Car towed or impounded in Las Vegas: how to find it, get it back, or sell it

October 22, 2026·7 min read

Quick overview

The short answer

If your car was towed or impounded in Las Vegas:

1. Find it on AutoReturn.com, or call the agency that towed it.
2. Move fast. Storage charges build every day the car sits in the yard.
3. Get the total and ask whether there's a police hold.
4. Decide: pay and recover it, or release it and sell it. If the fees are close to what the car is worth, selling it once it's released can leave you better off than keeping it.

Why cars get impounded

AutoReturn, which manages tows for LVMPD, lists the usual reasons police order a tow:

• accidents, when a car can't be driven or is blocking the road,
• arrests, including DUI,
• recovered stolen vehicles,
• unlicensed drivers,
• unlicensed vehicles, such as expired registration,
• special events.

Cars are also towed from private property, like apartment lots, shopping centers and HOA streets, at the property owner's request. Our guide to abandoned and unauthorized cars on private property explains how those tows work in Nevada.

Car towed in Las Vegas? How to find it

LVMPD says that vehicles towed or repossessed within its jurisdiction are reported on AutoReturn.com, and that checking AutoReturn is the quickest way to confirm a tow. You can search by:

• license plate,
• VIN, or
• year, make and model.

For help, call LVMPD non-emergency at (702) 828-3111. In North Las Vegas, the city says police tows, private-property tows and repossessions are also on AutoReturn.com, with more information at (702) 479-3595. If another agency towed the car, contact that agency.

From a private lot, look for the tow company's number on the no-parking sign, or ask the property manager.

What happens after your car is impounded

A tow truck takes the car to a storage yard, and from that point two things run at once: the storage charges, and the tow company's duty to tell you where the car is.

Under NRS 706.4479, when a car is towed at the request of someone other than its owner, the tow operator must notify the registered and legal owner by certified mail:

• within 21 days of storage if police had it towed after a crash, or
• within 15 days for any other tow.

The notice must say where the car is stored, whether it's in a locked building, a secured fenced area or an open lot, what the towing and storage charges are, when it went into storage, and what you can do to recover it at the lowest cost.

Two protections follow:

• Storage fees stop at that deadline unless notice is given. The operator can't charge storage for more than 21 or 15 days unless it has met the notice requirement.
• After a crash or a stolen-car recovery, the operator can't start the lien process or add administrative or processing fees for the first 4 business days.

Don't wait for the letter. The charges are building in the meantime.

How long the yard keeps your car

Not forever. AutoReturn says that, depending on the region, unclaimed vehicles are typically eligible for public auction after 30 days once the owner has been notified. The tow company has a lien for its towing and storage charges, and under NRS 487.270 a low-value car that isn't reclaimed can end up titled to the tow operator.

That's where "impounded cars for sale" and police impound auctions come from: cars whose owners never came back. If it's your car, act before it gets there.

How much it costs to get your car out of impound

There isn't one Las Vegas price, and there isn't an official average. Your bill is:

• the tow charge, plus
• storage for each day the car sits, plus
• any fees the tariff allows.

Each tow company charges under its own tariff filed with the Nevada Transportation Authority, and rates vary by company and by type of tow. Ask the yard for an itemized total.

Two other money questions people ask:

• Insurance: the tow itself isn't normally an insurance claim, but the reason behind it, such as a DUI or an at-fault crash, can affect your premiums. Some policies cover towing or storage, so check yours.
• Credit: impound charges don't show up on your credit report by themselves. They can if an unpaid balance is sent to collections or becomes a court judgment.

If a charge looks wrong, the Nevada Transportation Authority takes tow complaints.

How to get your car released

Call the yard first and ask exactly what it needs. AutoReturn says most impound lots require:

• a valid photo ID, and
• proof of ownership: the registration, title, rental agreement, or company ID for a commercial vehicle.

To drive it off the lot you also need a current driver's license and current proof of insurance. If your license or the car's registration has expired, AutoReturn says the car has to be towed out instead.

Also:

• Police holds. If the car is held as evidence or for an investigation, the yard can't release it until the agency that placed the hold clears it.
• Payment. Under NRS 706.44793, a tow operator must accept cash, money orders, credit cards, debit cards and electronic transfers, and may give a discount for cash. Whether you can pay online depends on the tow company.
• Sending someone else. Some yards release to an agent with the owner's written, sometimes notarized, authorization. Ask the yard what it accepts first.

Nevada law also protects you at the yard. Under NRS 706.4467, the operator must give the owner access to the car during business hours and offer a way to release it outside them. It must let you inspect the car before release, and it can't hold your personal belongings as security for the bill.

