Call the lot that has your car, confirm it is released for pickup, then bring a valid photo ID plus one proof of ownership document and pay the full balance. If the City of El Paso ordered the tow, that lot is the Municipal Vehicle Storage Facility at 11615 Railroad Drive, run by UR Vehicle Management Solutions (URVMS) at (915) 212-0205. If a private company towed it, or the Sheriff’s Office did, the path is different, and this guide walks each one in order.
Quick Tow EP is a referral service. It connects drivers with independent local tow operators. The driver hires and pays the operator directly, and the operator quotes the price. Quick Tow EP does no towing, roadside work or storage itself.
First, figure out who has your car
The El Paso Police Department lists the reasons it may tow a vehicle: it was parked illegally or appeared abandoned, it was in an accident or unsafe to drive, the driver was arrested or had no driver’s license, or the registration was expired (EPPD). The agency or company that ordered the tow decides where the car goes. So start there, not at a random lot.
- Confirm which agency or company ordered the tow. City police, the Sheriff’s Office, a private property manager, or a private company you called yourself.
- Get the exact lot name, street address and phone number.
- Call the lot and verify the car is physically there.
- Ask what documents and what total fees apply, and whether there is a hold.
- Clear any police hold or release requirement before you drive over.
If you are not sure where the car went, start with our towed car lookup guide for El Paso.
If the City of El Paso ordered the tow
The City partners with URVMS, which operates the City of El Paso Municipal Vehicle Storage Facility at 11615 Railroad Drive, El Paso, Texas 79934. The phone is (915) 212-0205 and the facility is open 24 hours (URVMS). To check whether your car is there, call that number or search the URVMS online vehicle database, which lists all vehicles currently stored there and their charges.
Call before you visit. URVMS says some vehicles have a hold and cannot be released, so confirm yours is released for pickup first. URVMS says vehicles at the facility may be there after accidents or abandonment, when the driver is arrested, at an officer’s discretion, and as recovered stolen vehicles.
If a private tow company has it instead
Private property tows, apartment complex tows and tows you arranged yourself go to that company’s lot, not the city facility. Call the company named on the sign or your receipt, ask for the lot address, and confirm the car is there. Rules for signage and private property tows are covered in our Texas tow away sign rules post.
If the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office ordered the tow
Sheriff-towed vehicles may be at the Sheriff’s contracted towing company lot or at the EPCSO Abandoned Motor Vehicle Evidence Lot at 12501 Montana Ave., Building F, El Paso, TX 79938, lot phone 915-538-2007 (EPCSO FAQ). The Evidence & Abandoned Motor Vehicle (AMV) Section office is at 3850 Justice St., El Paso, TX 79938, open Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., (915) 273-3800 ext. 5431, with property release hours 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 to 4 p.m. (EPCSO AMV).
Recovery requires an appointment with the AMV Office. Bring the plate number or VIN, the incident date and case number if you were given one, title, current registration or bill of sale, proof of insurance, and a valid driver’s license. County fees per the EPCSO FAQ are a wrecker service fee, storage at $20 per day plus tax after hold release, a $10 process fee plus tax, and a $25 notification fee.
What to bring to the city lot
URVMS says the owner must bring a valid federal or state photo ID and one of registration, title or insurance, plus the balance owed. A power of attorney, court order or rental agreement may also be provided.
Statewide TDLR rules are broader, and they apply at Texas vehicle storage facilities (TDLR). Accepted photo ID includes any state driver’s license or ID card, any federal photo ID, or a photo ID from a foreign government such as a Mexico driver’s license or a matricula consular.
Proof of ownership is any one of these:
- A driver’s license whose name matches the registration record
- An insurance card naming you
- The title
- A notarized power of attorney signed by the owner
- A tax collector’s receipt plus registration renewal card
- A current lease or rental agreement
- TDLR’s Personal Vehicle Owner Removal and Inspection form, which the facility must have available
Two protections are worth knowing. A facility may not refuse release just because your valid photo ID shows a different address than the title and registration records. And if the papers proving identity or ownership are in the glove box or console, the facility must let you get to them.
