What Happens to Your Car After It Gets Towed in Ontario?
Your car has been towed. Maybe you called for a breakdown tow and couldn’t ride along. Maybe you came back to a parking spot and your car was gone. Maybe the police had it towed after an accident. Whatever the reason, the immediate questions are all the same: Where is my car? How much is this going to cost? How do I get it back?
The answers depend on why your car was towed, who towed it, and where it was taken. Ontario’s TSSEA legislation now regulates both tow operators and vehicle storage operators, giving you specific rights around towed vehicle storage — including how much they can charge, when you can access your belongings, and what paperwork they must provide.
This guide walks you through the entire after-tow process: the three possible destinations, how storage fees work, how to retrieve your vehicle, your legal rights at storage lots, and how to minimize total costs. For towing where you choose the destination, call Kitchener Towing at (226) 476-0477 — we take your car exactly where you want it.
Where Does Your Car Go After a Tow?
Every towed vehicle ends up in one of three places. Which one depends on the circumstances:
How Vehicle Storage Fees Work in Ontario
Understanding towed vehicle storage fees helps you minimize costs and avoid surprises:
💡 Example: 3-Day Storage in Kitchener
Towing charge: $150 + Storage (3 days × $45/day): $135 + Total: $285. Every additional day adds $45. After one week: $465. After two weeks: $780. This is why retrieving your car within the first 24–48 hours saves significant money. For help with insurance-covered tows and storage, read our guide on working with your insurance adjuster.
How to Retrieve Your Vehicle from Storage
Here’s the step-by-step process to get your car back as quickly as possible:
- Find out where it is — if you don’t know, check your towing receipt, call the tow company, contact Waterloo Regional Police non-emergency (519-570-9777) for police-ordered tows, or check with the property owner if it was a parking enforcement tow.
- Gather your documents — you’ll need valid government-issued photo ID, proof of vehicle ownership (registration permit), and proof of valid insurance. If you’re picking up someone else’s vehicle, you’ll typically need a signed letter of authorization from the registered owner plus their ownership documents.
- Call the storage lot before visiting — confirm their hours, the total amount owing, accepted payment methods, and whether the vehicle is ready for release (police impounds may have a hold period that hasn’t expired yet).
- Pay the fees and get an itemized invoice — the storage operator must provide a line-by-line invoice before requesting payment. Review every charge against your knowledge of the TSSEA rate structure. Keep the invoice for potential insurance reimbursement or dispute.
- Inspect your vehicle before driving — check for any new damage that occurred during towing or storage. Photograph the vehicle’s condition at pickup. If you notice damage, document it immediately and raise it with the storage operator before leaving the lot.
- If the car is undriveable, arrange a secondary tow — call (226) 476-0477 to have the vehicle towed from the storage lot to your mechanic or body shop. This is common after accident tows where the car needs repairs before it can be driven. For tips on managing costs, see our affordable towing guide.
Skip the Storage Lot Entirely.
Call us and choose your destination — mechanic, body shop, or home. No storage fees. No middleman.
Your Rights at a Vehicle Storage Lot Under the TSSEA
Ontario’s TSSEA gives you specific protections when your car is held at a towed vehicle storage facility:
- Free personal property retrieval — the storage lot must allow you to access your vehicle and remove personal belongings at no charge during business hours or at pre-arranged times. They cannot hold your belongings hostage to force payment.
- Published maximum rates — every vehicle storage operator must file their maximum rates with the Ministry of Transportation and cannot exceed those rates. You have the right to request a copy of the rate schedule.
- Itemized invoices — the storage operator must provide a detailed, line-by-line invoice before requesting payment. A single “storage fee” lump sum without breakdown is a violation.
- Multiple payment methods — credit cards, debit, and cash must all be accepted. A storage lot that demands cash only is violating the TSSEA.
- TSSEA certification required — the storage operator must hold a valid certificate from the provincial Director of Towing. An unlicensed lot is operating illegally.
- Refunds for overcharges — if the operator charges more than their filed maximum rate, they must refund the excess. Keep your invoice and receipt as proof.
For a complete guide to your driver rights under Ontario law, see our post on Ontario towing laws and your rights. For rate regulations, read how much a tow truck can legally charge.
5 Ways to Minimize Storage Costs
Storage fees add up fast. Every day your car sits costs $30–$60. Here’s how to keep the total as low as possible:
- Retrieve within 24 hours if possible — the single biggest cost reducer. One day of storage adds $30–$60. One week adds $210–$420. Acting fast saves hundreds.
- Call your insurance immediately — if the tow was accident-related, your insurer may cover storage fees as part of the claim. But they won’t cover indefinite storage — most cap it at a specific number of days. Get the adjuster involved on day one. See our guide on working with your insurance adjuster.
- Arrange a secondary tow quickly — if the car can’t be driven, call (226) 476-0477 to move it from the storage lot to your mechanic or body shop. One tow fee is cheaper than a week of storage.
- Choose your destination at the time of the tow — this avoids storage entirely. When you call for a tow, specify where the car should go. If you’re not sure, your home driveway is free storage while you figure out next steps.
