Arkansas Towing Laws: Your Rights When Your Car Is Towed
Primary law: Ark. Code Ann. § 27-50-1201 et seq. (Arkansas Towing and Recovery Board) · Last verified July 2026. General information, not legal advice.
Arkansas is unusual among Southern states in having a dedicated regulator for towing: the Arkansas Towing and Recovery Board, created by Ark. Code Ann. § 27-50-1201 et seq. Every tow business must be licensed by the Board, which adopts rules for nonconsensual towing, investigates consumer complaints, and can discipline or fine companies. That gives Arkansas drivers a genuine administrative forum for tow disputes that most neighboring states lack. The removal, notice, and sale of towed and abandoned vehicles is governed by the same subchapter, including the owner/lienholder notification scheme in § 27-50-1208.
Arkansas does not publish a single statewide fee schedule; instead the Board judges whether charges are 'excessive or unnecessary' case by case, weighing the vehicle's size, recovery time, personnel and equipment used, location, weather, and how storage was calculated, and comparing rates regionally. Its rules also prevent charging a notification fee before two business days after the yard receives the vehicle. No statewide drop-fee right, kickback ban, credit-card mandate, or lot-signage rule could be verified, so document your bill carefully. Unclaimed vehicles can be sold at a non-judicial public sale tied to perfection of the towing lien, roughly a 45-day process.
After a tow in Arkansas, call local police to confirm the tow and locate the yard, then get an itemized invoice listing every charge. If anything looks inflated - mileage, extra labor, gate fees, storage math - pay under protest and file a complaint with the Arkansas Towing and Recovery Board, which will make the company answer within 10 business days. Respond promptly to any certified-mail lien notice, because ignoring it lets the sale process move forward. Keep receipts and photos; the Board and small claims court are your main remedies.
Arkansas towing rules at a glance
| Non-consent tow fee cap | Partial — The Arkansas Towing and Recovery Board licenses towers and can find charges 'excessive or unnecessary' based on factors such as vehicle size, time, equipment, and regional comparisons, but its published rules do not set fixed statewide dollar caps. |
| Drop fee (truck still on scene) | Unclear / not verified — Board rules reviewed do not explicitly address drop fees or release before the tow is completed. |
| Kickback ban | Unclear / not verified |
| Warning signage required | Unclear / not verified — Statewide private-property tow-away signage requirements could not be verified; tow businesses themselves must display licensing and rate information at their place of business. |
| Notice requirement | Towers must comply with the owner/lienholder notification provisions of Ark. Code § 27-50-1208, and Board rules bar charging a notification fee before two business days after the vehicle is received; exact owner-notice deadlines are set in the statute. |
| Personal property retrieval | Unclear / not verified |
| Credit cards must be accepted | Unclear / not verified |
| Right to challenge the tow | Yes — Consumers can file complaints with the Arkansas Towing and Recovery Board, which investigates, requires tow businesses to respond within 10 business days, and can fine violators. |
| Hold period before sale | ~45 days (sale after perfection of towing lien under §§ 27-50-1208 to -1210) |
How to get your car back in Arkansas
- Call local police or the sheriff to confirm the tow and find which licensed tower has your car.
- Bring ID and proof of ownership, and demand a written itemized invoice at the yard.
- Pay under protest if charges seem excessive, noting your objection on the receipt.
- File a complaint with the Arkansas Towing and Recovery Board - it can force a response within 10 business days and fine violators.
- Answer any lien or sale notice immediately; unclaimed cars can be sold through the lien process in roughly 45 days.
Where to complain about an illegal tow
Arkansas Towing and Recovery Board handles towing complaints in Arkansas. Keep your receipt, photos of any signage (or lack of it), and notes on dates and times — they decide most fee disputes.
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