Your checklist before you go:
- Valid photo ID
- One proof of ownership document from the list above
- Payment for the full balance
- Notarized authorization if someone else is picking up
- The case number, if an officer gave you one
Can someone else pick up my car?
Yes, with the right paperwork. URVMS says non-owners acting for the owner should call (915) 212-0205 to learn what extra documents they need. A notarized power of attorney signed by the owner is one of the accepted ownership documents under TDLR rules. Get it signed and notarized before the person goes to the lot, and have them carry their own photo ID too. More detail is in our post on having someone else pick up your car from an El Paso impound.
What it costs
The URVMS online vehicle database lists each stored vehicle and its charges, and the price a URVMS customer service representative quotes is what must be paid. URVMS accepts cash and Discover, Mastercard and Visa, and a 1.98% government fee is added for credit cards. Charges are current only through midnight of the day quoted. URVMS says its listed costs are estimates.
Statewide, TDLR sets storage maximums: $22.85 per day or part of a day for a vehicle 25 feet or less, and $39.99 for longer, per the 2023 adjustment. A day begins and ends at midnight, and a facility may not charge more than one day of storage if the vehicle is there less than 12 hours. For a Texas-registered vehicle, a facility may not charge more than five days of storage unless the owner notice is mailed or published.
Other line items TDLR allows:
- Notification. Up to $50 under TDLR rules, and not allowed if you reclaim the car within 24 hours or before notice is sent.
- Impoundment for protection. Up to $20 under TDLR rules, only when the lot had to protect a car with broken or open doors, windows, trunk, hood or similar, plus an inventory or registration lookup. The bill must list the exact services.
- Government fees. Amounts that must be paid to a law enforcement agency or government entity.
Beyond the TDLR-allowed storage, notification, protection impoundment and government fees, a facility may not charge any other storage-related fees.
TDLR’s statewide maximum for a nonconsent tow is $272 for a vehicle up to 10,000 lbs, $380 for more than 10,000 but less than 25,000 lbs, and $489 per unit for vehicles over 25,000 lbs with a $978 total maximum. Lower rates may be set by local city or county rule.
Inside El Paso city limits, the lower City Code Chapter 12.54 caps govern. Section 12.54.020 sets the maximum for a nonconsent tow at $100 for a light duty tow, $350 for medium duty and $450 for heavy duty, regardless of the type of truck used. Under Section 12.54.060, a $20 fee is collected at release for a police-ordered tow, meaning one directed by a police officer under Transportation Code Section 545.305 or an incident management tow. Separately, a $20 impoundment fee applies before release of a vehicle towed to a city-owned vehicle storage facility. If your car is in Socorro, Horizon City, Canutillo, Fabens or another spot outside city limits, the city caps do not apply there, and the TDLR statewide maximums apply unless a local rule sets lower ones. Our El Paso towing fee limits post goes deeper.
If the police put a hold on it
A hold means the car cannot be released yet, even if you have every document and the money. URVMS says to call before visiting to make sure the vehicle is released, because some vehicles have a hold. Ask the lot who placed the hold and what has to happen before it clears. For a Sheriff tow, that conversation runs through the AMV Office and your appointment. Do not pay storage to a lot that cannot release the car until you understand the timeline.
If the tow was wrong or the fee seems too high
After a tow without consent, the owner or operator is entitled to a hearing on whether there was probable cause (Texas Occupations Code Chapter 2308). The written request must reach the court before the 14th day after the car was placed in storage, not counting Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays. If the required notice was never given, the deadline does not apply. Separately, the 14 days do not start until the tow company or vehicle storage facility gives you the information needed to fill out the request. Missing the deadline waives the hearing.
