US Towing Price Index: Maximum Towing Rates by City
How much can a tow company legally charge you? It depends entirely on where your car is. Some cities cap non-consent tow fees by ordinance; others leave pricing to the market. This index compiles the maximum regulated rates for 31 major US cities — hookup fee, per-mile rate, daily storage, and the total day-one cost of getting your car back. Every figure is linked to the ordinance or agency schedule that sets it. Last verified July 2026.
Most Expensive Cities to Get Towed
- San Francisco, CA — $316 day one
- Houston, TX — $295 day one
- Dallas, TX — $295 day one
- San Antonio, TX — $295 day one
- Austin, TX — $295 day one
Least Expensive Cities to Get Towed
- Orlando, FL — $135 day one
- Tampa, FL — $135 day one
- Miami, FL — $135 day one
- Cleveland, OH — $150 day one
- Kansas City, MO — $150 day one
Complete Rate Table
Click any city for the full ordinance citation, fee breakdown, and your rights. "Day-one cost" = hookup fee + 1 day storage + admin/release fees. Cities without a regulated cap are marked —.
| City | Hookup max | Per mile | Storage/day | Admin fee | Day-one cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | $253 | $6.50 | $63 | $0 | $316 |
| Houston, TX | $255 | $0 | $20 | $20 | $295 |
| Dallas, TX | $255 | $0 | $20 | $20 | $295 |
| San Antonio, TX | $255 | $0 | $20 | $20 | $295 |
| Austin, TX | $255 | $0 | $20 | $20 | $295 |
| New York, NY | $185 | $10 | $40 | $25 | $250 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $175 | $5 | $40 | $25 | $240 |
| Portland, OR | $186 | $5.50 | $34 | $0 | $220 |
| Atlanta, GA | $175 | $5 | $25 | $15 | $215 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $175 | $5 | $35 | $0 | $210 |
| Baltimore, MD | $165 | $5 | $35 | $0 | $200 |
| Seattle, WA | $163 | $4.50 | $35 | $0 | $198 |
| Chicago, IL | $150 | $5 | $45 | $0 | $195 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $160 | $4 | $30 | $0 | $190 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $133 | $5 | $38 | $15 | $186 |
| New Orleans, LA | $150 | $5 | $35 | $0 | $185 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $145 | $5 | $35 | $0 | $180 |
| Nashville, TN | $150 | $4 | $30 | $0 | $180 |
| Detroit, MI | $150 | $4 | $30 | $0 | $180 |
| Boston, MA | $108 | $3.50 | $35 | $35 | $178 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $125 | $4.50 | $25 | $25 | $175 |
| Charlotte, NC | $150 | $4 | $25 | $0 | $175 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $135 | $4 | $30 | $0 | $165 |
| Denver, CO | $128 | $4.50 | $35 | $0 | $163 |
| St. Louis, MO | $130 | $4 | $25 | $0 | $155 |
| Columbus, OH | $125 | $4 | $25 | $0 | $150 |
| Kansas City, MO | $125 | $3.50 | $25 | $0 | $150 |
| Cleveland, OH | $125 | $4 | $25 | $0 | $150 |
| Miami, FL | $100 | $4 | $35 | $0 | $135 |
| Tampa, FL | $100 | $4 | $35 | $0 | $135 |
| Orlando, FL | $100 | $4 | $35 | $0 | $135 |
Methodology
Rates are compiled from municipal ordinances, police-garage fee schedules, and state regulations — never from towing company websites or self-reported data. Each city's figures represent the maximum a tow operator may legally charge for a non-consent (private-property or police-ordered) tow of a standard passenger vehicle.
"Day-one cost" is the total you would pay to retrieve your vehicle on the same day it was towed: the hookup fee plus one day of storage plus any administrative, gate, or release fees. Heavy-duty vehicles, motorcycles, and vehicles requiring special equipment may be billed at different rates. Cities without a regulated cap are excluded from the median calculation.
This index is updated annually. If you find a rate that has changed, let us know with the ordinance citation and we will verify and update. Journalists and researchers: you are welcome to cite this index with attribution to TowTruckNearMe.
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