How To Find Out if Your Car Was Impounded by Police in 2023

Nothing can quite compete with the sickening feeling of discovering that your car has been moved without your consent. Of course, before you make the call to report that your car was stolen, you should first check to see if it was impounded by the police. While that poses its own set of problems, it’s far easier to get your car out of an impound lot than it is to get it back from a car thief.

Hopefully, you have affordable auto insurance because towing and impound fees are expensive. You’ll need to pay fees and, depending upon the reasons for your car being impounded, you could see an increase in your rates. Now, if you don’t have insurance and are desperately conducting Internet searches for “get a car out of impound without insurance,” you’re out of luck.

You need to have a valid insurance policy to get your car back. Also, your license and registration must be in good standing.

Your car can be impounded for any number of moving violations that your insurance company can hold against you. So if you once had cheap auto insurance rates, a car impounded by police could change that. Thankfully, if you find yourself in a similar situation, you can shop online to find the best policy for your coverage and financial needs.

Keep reading to learn how to find out if your car was impounded by local law enforcement and how to get it back into your possession.

Enter your ZIP code to get free insurance quotes if your car was impounded by police and now you are looking for cheaper insurance rates.

How can drivers find out if their car was impounded by the police?

Before you worry about what will happen with your auto insurance company, a car impounded by police officers is a challenge in its own right that must be solved. For instance, if your car was impounded without your knowledge, you first need to confirm that your car was impounded. If you want to find out if your car was impounded by the police, follow these steps:

• Call your local police station
• Give the on-duty clerk your car’s VIN and license plate
• Request that the clerk check to find out if your car was impounded

If the clerk is unable to find your car using the police station’s impounded-vehicle locator, you should then call your local parking authority. You will need to share the same information with them as well.

Now, if you had been stopped by a police officer on the road and had your vehicle impounded then, the officer will usually give you the information of the company that is towing your car. In that scenario, you will be able to call the tow company to find out where your car was towed.

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Why would the police impound a car?

My car was impounded, but I wasn’t the driver — why did this happen?

A car can be impounded for many reasons. For example, if the car registration was expired, your car could be impounded. If you were pulled over for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, your car could be towed off to the impound lot.

Your car could also be impounded if it:

• Was involved in vehicular manslaughter
• Was parked illegally
• Was abandoned
• Was involved in a case of reckless driving
• Was being driven without an active insurance policy

Different states have different justifications for towing a driver’s car to the impound lot. Knowing the rules of your state could save you a lot of time and money. Below, you can review what could get your car impounded in your home state:

Vehicle Impoundment and Confiscation Laws by State

State	Vehicle Impoundment and Confiscation Laws
Alabama	A vehicle may be impounded if a driver has a revoked license or is driving with a suspended license due to a DWI-related offense. However, the law provides that the vehicle will be released to the registered owner if the offender is not the owner. Further, police can release the vehicle, rather than impounding it, if it is determined that the driving is due to an emergency.
Alaska	The municipalities may enact ordinances to impound or confiscate motor vehicles for violations of local DWI offenses or refusal of chemical test laws for first and subsequent offenses. However, these laws are not mandatory.
Arizona	Under Arizona’s temporary vehicle impoundment law, the offender’s vehicle may be immediately impounded for 30 days if the driver is arrested for any of the following offenses: (1) DWR for any reason; (2) DWS where the suspension was based on driving under the influence; (3) DWS where the suspension was based on a drunk-driving offense; or (4) DWS where the suspension was based on the frequency of traffic law violation convictions. The vehicle may be released before 30 days if the offender’s driving privileges have been reinstated or if the offender’s spouse enters a five-year agreement with the state to not to allow an unlicensed driver to operate the vehicle.
California	California has two vehicle impoundment laws. The first law states that a vehicle owned and driven by an offender may be impounded up to 30 days for a first or second DWI offense and up to 90 days for third and subsequent offenses, if the offense is committed within five years of a prior offense. The second law states that the vehicle owned and driven by the offender may be impounded for up to six months for a first DWI offense and up to 12 months for a subsequent DWI offense.
Connecticut	In Connecticut, a vehicle may be impounded for refusing a chemical test, which is a criminal offense and a felony DWI for a third or subsequent DWI offense. An ALR suspension counts as a prior DWI offense. There is also limited vehicle impoundment of 48 hours if a driver is arrested for drinking and driving with a suspended or revoked license.
Washington D.C.	The District of Columbia has a limited vehicle impoundment law, under which impoundment is limited to 24 hours. However, the vehicle may be released to a legally licensed driver.
Florida	In Florida, the vehicle that is used and owned in a first DWI offense may be impounded for ten days. This action may not be concurrent with probation or imprisonment. For a second DWI offense within five years, the vehicle can be impounded for 30 days. For a third DWI offense within ten years, the vehicle can be impounded for 90 days. This applies to all vehicles owned by the offender and may not be concurrent with probation or imprisonment. However, unlike first DWI offenses, it must be concurrent with the driver’s license revocation. For first, second, and third DWI offenses, these actions are conditions of mandatory probation; however, the court may decide not to order vehicle impoundment if the family has no other means of transportation. There also is a limited vehicle impoundment law for a DWI offense if, at the time of the DWI offense, the offender was driving with a license suspended for a prior DWI offense.
Illinois	If the DWI offender is the registered owner, then the vehicle can be impounded for 24 hours for a second DWI offense or 48 hours for a third DWI offense. The vehicle may be released sooner to a competent, licensed driver with the owner’s consent. There also is a limited vehicle impoundment law, under which law enforcement can impound a driver’s vehicle for not more than 12 hours following a DWI arrest. Limited impoundment may be used if the officer reasonably believes that the arrested offender will commit another DWI offense if released.
Iowa	For a second or subsequent DWI offense, the vehicle owned and used by the offender can be impounded or immobilized and the license plate seized (and registration confiscated if the vehicle is in custody) by law enforcement authorities. New registration plates are issued only at the end of the driver’s license revocation period or 180 days, whichever is longer.
Kannsas	For DWI violations, judges, at their discretion, may order vehicle impoundment or immobilization of the vehicle used in the offense, for up to one year. The offender pays all costs. Judges must take into account hardship to family.
Maine	Maine has a temporary vehicle impoundment law. The vehicle used in a DWI offense or for DWS for a prior DWI offense may be seized; however, the vehicle may be released after eight hours.
Maryland	The vehicle can be impounded or immobilized (by suspending license plates) for not more than 180 days if the driver’s license is currently suspended for a prior alcohol offense.
Minnesota	Under Minnesota’s vehicle impoundment law, a vehicle may be impounded after a DWI arrest and released to the vehicle owner with proof of a valid driver’s license and insurance.
Mississippi	For a second or subsequent DWI offenses, all vehicles owned by the offender must be impounded or immobilized at the time of conviction and remain so until the license suspension has expired. If any other person must use the vehicle, an ignition interlock may be required as an alternative to impoundment or immobilization.
Missouri	Missouri has a vehicle impoundment or vehicle forfeiture law; however, under Missouri law, cities with populations higher than 100,000 can make their own vehicle impoundment or forfeiture laws. The state law applies to the vehicle operated by the offender regardless of ownership; consequently, the vehicle is subject to impoundment or forfeiture if the driver has had one or more DWI offenses, including illegal per se. The vehicle also can be impounded or forfeited if the offender is driving with a license suspended for a prior DWI offense or for a DWI and involuntary manslaughter offense. Last, the vehicle can be impounded or forfeited if the driver has had two or more DWI offenses (including illegal per se) and, for either offense, had a BAC of 0.08 or greater (0.02 or greater for those under 21) or if the driver has refused to submit to a chemical test under the implied-consent law.
Nebraska	An offender who is driving with a license suspended for a prior DWI or an implied-consent conviction may have his or her vehicle impounded for not less than ten days and not longer than 30 days. An offender under 21 may have his or her vehicle impounded if he or she has a BAC of 0.02 or greater.
New Mexico	In New Mexico, a vehicle may be immobilized for 30 days if the offender was driving with a revoked license, unless immobilization poses a hardship to the family.
Oregon	Vehicle impoundment or immobilization is limited to one year for a second or subsequent DWI offense or for driving with a suspended license. This action is at the court’s discretion and applies to all vehicles owned and used by the offender, even if not used in the offense. The offender must pay the costs of removing, storing, or immobilizing the vehicle.
Virginia	Any vehicle used in a DWI offense may be impounded or immobilized for 30 days if the offender was driving with a license suspended because of a prior DWI, an administrative per se violation, or chemical test refusal. In addition, vehicles owned by an offender may be impounded or immobilized for up to 90 days even if the vehicles were not used in the offense. There are family hardship exceptions for households with only one vehicle.
Washington	In addition to impounding the vehicle for other possible penalties for driving with a license suspended for a prior DWI conviction, authorities may also impound the vehicle for not more than 30 days on a first offense. For a second offense, the vehicle may be impounded for not more than 60 days or, for a third offense, not more than 90 days.
Wisconsin	Wisconsin allows temporary vehicle impoundment as part of the immobilization process. This is not a law. Rather, this policy is used only temporarily and at the discretion of officers in the field.
Wyoming	Wyoming allows for temporary vehicle impoundment. An offender’s vehicle may be impounded following an arrest if a sober driver is unavailable.

In some instances you may not be able to get your car back right away, for example, if there is an ongoing investigation into a case of vehicular manslaughter. However, you will be able to take steps to get your car back if it had been towed for something such as an expired registration or for being parked illegally.

If you are charged with a serious offense like reckless driving or DUI, you may be required to purchase SR-22 auto insurance on top of paying the impound costs.

How can drivers get their cars out of the impound lot?

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