- Verify the rate schedule before pickup — call the lot, confirm the daily rate, and calculate what you owe before visiting. If the total seems high, ask to see their filed TSSEA rate schedule. Dispute any charges that exceed the filed maximum.
💡 The Weekend Trap
If your car is towed on Friday evening, many storage lots don’t process releases until Monday — meaning you’re automatically paying for 2–3 days of storage even if you’re ready to pick up immediately. Ask the tow driver at the time of towing which lots offer weekend release and choose accordingly.
What About Parking Enforcement Tows?
If your car was towed from private property (mall parking lot, apartment complex, business lot) or by municipal parking enforcement:
- Private property tows — the property owner contracts a tow company to remove vehicles that violate their posted parking rules. You pay the tow fee + storage to get your car back. Signs must be posted warning of towing — if no signs were posted, you may have grounds to dispute the charge.
- Municipal enforcement tows — the city tows vehicles for bylaw violations (winter parking bans, fire route violations, expired plates on public streets). Contact the municipal enforcement office to find out where your car was taken and what fees apply.
- Disputing the tow — if you believe the tow was unauthorized (no posted signs, no valid bylaw violation), gather evidence (photos of the parking area, absence of signs) and file a complaint with the property manager, municipality, or the Ontario Ministry of Transportation.
Regardless of why your vehicle was towed, the Ontario TSSEA regulations apply to the storage operator handling your vehicle. Your rights to free personal property retrieval, itemized invoices, and maximum rate compliance remain the same. For tips on finding a trustworthy tow company if you need a secondary tow from storage, read our guide to choosing a reliable towing company. For pricing, see Kitchener towing rates or use the cost estimator. For insurance-related questions, read how insurance covers towing. Browse our full services list including flatbed towing, emergency towing, roadside assistance, and 24-hour towing. For help after an accident, see our accident guide and our CAA roadside assistance comparison.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does a towed car go in Kitchener?
If you called the tow, it goes wherever you specify — your mechanic, body shop, or home. If the tow was not arranged by you (police impound, parking enforcement, property owner), the vehicle goes to a licensed storage lot. Contact the tow company, Waterloo Regional Police (519-570-9777), or the property manager to find out the specific lot location.
How much does vehicle storage cost per day in Ontario?
Typical daily storage rates in the Kitchener-Waterloo area are $30 to $60 per day. Rates vary by operator and are filed with the Ministry of Transportation under the TSSEA. The storage operator cannot charge more than their filed maximum rate. After one week, total storage fees alone can reach $210 to $420.
Can I get my belongings from a towed car for free?
Yes. Under Ontario’s TSSEA, vehicle storage operators must allow you to access your vehicle and remove personal property at no charge. Access must be provided during regular business hours or at pre-arranged times. No fee can be charged for this access regardless of how much you owe in storage fees.
What documents do I need to pick up a towed car?
You need valid government-issued photo ID, the vehicle ownership permit (registration), and proof of valid auto insurance. If someone else is picking up the vehicle on your behalf, they typically need a signed authorization letter from you, a copy of your ID, and the ownership documents.
How long can a storage lot keep my car?
For voluntary tows and parking enforcement tows, there is no hold period — you can retrieve the vehicle as soon as you pay the fees. For police impounds, Ontario law imposes mandatory hold periods: 7 days for stunt driving or driving while suspended, and 45 days for impaired driving. The vehicle cannot be released until the hold expires, but storage fees continue accumulating throughout.
Does insurance cover vehicle storage fees?
If the tow was accident-related, your collision or comprehensive coverage may cover storage fees as part of the claim. However, insurers typically cap the number of storage days they will cover. Contact your adjuster on day one to authorize storage and get the vehicle moved to an approved repair facility as quickly as possible to minimize out-of-pocket storage costs.
Can a storage lot refuse to release my car?
A storage lot can hold your vehicle until the towing and storage fees are paid. However, they cannot refuse to release your personal belongings while the vehicle is held. For police impounds, the lot must honour the mandatory hold period before release regardless of payment. If you believe the fees are unreasonable, you can dispute them through the Ontario Ministry of Transportation complaint portal.
Can I choose which storage lot my car goes to?
If you are present when the tow happens and called the tow yourself, you choose the destination — which can be a mechanic, body shop, or your home instead of a storage lot. If the tow was ordered by police or a property owner and you were not present, the tow operator chooses the storage facility. Under the TSSEA, the tow operator must disclose any financial interest in the storage facility they recommend.
How do I find where my impounded car was taken?
For police impounds in the Waterloo Region, call Waterloo Regional Police non-emergency at 519-570-9777 and provide your licence plate number or VIN. They can tell you which impound lot holds your vehicle. For parking enforcement tows, contact the municipality’s bylaw enforcement office. For private property tows, contact the property management company — signage on the property should list the tow company used.
Can I avoid storage fees entirely?
Yes — by specifying a destination when you call for a tow. If your vehicle goes directly to a mechanic, body shop, or your home, there are no storage fees at all. This is the advantage of calling a tow company yourself rather than waiting for police or property owners to arrange the tow for you. Call (226) 476-0477 and tell dispatch exactly where you want the car taken.
Your Car Goes Where You Say. Period.
No storage lot. No surprise fees. You pick the destination.
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