

Proof of car insurance

Proof of registration

A notarized letter of authorization if trying to retrieve the car on someone else’s behalf.

How much it costs: Colorado has a maximum towing fee of $160. However, you’ll be on the hook for any storage fees, which are usually charged on a per-day basis.

Key takeaway: The faster you contact local authorities and can retrieve your car from an impound lot, the less expensive your towing and storage fees will be.

MORE:

My car got towed. Now what?

Colorado towing laws for private property owners

According to

Colorado law

, private property owners (including homeowners, landlords, and business owners) have the right to tow a vehicle that’s been left on their property for 24 hours or more without their consent. This law applies to mobile home parks and apartment complexes.

Property owners must take the following steps to initiate a non consensual tow:

Notify the police.

Provide identifying information about the vehicle—like its make, model, color, or license plate number.

Provide the name of the towing carrier they used.

The towing company must also take the following steps:

Provide written notice at least 24 hours in advance—like a note left on the windshield or a posted sign.

Contact law enforcement and give them the address of the lot where they plan to take the car.

Keep in mind: Without advance written notice, the tow company cannot collect any fees and must return the vehicle to its owner.

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Colorado towing laws for parking lots

Cars may be towed from a parking lot for the following behaviors:

Leaving your vehicle in a parking lot when you’re not using the associated facilities.

Parking in a disabled space without a handicap placard.

Blocking entrances, exits, fire lanes, or access to wheelchair ramps.

Parking in designated parking spaces that don’t belong to you.

Blocking a lane, parking spot, or otherwise obstructing traffic within the lot.

What to expect: Private parking lot or building managers must follow the same process as private property owners to have a car removed from their lot. The most important steps of this process include:

The parking lot manager must inform the police

The tow company must provide standard 24-hour written notice before removing the vehicle.

This means that when it comes to towing a car in Colorado, the burden of responsibility falls mainly on the tow companies.

What are my rights if my car is towed in Colorado?

The Colorado Towing Bill of Rights: Lawmakers in the state of Colorado recently targeted predatory towing by requiring tow companies to provide 24-hour advance notice before towing a vehicle.

Thanks to these new laws, car owners have the following protections when it comes to getting a towed vehicle back:

You have the right to reclaim your vehicle without payment if your vehicle was removed from private property without 24 hours of written notice.

You have the right to retrieve your car if you can pay 15% of your bill. You’ll still be on the hook for the rest, but you can pay it after reclaiming your vehicle.

A car can not be towed for having

expired Colorado license plates

unless ordered by police.

You have the right to retrieve personal property from a towed vehicle before you have it released.

If you think a towing company has violated your rights: File a complaint with the

Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC)

so that the company can be investigated.

The bottom line: Call your local police department and ask for instructions if your car’s been towed and you’re not sure what to do. They can direct you to the impound lot or towing company that collected your vehicle.

You may also be able to find information on local government or law enforcement web pages.

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FAQs

What is the maximum towing fee in Colorado?

The maximum fee that companies can charge for towing in Colorado is $160. Remember though, this fee only applies to towing itself, not daily storage rates. If your car is towed in Colorado, pick it up as soon as possible to reduce costs.

Can a landlord tow your car without notice in Colorado?

No. Landlords must notify the police before having a car towed from their property, and the tow truck company will give you at least 24 hours of written notice before they actually remove your vehicle.

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