Getting a Towed or Impounded Car Back in Riverside County

Why your car was towed after the crash

California lets officers remove a vehicle that blocks traffic or creates a hazard, and a vehicle whose driver is too hurt to arrange its removal (Vehicle Code § 22651, subdivisions (b) and (g)). After a crash, most cars are towed for one of those two reasons, not as a penalty.

The CHP separates tows into two groups, and the difference decides where you go first. A stored vehicle, such as one that was in a collision and could not be driven away, can be picked up directly from the tow company. An impounded vehicle needs a release from the agency first. Many city police departments and the Sheriff also issue a Vehicle Release Form before the tow yard will hand the car over.

Vehicle release procedures by agency

The agency that handled the crash is the agency that ordered the tow. Its release fee is separate from the tow company's towing and storage charges. A dash means the agency does not publish that detail online; call the agency to confirm.

Agency	How release works	Agency release fee	Contact and hours
Riverside Police Department	The department issues a Vehicle Release Form for a fee; you then make arrangements with the tow company to pay its fees and have the vehicle released. Tows listed include accident tows made at an officer's request. [source] Call the Riverside Police Department at (951) 826-5700 to find out where the vehicle is stored. Allow 24 hours from the time of impound for processing, and have the license plate number, VIN or police report number ready. [source]	Vehicle release fee (fiscal year 2026/27): $126.00 for most tows; $393.00 per vehicle for Safe Streets Act tows. [source]	Vehicle information is available at the Orange Police Station, 4102 Orange Street, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. [source]
Riverside County Sheriff	The registered owner goes to the Sheriff's Office front counter to get a Vehicle Release Form and presents it to the storage yard. An administrative release fee applies to vehicles towed for parking violations, expired registration, safekeeping and similar reasons. [source] The owner must have a valid driver's license (or bring someone who does), and the vehicle registration must be current. If the owner cannot be present, the Sheriff's Office accepts a notarized letter naming the person who will claim the vehicle. [source]	—	—
California Highway Patrol (CHP)	Vehicles the CHP stores, such as a vehicle that was in a collision and cannot be driven from the scene, can be picked up directly from the tow company by the registered owner or the owner's agent. [source] Vehicles the CHP impounds (for example, a driver without a valid license, an investigation hold or unpaid registration) need a release from the CHP office that impounded them; tow companies will not release them without CHP direction. [source]	—	If you are not sure why or where the vehicle was towed, contact the CHP office that had it towed. [source]
Corona Police Department	Tow hearings on the validity of an impound: Traffic Section, 951-736-2330 option 5, held Tuesdays and Thursdays by appointment only. [source]	When an impounded vehicle is released, the Corona Police Department charges a $218.00 fee. Tow company charges are separate. [source]	Questions about stored or impounded vehicles: Records, 951-736-2330 option 3, Monday to Thursday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. [source]
Murrieta Police Department	The vehicle must be currently registered (or DMV fees paid for a Temporary Operating Permit), and the registered owner must be present with a validly licensed driver. An owner who cannot come may give an original notarized authorization letter to a licensed designee. [source]	Release fee: $75.30 for standard tows; $245.85 for vehicles towed and impounded for 30 days. Paid at the police department front counter before release paperwork is issued. [source] Accepted: cash (bills of $20 or less), checks, Visa, MasterCard and Discover; card payments carry a 2.9% processor fee. Tow and storage fees are paid separately at the tow yard. [source]	Records Bureau: (951) 304-2677. [source]
Menifee Police Department	Call the Records Unit at (951) 723-1500 to request a vehicle release. You must be the current registered owner on DMV records, and the registered owner and a licensed driver must be present. Tow and storage fees are paid separately at the tow yard. [source]	—	—

Cities and counties may charge the registered owner an administrative fee for releasing an impounded vehicle, and may waive it with verifiable proof the vehicle was reported stolen (Vehicle Code § 22850.5). For vehicles stored under Vehicle Code § 22850, release requires proof of current registration (Vehicle Code § 22850.3).

Your rights at the tow yard

Under Vehicle Code § 22651.07, before you pay any towing or storage fees, you (or your agent) have the right to:

get your personal property back at no charge during normal business hours, which the law defines as Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., except state holidays;
retrieve the vehicle during the first 72 hours of storage without paying a lien fee;
inspect the vehicle without paying a fee, and have your insurer inspect it at the yard at no charge during normal business hours;
pay by cash, insurer's check or a valid bank credit card.

The facility must also give you an itemized invoice of actual charges before it takes payment. Keep it: towing and storage costs caused by someone else's negligence are part of the property damage you can claim.

Agencies can add their own conditions. In Riverside, for example, the registered owner must be present with a valid government photo ID to remove property from an impounded vehicle:

To remove property from an impounded vehicle, the registered owner must be present with a valid government-issued photo ID; contact the tow company directly to arrange it. [source]

If you think the tow was wrong

When a public agency directs a storage, it must mail or deliver notice to the registered and legal owners within 48 hours (excluding weekends and holidays). You then have 10 days from the date on the notice to request a poststorage hearing, in person, in writing or by phone. If the hearing finds no reasonable grounds for the storage, the agency pays the towing and storage costs (Vehicle Code § 22852). This does not apply to every tow; vehicles held for investigation or removed from private property follow other rules.

Practical tips

Get the report number and the name of the agency at the scene; you will need them to find the car.
Move quickly. Tow yards charge storage for each day the car stays there.
Photograph the car and its contents at the yard before anything is moved or repaired.
Tell your insurer where the car is so an appraiser can inspect it there.
Keep every receipt: release fee, towing, storage and rides while you had no car.

Every fact on this page links to the official source it came from. We checked each one in September 2026. Agencies change fees and procedures, so confirm with the agency before you go. How we research.

Common questions

Do I have to pay the tow yard before I can get my belongings out?

No. Under Vehicle Code § 22651.07, you can receive your personal property at no charge during normal business hours (Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., except state holidays) before paying towing or storage fees. Agencies may require the registered owner and photo ID.

Can my insurance company inspect the car at the tow yard?

Yes. The same statute gives you the right to have your insurer inspect the vehicle at the storage facility at no charge during normal business hours.

The CHP towed my car after a freeway crash. Do I need a release?

Not usually. The CHP says vehicles it stores after a collision can be picked up directly from the tow company by the registered owner or an agent. Impounded vehicles need a release from the CHP office that impounded them.

Who pays the towing bill if the other driver caused the crash?

Towing and storage charges are part of your property damage and are usually claimed from the at-fault driver's insurer, or paid first by your own collision coverage. Keep the itemized invoice. Our car accident page explains how fault is decided.

Getting a towed or impounded car back after a crash