How much does it cost to get a car out of impound in Downtown?
A plain-English guide to impound and storage costs in Downtown: release fees, daily storage, the paperwork you need, and how to get your car back for less.
Why impound & storage fees costs what it does in Downtown
Impound costs inside the City of Richmond follow the city's own local towing fee ordinance, most recently revised by City Council in a 2025 ordinance reported to raise the hookup fee ceiling toward $195, still under Virginia's statewide maximum of $210 set by Va. Code § 46.2-1233.1. Virginia law requires the first 24 hours of storage to be free everywhere in the state, and Richmond has run police-directed tows through a single exclusive contractor, Seibert's Towing, since 1992. Reported figures from City Council's Fall 2025 action have not been independently confirmed against the final adopted Code of Ordinances text, so treat exact dollar amounts as directional until verified against Richmond's own Chapter 27.
A Downtown tow, whether from a state-government lot, a VCU Medical Center visitor space, or a General Assembly session no-parking zone, runs through Seibert's Towing, Richmond's exclusive contracted tower since 1992. Check apps.richmondgov.com/applications/towviewing first, or call the city's non-emergency line, (804) 646-5100. Richmond's own 2025 ordinance reportedly raised the local hookup cap near $195, still under Virginia's statewide $210 maximum (Va. Code § 46.2-1233.1); the first 24 hours of storage is always free by state law.
How we work Downtown
Downtown Richmond, sometimes called Court End for the blocks closest to the Capitol and the VCU Medical Center campus, is mostly institutional ground. The Virginia State Capitol, the region's only Level I trauma center, the Library of Virginia, and City Hall all sit within a few blocks of each other. That concentration of state-government and hospital staff means constant fleet and visitor-lot violation tows, and Downtown sits directly on top of the I-95/I-64 overlap, so any interstate breakdown or General Assembly session traffic spills straight onto streets that already have almost no visitor parking margin. The Downtown Expressway (SR-195) toll road threads through here too, an older, narrow roadway with limited shoulder that makes a stall inside it a harder recovery than a modern interstate breakdown. Blocks toward Shockoe Bottom sit low enough to flood fast in a hard downpour, and summer heat off all that pavement and glass runs hotter here than almost anywhere else in the city. We reach the Capitol, VCU Medical Center, and the Downtown Expressway interchange in about 15 to 25 minutes, running flatbed for the toll road and any standing-water call, wheel-lift for the ordinary fleet or visitor-lot tow.
Downtown impound & storage fees at a glance
Ranges reflect Richmond Core conditions. Every job is flat-quoted before dispatch, with the number stated on the call, never adjusted at the drop. No surge for nights, weekends, or holidays.
Want the exact number for your car? Call (858) 925-5546 and we'll quote a flat rate in under 60 seconds.
Common Downtown cost questions
How much does it cost to get my car out of impound in Downtown?
The City of Richmond sets its own private-property towing fee cap by ordinance, most recently revised in 2025; local news coverage of that City Council action put the new hookup ceiling near $195, though the exact adopted figure hasn't been independently confirmed against the final Code of Ordinances text. Either way, no Richmond tow can exceed Virginia's statewide maximum of $210 for the hookup under Va. Code § 46.2-1233.1, and the first 24 hours of storage is always free by state law. Ask for an itemized bill before you pay.
What do I need to get my impounded car back in Downtown?
Bring a valid driver's license, current vehicle registration, and proof of insurance. Virginia law (Va. Code § 46.2-1217) says a towing business cannot refuse payment by cash, an insurance-company check, a certified check, money order, or credit card, and it must post its full fee list where you can see it before you pay. If a law enforcement agency ordered the tow, ask what release documentation they require. Ask for an itemized bill regardless.
What happens if I don't pick up my car in Downtown?
Virginia's garage-keeper lien law (Va. Code § 46.2-644.01) requires the tow company to notify the DMV within 7 business days of taking your car to check for existing liens. Once DMV notifies you or your lienholder, you get 10 business days from that notice to reclaim the vehicle before the company can enforce its lien or relinquish it. Storage fees keep accruing the entire time, so picking the car up early is always cheaper than letting it sit.
Can Quick Tow Richmond get my car out of impound in Downtown?
We're a private tow and roadside company, not the storage yard holding your car, so we can't waive the yard's fees or release it faster. What we can do is help you understand the process and tow your car wherever it needs to go once the yard releases it. Call (858) 925-5546.
Related towing info for Downtown
Impound & storage fees in the rest of the Richmond Core area
Need a real quote in Downtown?
Call dispatch direct. Flat-rate price before we roll.