When selling beats paying

Do the math before you pay. If the car is old, damaged or wasn't running well anyway, the release bill can come close to what it's worth. Your options:

• Pay, recover it and keep it, if it's worth more than the bill and you need it.
• Pay, recover it and sell it, if it's worth more than the bill but you don't want it anymore. Get a quote first, so you know the number before you pay.
• Let the yard keep it. Don't assume walking away clears what you owe. Ask the yard in writing for an itemized balance.

Can you sell it while it's still in the yard? Usually not in practice. A buyer needs your signed title, a bill of sale isn't a substitute for it (if you don't have the title, see how to sell a car without a title in Nevada), and the yard decides whom it releases to. If someone offers to buy it straight out of impound, ask the yard in writing whether it will release to that buyer before you sign anything.

What cars like yours have sold for in Las Vegas

Before you pay a release bill, compare it with what the car is actually worth. These are real numbers from our own records, not "up to" prices. None of them is known to have been an impounded car; they show what older, damaged and non-running cars in the valley fetch right now.

30 real offers · Las Vegas valley · Oct 16–29

Middle offer

$295

Under $500

22 of 30

Highest

$1,975

“$500” ads$100$1,000$10,000

• 2014 Chevrolet SonicNorth Las Vegas · Oct 29$540
• 1998 Nissan SentraBoulder City · Oct 28$150
• 2010 Toyota Corolla MatrixOct 27$755
• 2001 Mitsubishi GalantOct 26$60
• 2003 Honda CivicHenderson · Oct 26$470
• 2015 BMW X1Oct 24$1,120
• 2006 Nissan AltimaOct 24$295
• 2003 Volkswagen PassatOct 23$260
• 2006 Toyota AvalonOct 23$575
• 2005 Subaru OutbackNorth Las Vegas · Oct 22$295
• 2013 Dodge JourneyOct 22$345
• 1998 Saturn SC2Oct 21$150
• 2015 BMW 335IOct 21$155
• 2007 Infiniti G35Oct 21$155
• 2014 Jeep Grand CherokeeOct 21$155
• 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee LimitedOct 21$155
• 2011 Chevrolet CruzeOct 20$370
• 2018 Jeep RenegadeHenderson · Oct 20$1,975
• 2011 Chevrolet Cruze LTOct 20$370
• 2018 Jeep Renegade TrailhawkHenderson · Oct 20$1,975
• 2003 BMW X5Oct 19$225
• 2011 Chevrolet CruzeOct 19$635
• 2003 BMW X5 3.0iOct 19$225
• 2011 Chevrolet Cruze LTOct 19$635
• 2009 Toyota Scion TCOct 18$440
• 2009 Scion tCOct 18$440
• 2013 Dodge AvengerOct 17$295
• 2013 Dodge Avenger SEOct 17$295
• 2002 Mercedes-Benz E-ClassOct 16$155
• 2002 Mercedes-Benz E500Oct 16$155

Cars we bought and what the seller was paid at pickup. Swipe through, or tap the dots.

• 
  Paid $3,500
  2015 Lincoln MKCFront-end damage
• 
  Paid $300
  1997 Pontiac Firebird Trans AmFront-end damage
• 
  Paid $2,100
  2010 Audi A5 2.0T PremiumFront-end damage
• 
  Paid $360
  Chevrolet pickup
• 
  Paid $1,200
  2005 Toyota CamryPeeling paint
• 
  Paid $700
  2005 Nissan Maxima SE
• 
  Paid $3,200
  2015 Lincoln MKCFront-end damage
• 
  Paid $800
  2014 Ford Focus SE
• 
  Paid $780
  2005 Toyota Camry
• 
  Paid $2,500
  Toyota Camry
• 
  Paid $600
  2002 Chrysler PT Cruiser TouringFront-end damage
• 
  Paid $1,500
  2011 Dodge Charger R/T
• 
  Paid $800
  2002 Ford Mustang V6

If your impound bill is close to these numbers, getting the car released and selling it may leave you with more than keeping it. Our junk car price guide has more offers and the scrap-weight math.

Selling a released car to us

Once the car is released, we can make it easy. If it can't be driven off the lot, because it doesn't run or the registration has expired, it has to be towed out anyway. When you get your quote, tell us where the car is and we'll confirm how pickup works.

You get a firm offer online in about two minutes and choose a pickup time from the windows offered when you accept. The tow is free, you're paid at pickup, and we handle the title transfer at no cost. We buy cars running or not, but only cars you fully own.

One thing to know up front: impound and storage fees aren't covered. The car has to be released before pickup. If you're weighing whether to pay the release, get our number first and compare. Start with our cash for junk cars Las Vegas quote.

After the sale, keep your plates, cancel the registration and file the Vehicle Resale Notification.