Mississippi Towing Laws: Your Rights When Your Car Is Towed

Primary law: Miss. Code § 63-3-915; Miss. Code § 63-37-1 et seq. (commercial vehicles) · Last verified July 2026. General information, not legal advice.

Mississippi has historically been one of the least regulated states for consumer towing. For ordinary passenger cars, the main statewide rule is Miss. Code § 63-3-915: a vehicle on private property may only be towed with authorization from the vehicle owner, a lienholder, the property owner, or other law. The statute does not add signage, notice, or fee protections, so most disputes fall back on local ordinances and general consumer-protection law. In 2024 the state enacted a significant predatory-towing crackdown, but it targets commercial motor vehicles rather than everyday drivers.

There is no verified statewide cap on tow or storage fees for passenger vehicles, and no verified statewide drop-fee, credit-card, or hearing right for consumers. The 2024 commercial law (SB 2635, now Title 63, Chapter 37) shows what regulated towing looks like: towers must photograph the vehicle from four angles before hooking up, signs with the international towing symbol must be posted at entrances, drop fees after hook-up are barred, per-pound billing is banned, and a DPS committee sets maximum rates. Commercial owners may also access personal property regardless of payment.

If your car is towed in Mississippi, start with the local police or sheriff to locate it and confirm who authorized the removal — only the property owner, your lienholder, or law enforcement could lawfully do so. Ask the tow company for an itemized invoice and check your city's ordinances, since some municipalities cap fees where the state does not. Photograph the lot and any signage before you leave. If charges seem abusive, pay under protest to stop storage fees from accruing, then complain to the Mississippi Attorney General's consumer division, or to DPS if a commercial vehicle is involved.

Mississippi towing rules at a glance

How to get your car back in Mississippi

1. Call the local police or county sheriff to locate your car and confirm who authorized the tow.
2. Verify the authorization was lawful — in Mississippi only the property owner, your lienholder, law enforcement, or other legal authority can order a private-property tow.
3. Ask for an itemized invoice and check your city's towing ordinance for any local fee caps.
4. Pay under protest if charges seem excessive, and photograph the lot, the signage, and your car's condition.
5. File complaints with the Mississippi Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division, or the Department of Public Safety for commercial vehicle tows.

Recent law changes (2024–2026)

SB 2635, signed April 19, 2024 and effective July 1, 2024, overhauled nonconsensual towing of commercial vehicles: mandatory photo documentation, signage standards, a ban on drop fees and per-pound billing, personal-property access regardless of payment, and a new Commercial Vehicle Towing Advisory Committee under DPS to set maximum rates.

Where to complain about an illegal tow

Mississippi Department of Public Safety (commercial tows); Mississippi Attorney General Consumer Protection (other) handles towing complaints in Mississippi. 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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