Community FAQ: questions about a tow you did not choose
Answers for drivers whose car was moved without their say, or whose bill, destination or paperwork did not match what they expected. The rules differ by state and by town, so each answer names the source to check.
Four questions about a tow you did not choose
Can a private lot tow my car without asking me?
In Massachusetts, whoever controls a lot must notify the local chief of police, or a designee, before a car is removed, and the lot must have forbidden parking there, either directly or by posted notice. The statute is General Laws, chapter 266, section 120D, and it also makes removing a car without that notice or the owner's consent punishable by a fine of up to $100. A missing notice is therefore a point to raise with the police, and it can be the basis for disputing the tow. In New Hampshire a property owner may remove a car parked without permission, or one that looks abandoned, but must notify a peace officer as soon as reasonably possible, or ask an officer to have it removed (RSA 262:40-a). A New Hampshire lot also cannot charge removal and storage to the owner unless conspicuous notice that illegally parked cars face towing at the owner's expense is posted.
Is there a limit on what a tow can cost?
It depends on who ordered the tow. When the police or another public authority orders a tow in Massachusetts, the state sets the most a company may charge, under General Laws, chapter 159B, section 6B. The City of Boston's towing page gives the current maximum for a police-ordered or involuntary private-property tow of a passenger vehicle as $132, but the page carries no date, so the figure should be confirmed with the Department of Public Utilities. When the vehicle owner asks for the tow, the state does not regulate the price, so the cap does not protect an owner who calls a company directly. The practical step is to agree the price before the hook-up, and to ask for it in writing where the company will provide it.
Where does my car go, and what can the storage cost?
Massachusetts caps storage for a non-commercial passenger vehicle towed without the owner's choice at $35 for each 24-hour period. The same section applies that cap only to lighted outside storage enclosed by a secure fence or barrier at least six feet high, so the condition of the lot matters as much as the number. Where the rules differ by town, the town's own published rules say which apply. If the company will not say where the car is, the police department that ordered the tow is the next place to ask. Get the storage charge in writing before you pay, and note whether the lot is fenced and lit.
If I reach the car before the tow is finished, do I still pay the full fee?
Not the full fee for a private-property tow in Massachusetts. If the owner arrives before the tow is finished, the tower may charge only one half of the fee usually charged for that tow, under chapter 266, section 120D. That is a limit on what can be charged for a tow that has already started, so it is worth asking the tower to show the usual fee before paying the half. A fee in New Hampshire follows a different path, with a written review window after the car is released, and the timeline below sets out those steps. Keep a note of the time you arrived, because the timing is the point of the rule.
Sort the tow before you argue about the bill
The questions above start from a tow the driver did not choose. The helper on the how-we-help page asks a few plain questions about the car, where it has stopped and what has gone wrong. It then names the kind of help to ask for and what to tell the dispatcher, with the reasons set beside each answer. It does not name a company and it does not set a price, because the rules above decide the price and the helper says where to read them.
What to do about a fee you think is unfair
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Pay to get the car released
Under the New Hampshire procedure for a tow authorized by the state police, an owner who thinks the fee is unreasonable can pay it to get the car released. Paying does not give up the right to ask for a review, so keep the receipt and write down the time of release. The statute is RSA 262:35-a, and its text is the place to confirm each step.
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Ask for a review in writing
Request a review by the commissioner of safety in writing within 15 days of the release of the car. The request should name the vehicle and the fee you think is unreasonable, and it should show the date you sent it. The statute asks for the request in writing, so a complaint made only at the lot does not meet that step.
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The window becomes 30 days
From that date the window is 30 days from receipt of the invoice, rather than 15 days from release. The version of the statute in force on the day you act is the one that applies, so check the date before relying on either figure. As of October 2026, the 15-day rule is the one this page describes.
Two sources beyond this notebook
- Statewide Towing Association — the Massachusetts tow industry association, with membership, training and a tow-finder service.
- Federal Highway Administration National TIM Responder Training — the free federal training program for roadside responders, which lists towing and recovery crews in its audience.