What Happens After Your Car Is Towed in Calgary
You come back to find your car towed in Calgary — the parking spot is empty, and you have no idea where your vehicle is or what to do next. Or maybe you were just in a collision and the police arranged a tow before you could make a phone call. Either way, the clock is ticking: storage fees are accumulating, and the faster you act, the less it costs. This guide walks you through every scenario — parking violation tows, private property tows, accident tows, and police seizures — step by step from the moment your car disappears to the moment you drive it away.
🚗 Car Towed? Do This First
Step 1: Check the Calgary Parking Authority vehicle finder — enter your plate number to see if it is at the city impound lot.
Step 2: If not there, check for private towing signs in the area where you parked — the sign will list the towing company’s number.
Step 3: If your car was towed after an accident, call the police non-emergency line at 403-266-1234 to find out which tow company has your vehicle.
📍 Calgary Municipal Impound Lot: 400 – 39 Avenue SE | ☎️ 403-537-7000 | Cashless only
Step 1: Find Out Where Your Car Is
The first and most urgent step: locate your vehicle. Where it ended up depends on why it was towed:
💡 Before it reaches the lot: If you return to your vehicle while the tow truck is still loading it, you can request release on the spot at no charge. If the truck has already moved the vehicle but has not reached the impound lot, you can still request release — but you owe the full towing fee to the driver on the spot.
Step 2: Understand the Fees
Every day your car sits in an impound lot, fees accumulate. Acting fast saves money. Here are the typical costs you will face:
⚠️ Fees do not stop accumulating on weekends or holidays. Storage fees run 24/7 regardless of business hours. If your car is towed on a Friday evening, you are already paying 2+ days of storage before the lot reopens on Monday (or Saturday for the city impound). Pick up your vehicle as quickly as possible. For a deeper dive on impound fees, see our Calgary impound lot fees and pickup guide.
Step 3: Gather Your Documents
Before going to the impound lot or tow yard, make sure you have all required documents. Missing a single item means you cannot retrieve your vehicle — which means another day of storage fees:
What if your documents are inside the towed vehicle? The impound lot staff will escort you to your vehicle to retrieve your registration and insurance documents. You do not need to pay before accessing your documents — but you will need to pay before driving the vehicle away.
Step 4: Pick Up Your Vehicle
Once you have your documents and payment method ready, head to the impound lot or tow yard:
Calgary Municipal Impound Lot: 400 – 39 Avenue SE, Calgary. A few minutes’ walk from the 39 Avenue CTrain station. Hours: Weekdays 8 AM – 10 PM, Weekends 10 AM – 4 PM. Closed on statutory holidays. Phone: 403-537-7000.
Pay all fees. Towing fee + daily storage + any outstanding tickets must be paid in full before your vehicle is released. The city lot is cashless — bring a debit or credit card.
Inspect your vehicle. Before driving away, do a quick walk-around. Check for any new damage that may have occurred during towing or in the lot. If you see damage you believe was caused by the tow, document it immediately with photos and report it to the lot manager.
You have 2 hours to remove your vehicle after paying fees. If you do not remove it within that window, additional fees may apply.
💡 Low-income support: The Calgary Municipal Impound Lot offers a storage fee subsidy program for Calgarians living with low income through the Fair Entry program. If you qualify, your storage fees may be significantly reduced. Ask at the impound lot or apply through Fair Entry before pickup.
Need a Tow FROM the Impound Lot?
If your vehicle is not driveable after pickup, we tow it to a mechanic, body shop, or your home.
Scenario 1: Your Car Was Towed for a Parking Violation
This is the most common reason cars get towed in Calgary. It happens when you park in a no-parking zone, fire lane, snow route (during a snow ban), expired meter zone, or any area where parking is prohibited. The City of Calgary contracts CityWide Towing to handle these removals.
Where it goes: Calgary Municipal Impound Lot (400 – 39 Ave SE).
What you owe: Towing fee + daily storage + the parking ticket itself.
How to dispute: You can contest the parking ticket through the City of Calgary’s ticket dispute process — but you still need to pay the towing and storage fees to get your vehicle back. The ticket dispute is separate from the vehicle release.
Scenario 2: Your Car Was Towed from Private Property
Private property tows happen when you park in a reserved stall, a business lot after hours, or a residential zone without permission. The property owner contracts a private towing company — not the city — to remove your vehicle.
Where it goes: The towing company’s private yard — not the city impound lot.
How to find it: Look for signage in the parking area. By law, private lots that enforce towing must post signs showing the towing company’s name and phone number.
What you owe: Towing fee + daily storage to the private towing company. These fees are often higher than city impound fees.
How to dispute: If there was no signage or you believe the tow was unauthorized, you can dispute it through small claims court. Document the lack of signage with photos before leaving the area. Our guide to avoiding predatory towing covers your rights in these situations.
Scenario 3: Your Car Was Towed After an Accident
After a collision, especially on a major highway, police may arrange a tow to clear the road quickly — sometimes before you have had a chance to call your own tow company. Here is what typically happens:
Police call a rotation tow company. Calgary Police maintain a rotation list of towing companies for accident scenes. The first available company on the list is dispatched. This is not necessarily the cheapest or most convenient option for you.
Your right to choose. Under Alberta’s towing regulations, you generally have the right to request your own towing company. If a tow truck arrives that you did not call, you can decline and call us at (587) 885-2326 — unless the vehicle is an immediate traffic hazard and police require it to be moved immediately.
Where it goes: To the rotation tow company’s private lot or the city impound lot, depending on the circumstances. If police seize the vehicle for investigation (serious collision, impaired driving), it goes to the city impound and may be held for an extended period.
