QuestionMy car was towed recently in San Diego, CA, and my friend was towed a few months earlier in the same area by the same company. We were both charged the same amount ($314.50), but the breakdown of the charges was different. I am curious if there is a cap on what tow companies are legally allowed to charge, which may mean this tow company gauges the most money possible from each car they tow.
AnswerCalifornia Vehicle code 22658 covers this section, and while it may of been the same price, storage, after hours release fees, special equipment might all affect the TOTAL PRICE of the impound.
Here is a cut and paste of the section concerning rates... But notice there are no SPECIFIC rates to be charged specified just reference to towing for law enforcement agencies.
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(h) A towing company may impose a charge of not more than one-half of the regular towing charge for the towing of a vehicle at the request of the owner, the owner’s agent, or the person in lawful possession of the private property ( )13 pursuant to this section if the owner of the vehicle or the vehicle owner’s agent returns to the vehicle after the vehicle is coupled to the tow truck by means of a regular hitch, coupling device, drawbar, portable dolly, or is lifted off the ground by means of a conventional trailer, and before it is removed from the private property. The regular towing charge may only be imposed after the vehicle has been removed from the property and is in transit.
(i) (1) (A) A charge for towing or storage, or both, of a vehicle under this section is excessive if the charge exceeds the greater of the following:
(i) That which would have been charged for that towing or storage, or both, made at the request of a law enforcement agency under an agreement between a towing company and the law enforcement agency that exercises primary jurisdiction in the city in which is located the private property from which the vehicle was, or was attempted to be, removed, or if the private property is not located within a city, then the law enforcement agency that exercises primary jurisdiction in the county in which the private property is located.
(ii) ( )14 That which would have been charged for that towing or storage, or both, under the rate approved for that towing operator by the California Highway Patrol for the jurisdiction in which the private property is located and from which the vehicle was, or was attempted to be, removed.
(B) A towing operator shall make available for inspection and copying his or her rate approved by the California Highway Patrol, if any, with in 24 hours of a request without a warrant to law enforcement, the Attorney General, district attorney, or city attorney.
(2) If a vehicle is released within 24 hours from the time the vehicle is brought into the storage facility, regardless of the calendar date, the storage charge shall be for only one day. Not more than one day’s storage charge may be required for ( )8 a vehicle released the same day that it is stored.
