A car impound lot is a secured parking area used to store cars in response to law violations and gather evidence. When a vehicle is impounded, a towing service like Doug Yates Towing & Recovery tows it to a lot where it is stored in a well-lit and fenced-in lot until it can be towed to an official auto shop. If you have been convicted of a violation or violated your probation, you will want to find out how to get your car out of an impound lot as quickly as possible. Often government officials, typically police, reach out to a towing company when an impound is necessary. While there are procedures for retrieving your vehicle from an impound lot, you need to know the steps that must be followed to get your car back.
So what happens when your vehicle gets towed and taken to one of these lots? How do you recover it from an impound lot in Tennessee? Learn the steps and procedures from Doug Yates Towing & Recovery.
Why Is Your Car Impounded?
There are many reasons why your car may get impounded. It could be due to unpaid parking tickets, speeding tickets, or the vehicle being considered abandoned on someone else’s property. Below are several reasons.
Arrest
The police might have taken your car if they arrested you at the scene or took you away in cuffs. In this case, any personal items in the car will go with the police until they release them to someone who has a title or bill of sale for the vehicle. You may also be able to retrieve these items if they are not needed as evidence in a criminal case against you.
The Vehicle Has Been Deemed Abandoned
Suppose you have yet to claim a vehicle within 30 days after it has been deemed abandoned by the city or county that owns the lot. In that case, it will be auctioned off at public auction or sold to generate revenue for the company or government agency holding it. You can find out if your car has been deemed abandoned by contacting the city or county where it was left unattended.
Unpaid Parking Or Speeding Tickets
The most common reason for a vehicle to be detained is unpaid parking tickets or speeding tickets on file for that vehicle. These fines can be paid anytime by phone or online by visiting the city’s website and entering your license plate information. You will also need proof of insurance if you still need coverage on file with DMV records. If they are not paid, that is when you need to worry about the potential impounding of your vehicle.
Evidence
Any time a crime is committed, police officers will want to preserve any evidence related to it. If they suspect that your vehicle was used in the commission of a crime, they may impound it so that they can search for evidence inside or underneath the car. Not only does this help them solve their case faster, but it also helps prevent further crimes from occurring with that exact vehicle.
Parked Illegally
If your car was parked illegally or blocking traffic, it was likely towed from the scene by police officers who deemed it necessary for public safety reasons. Typically most government agencies work with a local towing company like Doug Yates Towing & Recovery. If you think your car was taken by a towing service be sure to call them to find out.
How To Get Your Car Out of an Impound Lot In Tennessee
If you find out why your car was towed and impounded, you can determine the best way to get it back. For example, if it was parked illegally and released by the police department, you should contact the local towing company and ask how much it would cost to get the car back. This is an easy fix if you have enough money on hand. However, if the car was seized because of unpaid tickets or evidence, you might have to go through a long process, including contacting local government offices.
Find Where Your Car Is Held
The first thing you need to do is find where your car is being held. You can either contact the police department where the incident occurred or contact the company that owns the lot where your car is being held. Some cities have their own municipal lots, and others contract out with private companies that run them. Contacting either one of these groups will help you locate where your car is being held.
Contact Local Government Officials To Help Locate the Car
If you can’t find where your vehicle is being held, contact local government officials and ask them if they know where it might be located or if they can help you locate it. They should be able to help you find out where it was towed from and possibly even help get it released early if there was an error made on their part or yours during the incident which caused the vehicle to be towed in the first place (such as parking illegally).
Contact the Impound Lot
Contact the company that has your vehicle. This can be done by calling or visiting their website. You’ll want to know the process for getting your car back, how much it will cost and if any extra charges might pop up.
There may be times when you can’t get through on the phone, so be prepared to leave a message with as much information as possible. Write down everything you say so you don’t forget anything later when it comes time to pay or pick up your car!
Ask What the Process Is To Get Your Car Back
Once you get in touch with the local towing company that has your vehicle, ask them what they require from you before they release your vehicle. They may need proof of insurance or registration documents before they let you retake possession of your car. They may also ask for payment in full upon pickup or allow partial payments over time if you don’t have enough money on hand at one time. Be sure to ask about any fees or penalties that might apply and ask about payment options.
Be Prepared To Show Proof of Insurance
It’s very important to be prepared to provide proof of insurance and pay any fees required by law to get your car back.
Pick Up Your Car Immediately To Stop More Costs From Accumulating
Try to pick up your car immediately after it has been impounded. If you wait too long, additional charges may accrue on top of what you already owe for parking your vehicle illegally or breaking other laws while driving it around town. Those additional charges include storage fees or demurrage (when a vehicle remains in an impound lot for more than 24 hours).
Have All Documentation Ready
Ensure you have all the necessary documentation handy before calling so you don’t need to make more phone calls while trying to get through this challenging period.
Pay Fees and Keep the Receipt In the Glove Box
Once you have paid any applicable fees and picked up your car, store these receipts safely so they are kept from being lost or misplaced over time. This will help ensure that there are no additional fees when claiming ownership of your vehicle later down the road if needed (such as if someone else claims ownership).
Understand Why Your Car Was Impounded So You Can Avoid It Happening Again
If you parked illegally, this is what happened: You parked unlawfully and got a ticket. The police officer who issued the ticket put it on top of your windshield and left the scene. At some point later (often at night), a local towing company like Doug Yates Towing was called to tow away your car without notifying you or allowing you to move it somewhere else first. Do not park illegally again.
If You Don’t Have Funds Available
If you don’t have funds to get your car out of impound, ask if the local towing company that is holding your vehicle allows payment plans. Sometimes they will allow you to pay off your fees in installments. Be sure to talk with the company in detail about your options before making your decision.
Yates Wrecker, Your Local Chattanooga Towing Service
Whether it’s the police department, an insurance company, or the owner of the property you parked your car on, legal ramifications must be worked out before you can get your car out of impound. When your vehicle is towed and impounded, it’s important to remember that you must pay the towing fees before you can retrieve your vehicle. Each impound lot has its own standard operating procedures for releasing cars to their owners. If your car was towed or taken from an accident by Doug Yates Towing & Recovery be sure to call us today to discuss your options.