Insurance connection: If the accident is covered by your insurance, your insurer may cover or reimburse towing and storage fees. Contact your insurance company as soon as possible to start a claim and ask about towing coverage. For more detail, see our post-accident towing and insurance guide.
Scenario 4: Police Seized Your Vehicle
Vehicle seizure is different from a standard tow. Police can seize your vehicle under the Alberta Traffic Safety Act for offences including impaired driving, driving while suspended, excessive speeding, and street racing. Seizure periods are mandatory and cannot be shortened by paying fees early:
During the seizure period, you are responsible for all towing and storage fees — even though you cannot retrieve the vehicle. These fees accumulate daily and can reach hundreds of dollars. You can appeal a vehicle seizure through SafeRoads Alberta — but the appeal fee is $150 for drivers and $50 for affected vehicle owners.
What If Your Vehicle Is Not Driveable After Pickup?
If your vehicle was towed after a collision and is not in driveable condition, you will need to arrange a second tow from the impound lot to a body shop or mechanic. This is where we come in:
Impound lot to mechanic: We tow from the Calgary Municipal Impound Lot (or any private tow yard) to the repair shop of your choice.
Impound lot to your home: If the vehicle needs to sit at home while you arrange repairs or an insurance assessment, we tow to residential addresses.
Impound lot to a dealership: For warranty work or manufacturer-specific repairs, we tow directly to any Calgary dealership.
If you need a flatbed tow for a collision-damaged vehicle (to prevent further damage from wheel-lift towing), specify that when you call. For pricing, see our tow truck cost guide.
How to Prevent Your Car from Being Towed in Calgary
Read every parking sign. Calgary’s parking signage can be confusing — pay attention to time restrictions, snow route designations, and residential permit zones. When in doubt, do not park there.
Watch for snow bans. During a declared parking ban, vehicles on designated snow routes will be towed. Check the City of Calgary website or local news for parking ban announcements.
Use the ParkPlus app. The City of Calgary’s parking app lets you extend your meter remotely — preventing those “just five more minutes” tickets and tows.
Do not park in fire lanes or handicap zones. These are towed immediately — no warning, no grace period.
Maintain your vehicle. Breakdowns in no-parking zones or on highways lead to tows. Regular maintenance prevents the mechanical failures that lead to unexpected tows. If you do break down, call us at (587) 885-2326 for roadside assistance before the city tows your vehicle to impound. For minor accidents where the vehicle is driveable, you may be directed to the Calgary Collision Reporting Centre instead of having your vehicle impounded.
Frequently Asked Questions: Car Towed in Calgary
Where is the Calgary impound lot?
The Calgary Municipal Impound Lot is located at 400 – 39 Avenue SE, Calgary. It is a few minutes’ walk from the 39 Avenue CTrain station. Hours: Weekdays 8 AM – 10 PM, Weekends 10 AM – 4 PM. Closed on statutory holidays. Phone: 403-537-7000.
How do I find out if my car was towed in Calgary?
Use the Calgary Parking Authority’s online vehicle finder at calgaryparking.com — enter your licence plate number. If the vehicle is at the city impound lot, it will show up in the system. If not found, the vehicle may have been towed by a private company — check for signage at the location where you parked.
How much does it cost to get a car out of impound in Calgary?
Costs vary but typically include a towing fee ($100–$250+), daily storage fees ($25–$40+/day), and any outstanding parking tickets. A vehicle held for one week can cost $350–$550+ in total. The longer the vehicle stays, the more it costs — pick it up as soon as possible.
Can I get my personal belongings from a towed car?
Yes. At the Calgary Municipal Impound Lot, staff will escort you to your vehicle to retrieve personal items, including documents needed for the release (registration, insurance). You do not need to pay the full fees to access personal belongings — but you do need valid ID.
Does insurance cover impound fees?
Standard auto insurance typically does not cover impound fees for parking violations. However, if the vehicle was towed after a collision, your comprehensive or collision coverage may reimburse towing and storage costs. If the vehicle was stolen and then impounded, check your policy for theft-related coverage. See our insurance and towing guide for details.
Can I dispute a tow in Calgary?
You can dispute a parking ticket through the City of Calgary’s ticket review process, but the towing and storage fees must still be paid to retrieve your vehicle. For private property tows, if no signage was posted or the tow was unauthorized, you can file a claim in small claims court. Document the lack of signage with photos.
What happens if I do not pick up my car from impound?
Storage fees continue to accumulate daily. After a certain period (typically 30+ days), the impound lot can apply to dispose of the vehicle — which may include selling it at auction. If the vehicle’s value is less than the accumulated fees, it may be more cost-effective to surrender it than to pay the fees. Some charities accept donated vehicles from impound.
Can someone else pick up my towed vehicle for me?
Yes, but they need to be an authorized representative. They will need to present their own valid driver’s licence, the vehicle registration (or a copy), proof of insurance, and typically written authorization from the registered owner. Contact the impound lot beforehand to confirm their specific requirements.
My car was towed after an accident but I did not call a tow truck. Who do I contact?
If police arranged the tow at the scene, call the Calgary Police Service non-emergency line at 403-266-1234 and provide your collision report number. They can tell you which towing company has your vehicle and where it is being stored. Next time, call us at (587) 885-2326 at the scene to choose your own tow company before police dispatch one for you.
Can I tow my car out of the impound lot myself?
Yes. You can arrange to self-tow using your own vehicle and a tow bar or trailer. The trailer must be under 25 feet to fit safely in the impound lot. You can also call us to tow the vehicle directly from the impound lot to your chosen destination — mechanic, body shop, or home.
Next Time, Call Us First.
Choose your own tow company before the city or police dispatch one for you.
24/7 towing, roadside assistance, and accident recovery across Calgary.