Getting your car towed is stressful. Getting it back doesn’t have to be. If your vehicle ended up in impound in El Paso, here’s exactly how to get it out, what it costs, and what to bring so you only make one trip.

Where impounded cars go in El Paso

Most vehicles impounded by city police or city tow contractors end up at the City of El Paso Municipal Vehicle Storage Facility, the lot run by the El Paso Police Department at 11615 Railroad Drive, El Paso, TX 79934. It sits on the northeast side of town and EPPD lists it as open 24 hours.

Before you drive out, call the lot at (915) 212-0205 to confirm your vehicle is actually there. That one call saves you a wasted trip if your car landed somewhere else. EPPD also points owners to the URVMS Vehicle Storage Facility website for that lot’s fees, payment methods, and the exact documents to bring, so read that before you go.

Always confirm the location first. A car towed after a crash, an arrest, or a parking violation may go to the city lot. A private-property tow can go to a different contractor’s yard entirely.

What it costs to get your car back

Texas caps what any licensed storage facility can charge, statewide. The current TDLR maximums:

  • Daily storage: up to $22.85 per day for vehicles 25 feet and under
  • Larger vehicles: up to $39.99 per day for vehicles over 25 feet
  • Notification fee: up to $50, and it’s waived if you claim the vehicle within 24 hours
  • Impound fee: up to $20, and only if the lot damaged a door or window to secure the vehicle, with documentation

Two protections worth knowing. If your car sat in the lot less than 12 hours total, the facility can’t charge you for more than one day. And getting into the car to retrieve your ownership documents or personal property is free. You never pay just to reach your own paperwork.

The storage clock keeps running every day your car sits in the lot. That’s the main reason to move fast. A car you pick up on day two costs a lot less than one you leave for two weeks.

There may also be a separate tow charge depending on who moved the vehicle and why. Ask for the full total over the phone before you head out so nothing surprises you at the window.

Documents you need to bring

The facility won’t release a car to just anyone. You need to prove two things: who you are, and that the car is yours.

Statewide, Texas storage facilities require photo identification: a state driver’s license, a federal-issued ID, or a foreign government-issued ID. Then you prove ownership with one of several documents: a driver’s license matching the vehicle registration, an insurance card for the vehicle, the title, a lease or rental agreement, a tax collector’s receipt, or a notarized power of attorney. You don’t necessarily need the title itself.

Call the lot at (915) 212-0205 before you go and ask exactly what it requires for release, and what the full total will be. Any lot can have its own paperwork steps on top of the state list, and hearing them over the phone beats finding out at the window.

One more right worth knowing: if you believe the tow itself was improper, Texas law gives you the right to request a tow hearing at a Justice of the Peace court within 14 days, not counting weekends and holidays, of the vehicle being placed in storage. The filing fee is $20, and the court has to hold the hearing within 21 days of your request.

Double-check that the name on your paperwork matches the name on your ID. A mismatch is the most common reason people get sent home empty-handed.

A note for New Mexico communities

El Paso sits right on the state line, and a lot of our neighbors live just over it. If your car was towed in Sunland Park, Santa Teresa, Chaparral, or Anthony, New Mexico, the City of El Paso facility’s rules don’t apply.

Those communities fall under Doña Ana County and New Mexico rules instead. The storage location, the fee structure, and the paperwork can all be different. Call the agency or lot that handled your tow before you assume anything, and ask them where the vehicle is and what they charge.

When in doubt, find out which side of the line your car was towed from. That one detail decides which rules you’re dealing with.

Need a tow handled the right way?

If you’re facing a tow, or you need a car moved before it racks up storage fees, we can help. Quick Tow El Paso runs flatbed and wheel-lift trucks across the whole metro, and we’ll quote the rate before we roll.

Call us at (915) 615-2224 and we’ll tell you what your options are. No runaround, just a straight answer and a truck on the way.