Utah Towing Laws: Your Rights When Your Car Is Towed

Primary law: Utah Code 72-9-603, 41-6a-1406, 41-6a-1407; Utah Admin. Code R909-19 · Last verified July 2026. General information, not legal advice.

Utah regulates nonconsent towing through UDOT's Motor Carrier Division. Utah Code 72-9-603 governs tows performed without the owner's knowledge, and Utah Admin. Code R909-19 sets operational standards, including the maximum rates carriers may charge. Private-property tow zones must be posted with detailed, standardized signs that include the tow company's phone number and the state's tow.utah.gov site, or the vehicle must get a 24-hour written warning on the window. Tows must be reported immediately to law enforcement and the statewide impound database, with certified-mail notice to the owner within two business days.

Fees for nonconsent tows and storage are capped at maximum rates set by UDOT rule (R909-19); the specific dollar amounts change through rulemaking, so check the current schedule at tow.utah.gov rather than relying on older figures. Payment protections are explicit: operators must accept cash and debit or credit cards, and may add at most a 3% processing fee for credit card payments. Storage fees cannot start accruing until required reporting is complete, and operators must staff phones 24/7 and release vehicles within one hour of the owner's call.

If your car is towed in Utah, check the state impound database or call local police — the tow must be reported immediately. Call the number on the sign; the company must have someone available around the clock and release the vehicle within an hour. Pay by card if you prefer (max 3% surcharge), get an itemized receipt, and compare every line to UDOT's maximum rate schedule. If charges exceed the caps or notice rules were ignored, file a complaint with UDOT's Motor Carrier Division through tow.utah.gov.

Utah towing rules at a glance

How to get your car back in Utah

1. Look up your vehicle via tow.utah.gov or call the local police, since tows must be reported to the state impound database immediately.
2. Call the tow company at the number on the sign; it must have staff available 24/7 and release your vehicle within one hour of your call.
3. Pay by cash or card — both must be accepted, with no more than a 3% credit card processing fee.
4. Get an itemized receipt and check each charge against UDOT's maximum rates under Utah Admin. Code R909-19.
5. Report overcharges or notice violations to UDOT's Motor Carrier Division through tow.utah.gov.

Where to complain about an illegal tow

Utah Department of Transportation, Motor Carrier Division (tow.utah.gov) handles towing complaints in Utah. 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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