--- title: "Your rights — TowingDad" canonical: https://towingdad.shop/rights/ lang: en --- # Your rights **Towing and impound rules are set by state and often by city.**Rules vary by state and often by city, and they change frequently. Verify with the agency named below before acting. Federal law preempts most state regulation of towing prices, with one decisive exception: states and cities may regulate the price of non-consensual tows. Your concrete rights depend on your state and often on your city. ## What federal law preempts 49 U.S.C. § 14501(c)(1) federally preempts state and local regulation of motor-carrier prices, routes and services. Two carve-outs matter for towing: (c)(2)(A) preserves state safety authority, which *City of Columbus v. Ours Garage & Wrecker Service*, 536 U.S. 424 (2002) extended to municipalities; and (c)(2)(C) expressly permits states and localities to regulate the **price of non-consensual tows**. That last carve-out is the hinge. States and cities **may** cap what you are charged for a police-ordered tow or a tow off private property, because you did not choose it. They generally **may not** cap prices for a consensual tow you called for yourself. Roughly half of states have no statewide non-consensual rate cap at all — it is left to cities and counties. A page that says "Texas regulates towing rates" without saying which kind of tow is wrong in a way that costs readers money. ## How thin the protections are Consumer protection in towing is thin and uneven. Per U.S. PIRG: more than 30 states do not require towing rates to be displayed or disclosed; only 18 states require a free or reduced drop fee when you reach your car before it leaves; and only 20 states let you retrieve personal property regardless of whether you have paid. These counts move with each legislative session. The figure on your state page, not this national summary, is the one to act on. ## By state [Towing laws by state](/towing-laws/) · [Impound by state](/impound/) General information, not legal advice. Towing and impound law varies by state and city and changes frequently. Consult the agency listed or a licensed attorney before acting. Sources (3)- Cornell Legal Information Institute — [49 U.S.C. § 14501 — Federal authority over intrastate transportation](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/49/14501) (accessed 2026-08-17) T1 - U.S. Supreme Court — [City of Columbus v. Ours Garage & Wrecker Service, 536 U.S. 424 (2002)](https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/536/424/) (accessed 2026-08-17) T1 - U.S. PIRG Education Fund — [Predatory Towing — consumer protections by state](https://pirg.org/resources/predatory-towing/) (accessed 2026-08-17) T2