towing laws, abandoned, stolen, illegally parked, or unregistered vehicles can all be towed. Here's how to avoid running afoul of parking regulations and private property owners—and what to do if your car is towed.

When can police tow a vehicle in Wisconsin?

Police officers in Wisconsin have the authority to tow any vehicle that's considered a traffic obstruction or involved in a crime. Here's a closer look at each of these categories—just remember, this isn't a complete list.

Obstructing traffic

In addition to irritating your fellow drivers, parking on a street or highway in a way that interferes with traffic flow will get you towed. It's also illegal to park in front of driveways, in temporary no parking zones at construction sites, or in a place that obstructs snow plows when a snow emergency is declared.

Keep an eye out for city signs, broadcasts, and Tow-Away Zone notices before you shut off your engine.

Breaking the law

Unregistered cars engaged in

reckless driving

, speeding more than 25 miles over the speed limit, fleeing from police, or racing may be towed immediately. Your car might also be taken as evidence, in which case you'll need to contact the police to arrange its return.

Cars that are stolen or wanted are also fair game for the impound lot.

Habitual parking offenders with five or more unresolved citations may have their car towed with their fines added to the conditions for its release.

Our advice is to keep your nose clean and your

vehicle registration

up to date. Police tend to notice a car without plates.

If the police order your vehicle towed, they'll contact a third-party towing company. The tow truck will take it to the company impound lot, which is where you'll have to go to get it back.

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

Towing companies are independent businesses and their impound lots are considered private property, which is why you won't find Jerry's Guide to Breaking Your Car Out of An Impound Lot on our website.

You'll have to deal with the company itself to reclaim your car. Here's what the

Wisconsin Towing Association (WTA)

says about an impounded vehicle's timeline:

0 days: A tow truck removes the vehicle to an impound lot. The driver should snap a picture of where and how the car was parked before removing it.

1 day: The towing company completes a report—which includes the towed vehicle's details, the location of the impound lot, and the lot owner's name—and submits it to the police. The police must keep this report on file for at least 60 days.

2 days: The police reply to the towing company with the contact info of the car's last registered owner.

30 days: The towing company sends the last registered owner a written notice that their car has been impounded and the steps they must take to get it back.

60 days: If the car is still unclaimed and the towing company wants to sell or junk it to recoup their storage costs, they send a second written notice notifying the owner of their intentions.

80 days: Having received no reply, the towing company considers the vehicle to be abandoned and proceeds to sell, junk, or

donate it

As you can see, there's a deadline to reclaim your vehicle, so you'd better act fast.

If you receive a letter saying your car was towed, it should also say where, when, and how you can get it back.

Generally, you'll need to visit the lot and present your

driver's license

and pay the storage fees. If you're not the owner, you'll need a letter authorizing you to reclaim the car on their behalf.

If your heart sank at the mention of storage fees, here's the good news: Wisconsin limits every kind of towing fee to prevent price gouging. You shouldn't pay more than:

$150 per vehicle towed, regardless of method

$30 per 24 hours of outdoor storage

$50 per 24 hours of indoor storage

$150 for any other reasonable labor charges and fees

$35 in fees to the city

$0 in total if your car was stolen

Storage fees only kick in on the day the towing company notifies the police that they've impounded your vehicle. This motivates them to complete the paperwork on time and gives you the chance to check the record with an unbiased third party.

MORE:

My car got towed. Now what?

When can private property owners tow a vehicle in Wisconsin?

If a property owner has posted proper signage or if law enforcement has issued a citation, private property owners can tow your car.

The regulations apply equally to commercial and residential areas, from parking lots to private lanes. If you don't have permission to park somewhere, don't.

A lawful sign states that parking is not allowed and that vehicles may be towed. There's no need to outline exactly who can or can't park there, but the notice has to be conspicuous. It also has to follow

visibility guides

, which include the use of contrasting colors and letters at least two inches high.

In the absence of signage, private property owners have to notify the police before taking action. After an officer issues a citation for illegal parking, the private property owner can call for a tow. No homemade cranks allowed—it has to be a towing company!

MORE:

How much does it cost to tow a car?

When is your car considered abandoned in Wisconsin?

Abandoned cars don't contribute much to the landscape, and it's part of a law officer's duty to arrange a tow if they see one. So how do you define an abandoned car? In short, a car is abandoned when all reasonable efforts have been made to find its owner and no one has claimed it.

Wisconsin has several ways to establish this:

Was it left in an impound lot for more than 60 days?

Is it parked in a visible area on private property and has it been more than 48 hours?

Is it parked on public property without permission from the state and has it been more than 72 hours?

If it was just discovered, does it reasonably appear to have been abandoned for some time?

Is it functional and capable of driving?

The police are responsible for ordering abandoned vehicles to be towed. As with any tow, they also have to provide the company with the last registered owner's details within 24 hours. At that point, the towing company takes over the process of contacting the car's owner.

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

Whatever the reason your car was towed, you have rights. In Wisconsin, they include:

The right to know why your vehicle was towed

The right to retrieve personal belongings from your car, even if you can't pay for its release. Additionally, you can do so without forfeiting your claim to your car at a later point.

The right to seek damages from the towing company if they damaged your car

The right to seek damages from a private property owner who ordered your car towed illegally

The right to reclaim your car before it has been towed

To expand on our last point, if you return before your car has been towed, the towing company must disconnect your vehicle and allow you to leave without interference.

You might be required to pay a service fee, but it can't be more than half the company's posted rate. You're also entitled to a receipt for the transaction.

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FAQs

What is the maximum towing fee in Wisconsin?

Wisconsin limits towing companies to charging a maximum of $150 per vehicle towed and up to $150 of additional charges, within reason.

Can a landlord tow your car without notice in Wisconsin?

Landlords can only call for a tow without notice if they've posted legally-compliant no-parking signs, or if law enforcement has first issued a parking ticket.

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