Towed in Austin Library

This website and the documents it makes are not a substitute for the advice of an attorney.

History of towing in Austin

How towing rules in Austin took shape: ordinances, contracts, court rulings and state laws, in date order. Every entry links to its source.

How to read this timeline. Entries are in date order. Most rest on a court opinion, a law or a government record. Entries marked "Not yet verified" rest on one secondary or self-reported source, and entries marked "From a news report" rest on news coverage. We leave out private people's names and accusations against companies that have no published outcome.

City-set tow rates (1989 to 2014)

  1. Austin's nonconsent police tow rate is $55.

    Source: APD Tow Fee Study, May 22, 2019 (Council backup, item 19-1797)

  2. The rate rises to $65.

    Source: APD Tow Fee Study, May 22, 2019 (Council backup, item 19-1797)

  3. The rate rises to $95.

    Source: APD Tow Fee Study, May 22, 2019 (Council backup, item 19-1797)

  4. The rate rises to $150 (fee ordinance No. 20060518-008). APD's 2019 study also cites Ordinance No. 20060608-019 next to the City Code section on towing fee studies (sec. 13-6-141).

    Source: APD Tow Fee Study, May 22, 2019 (Council backup, item 19-1797); City of Austin FY2026-27 Fees, Fines and Other Charges, Exhibit A (Council backup, Aug. 17, 2026)

AutoReturn, booting rules and the 2019 increase (2015 to 2019)

  1. Council approves a contract with AutoReturn to manage APD's tow dispatch, towing and impounds, and amends City Code ch. 13-6 to allow vendor-managed towing.

    Source: Austin City Council, May 21, 2015 regular meeting (items 5 and 17); Autura (AutoReturn) support page: Austin, TX

  2. Travis County Commissioners Court raises the Sheriff's nonconsent tow rate in unincorporated areas from $175 to $275.

    Nearby city or county

    Source: APD Tow Fee Study, May 22, 2019 (Council backup, item 19-1797)

  3. On first reading, Council votes 6-3 for a booting ordinance with a $50 fee cap; booting had cost up to $150.

    From a news report

    Source: Austin Monitor: City Council boots big booting fees (Aug. 10, 2018)

  4. Council adopts City Code ch. 13-7 on booting (Ordinance No. 20180823-075) with a $100 cap, ahead of the end of state booting licenses on September 1, 2018.

    From a news report The $100 final cap and the 9-1 vote are from news reports; the ordinance itself is not yet read.

    Source: Austin Monitor: City Council boots big booting fees (Aug. 10, 2018); S.B. 2065 (2017) bill analysis, Texas Legislature; Austin City Code ch. 13-7 (Municode)

  5. AutoReturn reports 12,329 APD impounds for the year.

    Source: APD Tow Fee Study, May 22, 2019 (Council backup, item 19-1797)

  6. APD's Tow Fee Study recommends raising the $150 police tow fee to at least $195.

    Source: APD Tow Fee Study, May 22, 2019 (Council backup, item 19-1797)

  7. Council raises the police tow fee to $185, tied to inflation, and asks APD to study private-property tow fees.

    From a news report One later KXAN report says $180. Exact vote date not confirmed from a City record.

    Source: Austin Monitor: Council sets tow fee to track with consumer price index change (June 2019)

Fee debates and new maximums (2020 to 2026)

  1. The Public Safety Commission recommends Council reject an APD study proposing $215 for light-duty tows; companies had asked for $340.

    From a news report

    Source: Austin Monitor: Public Safety Commission raises questions about proposed tow fee increases (Jan. 11, 2023); KXAN: Public Safety Commission rejects recommendation to raise towing fee in Austin (Jan. 10, 2023)

  2. A City memo reports 36 boot notices for unpaid tickets since 2022.

    Source: Memo: Strategy to Increase Collections on Unpaid Parking Violations (May 15, 2025)

  3. The 2025-26 fee schedule sets police tow maximums of $275, $400 and $800, and private-property maximums of $275, $350 and $800.

    Source: City of Austin FY2026-27 Fees, Fines and Other Charges, Exhibit A (Council backup, Aug. 17, 2026)

  4. Council lowers the private-property car tow maximum to $272, matching the state, effective December 22, 2025.

    Source: Ordinance No. 20251211-068 (Dec. 11, 2025)

  5. Council takes up the 2026-27 fee schedule, which keeps the same towing maximums from October 1, 2026.

    Source: City of Austin FY2026-27 Fees, Fines and Other Charges, Exhibit A (Council backup, Aug. 17, 2026)

For the rates over the years, see tow and storage rates. Know a record that belongs here? Email corrections@towedhelp.org.

Last checked .