Here’s the short version. In Texas, a nonconsent tow of a regular passenger vehicle cannot legally cost more than $272, and storage on top of that caps at $22.85 a day. Anything past those numbers is a red flag, not a normal fee.
Most people never see the actual caps written down anywhere. Tow companies don’t post them, and searching around online mostly turns up guesses about “average cost.” This isn’t that. These are the legal ceilings set by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) and, separately, by the City of El Paso. If you were towed and the bill looks off, this is what to check it against.
Consent tow vs. nonconsent tow: why it matters
The caps below only apply to nonconsent tows. That’s the legal term for a tow you didn’t personally call for and didn’t agree to on the spot, like getting towed from a parking lot, a private driveway, or after police impound your car. If you call a company like ours for private property towing or a roadside tow, that’s a consent tow, and the price is whatever you and the company agree on up front. No state cap applies because you’re choosing the service.
Nonconsent tows are regulated tighter because the driver has zero say in who shows up or what they charge. That’s where TDLR’s fee caps come in.
The legal nonconsent tow caps, by vehicle weight
Under 16 TAC 86.455, TDLR sets a hard ceiling on what a licensed operator can charge for a nonconsent tow. The cap depends on the weight class of the vehicle being towed:
- Light-duty (10,000 lbs or less, most cars, trucks, and SUVs): $272
- Medium-duty (over 10,000 lbs up to 25,000 lbs): $380
- Heavy-duty (over 25,000 lbs): $489 per towing unit, up to a maximum of $978 if two units are required
These are maximums, not suggestions. A licensed tow operator in El Paso cannot charge you more than $272 to nonconsent-tow a standard car, period. If a company adds “extra” line items like a gate fee or an admin fee that push the total past that number, that’s a violation you can report.
The drop fee: if you catch them before the truck leaves
This is the one most people don’t know exists. If you get to your vehicle before the tow truck actually pulls away with it, the operator has to let you have it back for a reduced “drop fee,” not the full tow charge. TDLR caps drop fees the same way it caps tow fees, by weight class:
- Light-duty: $135
- Medium-duty: $190
- Heavy-duty: $244
One more detail that matters in the moment: the operator is required to accept cash, credit, and debit for the drop fee. If someone tells you it’s “cash only” to get your car back, that’s not how the rule works.
Daily storage caps: what they can charge per day
If your vehicle does get taken to a storage lot, TDLR also sets a statewide cap on daily storage rates:
- $22.85 per day for vehicles 25 feet or less
- $39.99 per day for vehicles over 25 feet
That’s the ceiling for private nonconsent storage under state law. It doesn’t reset or multiply for partial days, and it’s meant to be the full daily rate, not a starting point with fees stacked on. If you’re trying to figure out how to get your car out of impound in El Paso, knowing this number ahead of time tells you exactly what a fair storage bill looks like before you walk in.
The City of El Paso’s separate, lower fee bucket
Here’s where it gets confusing for a lot of people: the City of El Paso runs its own Vehicle Storage Facility (VSF) process, and it charges its own fees on top of, or instead of, the private TDLR caps depending on the situation. Under Title 12, Chapter 12.54 of the city code, the city-side fees are:
- $20 impoundment fee, collected before your vehicle is released
- $50 notification fee, but only if the vehicle has already been stored for 24 hours and the city has mailed a notice letter
These are a separate, smaller bucket of fees from the private TDLR nonconsent caps above. They’re not additive on top of a private tow company’s full $272 charge, they’re what the city itself charges through its own VSF process. If your vehicle ends up at the city lot, this is the office to deal with directly: (915) 212-0205, at 11615 Railroad Drive, El Paso, TX 79934.
You have 14 days to request a tow hearing
If you think your vehicle was towed without proper authorization, Texas law gives you the right to request a tow hearing in justice court within 14 days of the tow. This is a formal process where a judge decides whether the tow itself was legally justified, separate from arguing over the dollar amount. If you’re going to challenge a tow, don’t sit on it. The window is short and it closes fast.
How to file a complaint if you were overcharged
If a tow company charged you more than the legal caps above on a nonconsent tow, you can file a complaint directly with TDLR, the state agency that licenses and regulates tow operators in Texas. TDLR investigates fee violations and can act on a company’s license, which is a real deterrent most people don’t realize exists. Keep your receipt and any photos of the posted rate sign at the lot. Both help if you end up filing.
What we actually charge
Everything above is a ceiling set by the state and the city, not a price list. Our own rates for private property towing and roadside calls are quoted to you up front before the truck ever moves, so you know the number before you agree to anything. If you’re wondering how much a tow actually costs in El Paso day to day, that’s a different, usually lower conversation than these legal maximums. And if you’re trying to figure out whether a tow truck can legally take your car in El Paso in the first place, that’s worth reading before you assume the worst.
Got a bill that doesn’t add up, or need a straight answer before you agree to anything? Call us at (915) 615-2224. We’ll give you a real number up front, no surprise line items after the fact.