The following regulations and fees are Washington State Law, and we must abide by them at all times. Please don't waist your time and our by asking us to violate them.

All of the following is required for us to release a vehicle:

1. The vehicle must be registered to the person seeking to redeem it  (exception see: releasing vehicle to friend)
2. The registered or legal owner must be present and have valid picture identification
3. All towing and storage fees must be paid
4. You must have a Police Department release (if vehicle is under a police hold)

Also see:

The vehicle is not registered to me, but I have a bill-of-sale
Release the vehicle or its contents to a friend
Claiming property from an impounded vehicle
What happens if I fail to redeem my vehicle
Why do we have these stringent state regulations?

The vehicle must be registered to the person seeking to redeem the vehicle. If you have purchased the vehicle, but have not yet transferred the registration into your name, you must do so before attempting to redeem the vehicle.

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The person seeking to redeem the vehicle must have valid picture identification. No one can claim a vehicle without valid identification. If you have no valid picture identification, you must go to a licensing agent and transfer the registration of the vehicle into the name of someone who does have valid picture identification.

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The minimum fee for a Police Ordered impound entering our yard is $173.50 plus sales tax. Typical fees are:

• Towing fee is $154 per hour, per WSP class "A" rate schedule.
• Storage fee is $39 per day, calculated to nearest half day, ($19.50 per half)
• An after hours release fee of $77.00 will be charged if vehicle or contents are released after normal business hours of 8:00am to 5:00pm Monday through Friday.

The minimum fee for a Private Property impound entering our yard is $197.50 plus sales tax. Typical fees are:

• Towing fee's is $175.00 per hour, per WSP private class "A" rate schedule
• Storage Fee is $45.00 per day , Calculated to the nearest half day ($22.50 per half)
• An after hours release fee of $77 will be charged if vehicle or contents are released after normal business hours of 8:00am to 5:00pm Monday through Friday.

* These rates are current as of December 1st, 2003 but are subject to change

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• Vehicles placed on a 30, 60, or 90 day HOLD require a deposit of 50% of the towing & storage fees within 5 days of the date of impound, otherwise the vehicle will be auctioned BEFORE the hold is up. The registered owner is NOT eligible to purchase the vehicle at auction.
• A Police Department release must be obtained by the person seeking to redeem a vehicle before we can release the vehicle from impound.
• Vehicles impounded for "Driving While License Suspended" may be subject to a 30, 60, or 90 day hold.
• Vehicles placed on HOLD for investigation of a crime, must be released by the investigating detective before the vehicle can be released from impound.

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The vehicle is not registered to me, but I have the bill-of-sale.

A bill-of-sale does not constitute proof of ownership in Washington State, and therefore cannot be used to redeem an impounded vehicle. You must go to a licensing agent and transfer the vehicles' registration into your name before attempting to redeem the vehicle. 

Releasing the vehicle or its contents to a friend.

A NOTARIZED letter from the registered or legal owner is the only acceptable way to allow another party to claim the vehicle, or its contents. The letter needs to state your name, license plate number or VIN of the vehicle, name of the person the car or contents may be released to, and the NOTORIZED signature of the registered or legal owner. The person redeeming the vehicle or its contents for the owner must have valid picture identification.

Claiming personal property from an impounded vehicle

If the vehicle is on a Police hold, NOBODY can see, touch, or remove personal property from the vehicle.

Nothing integral or attached to the vehicle can be removed, these would include, but are not limited to, batteries, tires, radios, amplifiers, and  speakers. 

Only personal property such as clothing, papers, tools, fishing equipment, and baby seats can be removed from the vehicle when the vehicle is not on a Police Hold. A NOTORIZED letter from the registered owner or legal owner is required if another party is to remove the property.

What happens if I fail to redeem my vehicle?

Impounded vehicles accrue storage fees on a daily basis, therefore the sooner you pick-up your vehicle, the less it will cost. A vehicle not redeemed by its owner is put up for public auction in an attempt to recover the towing & storage fees. Since the registered & legal owners are NOT eligible to purchase the vehicle at auction, the vehicles sale price rarely matches the fees against it. After the auction, two things happen:

1. If the vehicle did not sell, or the sale price was not sufficient to cover the towing & storage fees, collection proceeding are immediately started against the registered owner for the remaining balance of the towing and storage fees, plus the costs of collections. 

2. The Washington State Patrol issues the registered owner a citation for "Littering-Abandoned Vehicle", which carries a $538 fine and eventual license suspension if restitution is not made to the towing company. You have 15 days to respond to this citation and pay the towing and storage fees.

Why do we have these stringent state regulations?

Quite simply, to protect the owner of the vehicle. We take many steps to protect your vehicle and its contents, including police inventory, high wire security fencing, surveillance cameras, and alarms. If your car is Impounded or towed from an accident, would you really want anybody to be able to claim your vehicle and its contents? If we released your vehicle and/or it's contents to someone other then you, and you did not receive them, that liability would fall on us, and the body that enforces our regulations, Washington State Patrol. Since Department of Licensing records are the only way to determine the true owner of the vehicle, the state requires that you prove you are that person.