, police and property owners have the authority to have vehicles towed if they are illegally parked or abandoned. Getting your car back after it’s been towed often means paying expensive towing and impound fees, so you need to know the law and your rights if it happens to you.

Getting towed is never a pleasant event, and

insurance super app

Jerry is here to fill you in on everything you need to know if it happens. Read on to learn about who can tow your car and why, how to get your car back, and also how to get the best rate possible on your

car insurance

from

Jerry

after you’ve reclaimed your ride!

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When can police tow a vehicle in Oregon?

Like most laws, towing laws in Oregon are lengthy and complicated. Yay bureaucracy, right? In an attempt to keep things simple, we’re going to focus on three main areas of Oregon towing law, beginning with when it’s legal for the police to tow your vehicle.

Law enforcement can tow a vehicle in Oregon if:

The owner’s license has been suspended, canceled, or revoked

The driver does not have proof of insurance

The driver is arrested or taken into police custody

The vehicle is illegally parked or obstructing traffic

The vehicle is blocking the path of an emergency vehicle

The vehicle has been abandoned for more than 24 hours

This is by no means an all-inclusive list. You can dig into the

ample details

of the laws yourself here if you feel the need to. But here’s the long story short: if you are in violation of a law or your vehicle is illegally parked or posing a hazard or obstruction to others, then the police can legally tow it to an impound lot.

How to get your car out of an impound lot in Oregon

If your vehicle is towed to an impound lot, it’s important to get it back right away—and not just because you want to put the whole sordid affair behind you as quickly as possible. Why? Because after 30 days, any vehicles left unclaimed will either

go to auction or be disposed of

Police and impound lots don’t have the space or the finances to hold vehicles indefinitely, so don’t wait! Call the police or impound lot as soon as possible to get instructions on how to retrieve your car. If you’re the legal owner, you should be able to get your car back during the impound lot’s normal business hours by providing:

Your driver’s license

Proof of current registration

Proof of insurance

If you’re not the legal owner or you can’t get to the lot, someone else can claim the vehicle with the documents above and a letter of authorization from the owner.

Getting your car back from the impound lot is simple in theory, but the big unknown factor is frequently the fees that you’ll have to pay. It varies according to the circumstances of why you were towed, but charges can range from hundreds to thousands of dollars. Different types of fees you might have to deal with include:

Towing fees

Daily storage fees

Administrative fees

Transfer charge fees

After-hours fees, lien charges, and auction fees (when applicable)

MORE:My car got towed. Now what?

When can private property owners tow a vehicle in Oregon?

Okay, so that’s when the police can tow your car—how about private businesses or property owners? Under

ORS 98.830

, private property or business owners can tow a vehicle if it is illegally parked or abandoned on their property. In order to be considered abandoned, the vehicle must be left standing for 24 hours.

The property owner can’t just tow a car as soon as that 24-hour period elapses, though. There are a few steps that they are legally required to take first. The property owner must:

Affix a plainly visible sign to the vehicle stating that it will be towed if not moved

Leave the sign in place for at least 72 hours before towing the vehicle

Fill out and sign a form that includes a description of the vehicle, the location the vehicle was towed to, and a statement that they have complied with the above two requirements

If your vehicle is towed by a property owner who fails to comply with any of these requirements, then they’ve broken the law, and you may be entitled to restitution.

MORE:

How much does it cost to tow a car?

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When can your car be towed from a parking lot in Oregon?

If it’s a private parking lot (like for a business, restaurant, or retail store), then your vehicle can be towed if it is:

Blocking an entrance or exit

Parked in a fire lane or a disabled parking space

Blocking a fire hydrant

Parked in a spot that is specifically labeled for a single purpose, like for an individual, unit number, etc

This can all vary widely according to where you are, so pay attention to signage. Some cities are far more relaxed, while other cities (looking at you,

Portland

) are like an all-out barroom brawl when it comes to parking.

MORE:

How to buy a police impounded car

What are my rights if my car is towed in Oregon?

The

Oregon Department of Justice

has protection resources to help people know their rights after they’ve been towed and to get assistance if they feel they’ve been wronged.

No matter why your car was towed and who might have towed it, it’s important to know that you have certain rights:

The right to know where your vehicle was towed

The right to retrieve your personal property from the vehicle, even if you aren’t able to pay for the vehicle itself to be released

The right to claim your vehicle if it has just been hooked up to a tow truck, but not moved yet

The right to sue the towing company if the vehicle was damaged during removal

The right to sufficient notice before your vehicle is towed from private property

An impound lot is allowed to charge a “gate fee” for you to enter and collect your belongings, but they can’t force you to pay the entire fee. Additionally, you have the right to get transportation aid to pick up your vehicle if you need it.

If your vehicle has been towed, contact the police or local traffic enforcement agency right away for information on what to do next. The City of Portland has a

website for drivers

whose cars have been towed to help them locate the lot it was taken to.

MORE:Oregon license plates

How to save on car insurance in Oregon

Hopefully, you won’t ever have to deal with getting your car towed, but if you do you’ll be glad to have pre-gamed with some information on how to deal with it. If your car was towed due to getting a traffic ticket or being involved in an accident, an unhappy side effect is that you are likely to see an increase in your insurance rates as well.

But with car

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Jerry on your side, you can still get a great deal on your car insurance—even if you’ve had a few tickets. In a matter of seconds,

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What is the maximum towing fee in Oregon?

Oregon doesn’t have a statewide maximum fee—different counties and cities are allowed to

set their own maximum rates

as they see fit. If you’re curious about the rates where you are, some online research or a call to the appropriate government office should provide you with the correct information.

Can a landlord tow your car without notice in Oregon?

Nope. Unless your vehicle is illegally parked or creating a hazard or an obstruction, a landlord must give notice and post signs for 72 hours before towing your vehicle.

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