Have you just lost your car to towing agencies in California and you are searching for ways how to get a towed car back without paying in California, we’ve compiled possible ways to get your car back for free.
However, before trying any of this, you should first know the exact reason why your car was towed, vehicles around California might be towed for a variety of reasons, some might be more serious than others and the reason for your car being towed would give you a clue on how to get a towed car back without payment.
What Are The Reasons Why A Car Might Get Towed?
As mentioned above there is a variety of reasons around California that might warrant authorities to tow your car, some of these reasons are highlighted below.
1. Parking in a restricted area
Parking in a “no parking” or “towing zone” is a major reason that might get your car towed in Carlifonia, you should try not to park your vehicle in an area plainly marked as “prohibited parking,” so you won’t risk being towed.
2. Traffic obstruction
Using your vehicle to obstruct the free flow of traffic may also get your vehicle towed
Maybe you didn’t pull far enough in a parking spot and a part of your vehicle is hindering vehicles from flowing easily, authorities around would move your vehicle to a towing station and you would be required to bail your vehicle.
3. Unpaid parking tickets
Unpaid parking tickets or moving fines might also be a reason of towing vehicles, A police officer has the authority to verify your license plates against the DMV system for offenses. That stack of unpaid parking tickets on your desk might result in tow to the city lot.
Even if you aren’t financially buoyant at the moment always look for a means to pay your parking fines even if it means borrowing from family and friends. because failure to pay your dues might cost you extra money in the future.
4. A vehicle abandoned for a long period
If you abandon your vehicle on the street for a long period, maybe while traveling for a vacation or business trip your vehicle would be towed. The authorities might have an impression that it is an abandoned vehicle, its better you park your vehicles off the street while traveling or in a dedicated parking garage.
5. Blocking of fire hydrants
It is prohibited in every state in the United States to obstruct a fire hydrant that may be needed in the case of an emergency fire outbreak. Although each state has its own set of guidelines and restrictions but in California, your vehicle should be 15 or 20 feet away from a fire hydrant in either direction.
6. Parking in a handicapped zone
If you are parked in a disabled space without permission, or you are blocking a handicapped ramp or other access points. Although regulations governing access for individuals with disabilities differ from state to state, it is generally prohibited to obstruct any handicap access point. Violating this would result in your car being towed.
6. Expired registration plates or poorly fixed car plates
If your registration is out of date, or your license plates aren’t correctly attached to your vehicle. Any obvious infraction reported to the police or other traffic authorities may result in your vehicle being towed. One of the most common reasons for having your automobile towed on the spot is that your registration documents have expired.
How Can I Find My Car After It Has Been Towed?
If you couldn’t find your vehicle at the spot you parked it, and you have confirmed it wasn’t stolen your next point of action should be to inquire at the closest private or city lot around.
You can use the city toll-free number or better still visit the lot and find out why your car was towed.
How To Get A Towed Car Back Without Paying California
If you have found your towed car and you don’t have money at hand to pay to bail your car, there are certain procedures or plans you can follow or abide by which would help you get your towed car without paying in California.
1. Determine why your vehicle was towed
This is the first thing you should do because getting a towed car without paying is determined by the offense committed.
If your car was towed because of engagement in criminal or illegal activities, you won’t be able to reclaim it until you you can prove them wrong without a doubt.
2. Investigate Your Violation
The second thing you have to do is investigate your violation; check weather the towing agents were wrong or right with their assertions.
For a case of wrong parking, If you check around and see no signs suggesting whether or not to park, you may be able to avoid paying the towing firm. If your automobile is towed into an apartment complex, file a complaint with the apartment managers. Inquire about the reason(s) for your car being towed and where it is being transported.
Assume you park a car with a “For Sale” sign in front of a business or restaurant. Some businesses may offer to tow your vehicle. However, if you can show that you just parked to go shopping with them, it will be freed. The reason for the tow is that they feel you are trespassing on their property in order to market your product.
3. Research your state’s laws on towing
With respect to the California state’s law, a towing firm may be assigned to tow your vehicle. You must ensure that the tow yard is not predating but acting honestly. Some jurisdictions regulate car towing and are recognized by auto insurance companies to keep tow yards from engaging in abusive and illegal operations. A tow yard may default, and you can sue them to prevent having to pay to have your vehicle recovered. If the towing company is proven guilty, it might face a large fine.
4. Make a report to the police
If you are uncertain about the whereabouts of your car, weather it has been towed or not, you may contact the police. If you are guilty of violating a law, the police usually cannot order a tow yard to return your automobile. At most, the police can act as a go-between between you and the tow yard to keep things peaceful.
Some police officers may request that the tow yard reconsider their actions, although this nearly never results in a favorable outcome. Meanwhile, because towing is a business, you should be aware that the tow yard collaborates with the authorities.
5. Make use of towing plans
This is the major tip on how to get a towed car back without paying in California.
If you have been found to be violating a law and you have been fined but you aren’t financially buoyant enough to fund the bills, you can make use of towing plans.
