Rhode Island Towing Laws: Your Rights When Your Car Is Towed
Primary law: R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 39-12.1 (Towing Storage Act); § 39-12.1-12 (private trespass towing) · Last verified July 2026. General information, not legal advice.
Rhode Island governs nonconsensual towing through the Towing Storage Act, R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 39-12.1, and treats towers like regulated carriers. Only companies holding a certificate from the Division of Public Utilities and Carriers (DPUC) may perform private trespass tows, and each tow requires written authorization from the property owner. The impound lot must sit within ten miles of where the car was taken and keep business hours matching the times it receives vehicles, with those hours posted outside its office.
Pricing runs through regulation rather than the open market: a certificated tower can only bill according to its published tariff on file with the DPUC, so every charge is checkable against a filed rate. The Act also builds in a fairness valve; if you prove in court that your car was not actually trespassing, the towing and storage bill legally shifts to the property owner who ordered the tow. Statutory notice forms must be used before a storage lien can be foreclosed and the car sold.
If you're towed in Rhode Island, call local police to locate the car and confirm which company has it. Verify the tower holds a DPUC certificate, ask to see the written authorization for your tow, and compare the bill to the filed tariff. Pay to recover the vehicle, keep everything in writing, then complain to the DPUC about overcharges or take the trespass question to court if you were parked lawfully.
Rhode Island towing rules at a glance
| Non-consent tow fee cap | Yes — Only towers certificated by the Division of Public Utilities and Carriers may perform trespass tows, and charges must follow the tower's published tariff on file with the Division. |
| Drop fee (truck still on scene) | Unclear / not verified |
| Kickback ban | Unclear / not verified |
| Warning signage required | Unclear / not verified — The statute requires the storage lot to post its business hours; on-lot warning signage for drivers is not clearly required statewide. |
| Notice requirement | The property owner must give the certificated tower written authorization for each trespass tow, and statutory notice forms under § 39-12.1-13 must be used before a storage lien can be enforced against the owner. |
| Personal property retrieval | Unclear / not verified |
| Credit cards must be accepted | Unclear / not verified |
| Right to challenge the tow | Yes — An owner who proves in court that the vehicle was not actually trespassing shifts the towing and storage charges onto the property owner who ordered the tow. |
| Hold period before sale | statutory lien and waiting-period process before foreclosure |
How to get your car back in Rhode Island
- Call local police to confirm the tow and get the storage lot's address (it must be within 10 miles).
- Confirm the tower is certificated by the Division of Public Utilities and Carriers.
- Ask to see the property owner's written authorization for your specific tow.
- Compare the bill to the tower's filed tariff, pay, and keep the receipt.
- Complain to the DPUC, or sue to shift costs to the lot owner if you weren't trespassing.
Where to complain about an illegal tow
Rhode Island Division of Public Utilities and Carriers handles towing complaints in Rhode Island. 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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