Vehicles Towed at the Direction of a Police Officer
Vehicles towed at the direction of Police Department employees are towed by an approved tow company. Most vehicles towed at police direction are initially towed to an approved tower’s lot for up to five days. If the vehicle is not retrieved within this timeframe, the towing company is required to transfer the vehicle to the Vehicle Recovery Section impound lot. Please note, fees are generated for the towing, storage and administrative costs associated with the vehicle which the vehicle owner or other interested party is responsible to pay, prior to release.
Please note that private/consensual tows and trespass tows are handled by the Office of Consumer Protection: 240-777-3636.
How to find my vehicle?
If you don’t know where your vehicle was towed to,
- Call the police non-emergency number – 301-279-8000
- Provide your vehicle’s information: tag (license plate) or vehicle identification number (V.I.N.), make/model, location from where it was towed.
If your vehicle has been towed to the Vehicle Recovery Section impound lot, contact:
Vehicle Recovery Section305 Metropolitan Grove Road,
Gaithersburg, Maryland 20878
Phone: 240-773-6411
Hours: Monday through Friday, 7:00 am to 3:00 pm ( except County holidays ) ** Please note that a person must arrive no later than 2:30 pm to pick up or access a vehicle.**
Vehicles may only be released to the titled (registered) owner or his/her authorized representative. In order to be considered an authorized representative, the representative must have authorization in writing, with the notarized signature of the registered owner. An individual retrieving a vehicle registered in a business name must provide proof of an authorized relationship to the business. When retrieving a towed vehicle, bring the following items with you to the Vehicle Recovery Section impound lot, in addition to the information listed above, if applicable:
- Proof of ownership – title or current registration card
- Government issued identification
If your vehicle has been towed to a District Police Station, contact:
The district police station to receive information about how to obtain your vehicle.
Towing Fees
This fee schedule is for ordinary tows.
Executive Towing Rules and Regulations- 34-03 AMIV
| Complete tow (ordinary tow, no complications) (no extra charges for roll-back operation or dollies) |
$194 |
| Tows GVWR of 10,001-20,000 lbs. (ordinary tow, no complications) | $338 |
| Tows GVWR over 20,000 lbs. (ordinary tow, no complications) | $530 |
| Incomplete tow – will be paid at a rate of 50% of the completed tow price above | |
| Vehicles that are winched and not towed – Paid at the towed rate plus the pro-rated winching rate based on the vehicle's GVWR. WInching does not include removal from against a guardrail or off curbs. | |
| Winching per hour (pro-rated per minute) vehicles under 10,001 GVWR (Thirty-minute minimum for winching) |
$94 |
| Winch per hour (pro-rated per minute). Vehicles with a GVWR of 10,001 to 20,000 lbs. (Thirty-minute minimum for winching) |
$146 |
| Winch per hour (pro-rated per minute). Vehicle with a GVWR exceeding 20,000 lbs. (Thirty minute minimum for winching) |
$189 |
| Transfer to AVS lot from tower’s storage lot | $87 |
| Transfer of vehicles 10,001 to 20,000 GVWR to AVS | $179 |
| Transfer of vehicles 20,000 GVWR to AVS | $267 |
| Transfer from district-station lots to AVS lot | $88 |
| All fatal collisions and serious Personal Injury Collision (PIC) - direct tow to AVS, as ordered | $258 |
| Fatal and serious PIC – 10,001-20,000 GVWR - direct tow to AVS, as ordered | $343 |
| Fatal and serious PIC – over 20,000 GVWR – direct transfer to AVS, as ordered | $801 |
| Direct tow of an abandoned/stolen vehicle to the AVS | $132 |
| Direct tow of an abandoned/stolen vehicle 10,001-20,000 GVWR to AVS | $267 |
| Direct tow of an abandoned/stolen vehicle over 20,000 GVWR to AVS | $396 |
| Mileage (per loaded mile) for towing outside of Montgomery County (from M.C. line) or towing to an owner/operator/agent’s destination Vehicles 10,001-20,000 GVWR $6/MI Vehicles over 20,000 GVWR $8/MI |
$6 |
| STORAGE OF VEHICLES | |
| At Vehicle Recovery Section (per day) | $33 |
| At Tower's Lot (max of 5 days - per day) | $73 |
Towing Complaints - Police Tows
The Police Department’s Towing Supervisor manages the County’s Towing Rules and Regulations. The Police Towing Supervisor’s duties include providing administrative oversight of the companies approved to participate in the Montgomery County Police Towing Program. All complaints regarding police-directed tows are handled by the Police Towing Supervisor or designee.
Police Towing Supervisor
[email protected]
Please note that private/consensual tows and trespass tows are handled by the Office of Consumer Protection: 240-777-3636.