Some tow yards offer payment options to alleviate financial stress or reduce the expense of reclaiming your towed car. Furthermore, depending on the towing business, you may be provided a variety of choices to choose from to settle your vehicle without having to pay money.
6. Hold a meeting at your local church
This is another option on how to get a towed car back without paying in California. Most local churches organize charity programs to assist people in reclaiming their cars from towing storage.
This is a method people around California usually employ to get there towed cars without passing through the burdens of paying fines.
Always inquire if your church has a charity program to help reclaim towed cars.
Your church might just be the only way to get a towed car back without paying.
7. Get help from family or friends
You can also use your family and friends to get your towed car back without paying.
Families always have each other back, so doing times like this all you need to do is to contact members of your families and request free money to pay for your towed car.
In your money request letter, explain that your vehicle was towed and that you need assistance getting it out of storage since the bill is fast piling up. Other than assisting you financially a family member might also know a few strings to pull that would get your towed car back without paying.
8. Request pro-bono legal assistance
If the towing company is being unreasonable and exploitative, free legal aid is another way to get your towed vehicle returned without paying. If your case is successful, you may not have to pay to retrieve the car. Your free legal representation must, however, be able to demonstrate that you do not deserve to have your car towed. You may also be compensated by the towing agencies.
It is very important to note that if it is revealed that your vehicle was towed in connection with any crime, you will not be eligible for free legal representation. Free legal representation is intended for people who are unable to collect their vehicles from a tow yard due to financial constraints. Free legal cases are one of the ways used to get your towed car back without paying in California.
9. Ask a non-profit for help
If your car helps you get to and from work, you may be able to seek help from a non-profit group to recover your mode of transportation. Unfortunately, this type of support is not provided in the majority of places. Nonetheless, you can get a low-interest loan or grant from a charitable organization to get your impounded automobile out of the impound lot, which is still a win nonetheless!
8. Obtain a title loan
A title loan is a sort of secured loan in which borrowers can use the title of their car as security. Borrowers who get title loans must agree to enable a lender to place a mortgage on their vehicle title and temporarily relinquish the hard copy of their vehicle title in return for a loan amount.
Important California Towing Laws
These are important California towing laws you should know.
1. Private Property Laws
In the state of California, it is legal for a private property owner to have a vehicle towed on his or her property without asking for permission from the state or police. This means that your vehicle parked on someone else’s property can be towed at any point in time and without any warning. This is not the case, however, with vehicles that are not properly functioning. If a car is resting on someone else’s private property and has no engine, motor, wheels, or other crucial parts that are required to operate it, the owner must wait for 24 hours before informing the police of his or her intent to tow the car away.
2. Posting Laws
In public areas, signs must be posted in order for towing companies to legally tow your car away. These signs must be visible and measure at least 17 by 22 inches. If the sign is not visible clearly or smaller than that minimum size, it is likely that the towing company is committing an action known as “predatory towing”, which involves attempting to illegally tow vehicles for a profit. This is an illegal activity and should be reported to the police.
3. Fee Restrictions
California state law also prohibits towing companies from charging more than one day’s worth of storage costs for a vehicle, provided that the vehicle is reclaimed within 24 hours of the initial towing. This is also put in place to help ensure that you don’t have to pay more to reclaim your vehicle from a towing company than you should. If you find that you’re being charged more than one day’s storage for a car that you pick up within this time frame, you should report the company to the local police.
4. Holiday Parking Restrictions
Certain holidays and other times of day are generally allowed for parking, while others are not. This means that a zone can be a tow-away zone at certain times and not at others. You’ll therefore need to read the posted signs carefully in order to avoid getting a parking ticket or, in some cases, being towed. The same thing can be said of certain areas within the city as well.
FAQs
Can I steal my towed car?
Yes, but this is a tricky area as your vehicle can be tracked, bringing the police to your door and increasing your offended.
Why are towing fees so expensive?
Towing fees generally depend on the size of the car. Larger cars attract higher fees.
Can a tow truck damage your car?
Yes, a tow truck in the process of transporting your car to the impound lot might damage your car bumper or even your wheels.
Does a towed car affect my insurance rate?
No, unless you become a regular at the towing company or rack up unpaid tickets.
What happens if I don’t pay a tow company?
The company is legally authorized to seize your vehicle. They can also auction off your vehicle when it’s not claimed for a long period of time.
Conclusion
Searching for how to get your towed car back can be prevented by being careful not to break any of the rules that might get your car towed. Now that we’ve highlighted some tips on how to get a towed car back without paying in California, you can decide which choices are ideal for you and put them into action, you can try as many options until you regain custody of your car.
References
lawhelpmn.org – My car was towed. Can I get my things back?
www.coverage.com – What happens when your car gets towed?
sanedriver.com -11 Simple Ways to Get a Towed Car Back Without Paying a Dime
www.infinityauto.com – How to get a towed car back without paying
