Maryland Towing Laws: Your Rights When Your Car Is Towed

Primary law: Md. Code, Transp. § 21-10A-01 et seq. · Last verified July 2026. General information, not legal advice.

Maryland has one of the strongest trespass-towing laws in the country, Md. Code, Transportation § 21-10A-01 et seq. Before towing, parking lots must post conspicuous signs — at least 24 by 30 inches — naming the tow company and destination, the maximum charges, and a phone number, and stating that the vehicle must be reclaimable from 6 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week. Towers need the parking lot owner's authorization, must photograph the violation before towing, must notify police within one hour, and must send the owner certified and first-class mail notice within seven days. Kickbacks and paid 'spotters' are banned outright.

Fees are capped: a tower may charge no more than twice the local public-safety impound rate, or where no local rate exists, $250 for the tow and $30 per day of storage. If you arrive before the truck leaves and your car can be driven, it must be released on request — and any drop fee is capped at 50% of the full towing price. Storage facilities must accept cash or at least two major credit cards (or provide an ATM on site), must give supervised access to retrieve personal property from the vehicle, and must waive notification costs if you reclaim the car within 48 hours.

Towed in Maryland? Call the local police non-emergency line — the tower was required to report the tow within one hour, so police will know where the car is. You can reclaim it any day between 6 a.m. and midnight; the yard cannot make you wait for business hours. Bring a credit card, ask to see the photographs the tower was required to take, and compare every charge against the posted sign and the statutory caps. Retrieve personal property under supervision. Report violations to the police and the Maryland Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division; counties such as Montgomery and Prince George's also enforce their own towing rules.

Maryland towing rules at a glance

How to get your car back in Maryland

1. Call the local police non-emergency line — the tow had to be reported within one hour, so they can tell you where the car is.
2. If you catch the truck before it leaves and your car is drivable, demand release; the drop fee cannot exceed 50% of the tow charge.
3. Go to the storage yard any day between 6 a.m. and midnight — state law guarantees that reclamation window.
4. Pay by cash or credit card (they must accept at least two major cards or provide an ATM), and check charges against the $250/$30-per-day defaults or the local capped rate.
5. Ask for the required pre-tow photographs, retrieve personal property under supervision, and report violations to the Maryland Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division.

Where to complain about an illegal tow

Maryland Attorney General - Consumer Protection Division handles towing complaints in Maryland. 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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