File in any justice court in the county the car was towed from. The request must include your name, address and phone, where and when the car was removed, who authorized it, the storage facility’s and tow company’s names, addresses and phones, copies of receipts or notices, and photos of any parking sign or a statement that no sign was posted. TDLR notes the court may charge a $20 filing fee, and the hearing must be held before the 21st calendar day after the court receives the request. At the hearing the burden of proof is on the person who asked for it, and the issues are probable cause and whether the charge exceeded the allowed amount. If the court finds no probable cause, the tow company, facility, parking facility owner or agency that authorized the tow must pay or reimburse the towing and storage costs, and an overcharge must be refunded even with probable cause. Our illegal tow guide walks through the paperwork.
Getting your belongings without paying
At the storage facility you may access your car to get ownership documents and to recover personal property, and you do not have to pay a fee to do this. You do not have the right to remove or dismantle any part attached to the car while it is there. Note that a parking facility owner may have an unauthorized vehicle “and any property on or in the vehicle” removed and stored, so ask the lot how long items inside will be kept. See our post on getting belongings from a tow yard in Texas.
What happens if you leave it
If a car is never claimed, a vehicle storage facility must mail or publish at least two notices and wait at least 30 days after the second notice before acting. It may then sell the car at public sale, with proceeds paying towing and storage and any remainder possibly paid to the owner. A car over 10 years old fit only for junking needs only one notice before sale 30 days later. URVMS and the City of El Paso hold public online auto auctions of unclaimed vehicles on the second Tuesday of every month. Storage keeps running until then. Our post on never picking up a car from an El Paso impound covers the math.
New Mexico side note
Sunland Park, Santa Teresa, Chaparral and Anthony NM are in New Mexico. Texas TDLR rules and Texas statutes do not govern a tow, storage or registration there. Contact the agency or company that handled the tow, and use the New Mexico Motor Vehicle Division for New Mexico titles and registration (NMMVD).
Frequently asked questions
How do I find out where my car was towed?
Call the agency or company that ordered the tow first. For a city tow, call URVMS at (915) 212-0205 or search its online vehicle database, which lists all vehicles stored at the Railroad Drive facility and their charges. For a Sheriff tow, work through the AMV Office.
What do I need to bring to get my car back?
A valid photo ID and one proof of ownership document, such as your title, registration or insurance card. URVMS asks for a valid federal or state photo ID plus registration, title or insurance, and the balance owed. Bring payment for the full balance and any notarized authorization if you are not the owner.
How much does impound storage cost per day?
TDLR sets the statewide storage maximum at $22.85 per day or part of a day for a vehicle 25 feet or less, and $39.99 for longer, per the 2023 adjustment. A day runs midnight to midnight, and you cannot be charged more than one day if the car was there less than 12 hours. At the URVMS city lot, the price its customer service representatives quote is what must be paid. At other lots, check the charge against the TDLR and city caps.
Can someone else pick up my impounded car?
Yes. URVMS says non-owners acting for the owner should call (915) 212-0205 to learn what extra documents they need. A notarized power of attorney signed by the owner is an accepted ownership document under TDLR rules. The person picking up should also bring their own photo ID.
What if the police put a hold on my car?
The lot cannot release it until the hold clears. Call the facility before visiting to confirm your vehicle is released for pickup, since URVMS says some vehicles have a hold. Ask who placed the hold and what has to happen next.
What happens if I can’t afford to get my car out?
Storage keeps accruing daily, and an unclaimed car can eventually be sold at public auction after the notice period. Ask the lot for a written itemized balance and check the tow charge against the El Paso city cap inside city limits, or against the TDLR statewide nonconsent tow maximums outside city limits, and check storage and other fees against the TDLR maximums above. If the court finds no probable cause at a tow hearing, it can order the towing and storage costs paid or reimbursed.
When to call for a tow
If the car is released but not safe to drive after an accident, a winch out or a breakdown, you need an independent tow operator, not a ride. That is also true if you want the car moved off a lot to a shop or home. Quick Tow EP only connects drivers with independent local operators and does no towing itself. It can provide contact information for independent local operators, and you hire and pay the operator directly. Call (915) 320-5573 and Quick Tow EP will connect you with an independent local tow operator.