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Towing records, rates and law changes in Chicago
Plain-language facts about towing in Chicago. Every fact links to its official source, and we show the date we last checked it.
The City's Office of Inspector General audited how Streets and Sanitation runs the auto pounds (field work December 2023 to October 2024). It found incomplete digital records, a confusing pickup process, gaps in security and damage-claim tracking at contractor-run pounds, and some wrong tow and storage charges, including fees charged on stolen cars. The department said it has fixed some issues and plans others.
State law: tow lots can hold fewer personal items for the bill
Public Act 104-133 (SB 2040), effective January 1, 2026, changed the list of belongings a private-property relocator cannot keep for its bill. It now includes child car seats, glasses, food, medicine, medical devices, IDs, cash, cards, checkbooks, wallets and purses, and college textbooks. The act also gives the Illinois Commerce Commission police new tools against unregistered crash-scene tow trucks.
In December 2025 the City Council raised the City impound fees in Municipal Code section 9-92-080: towing went from $150 to $250 ($350 for 8,000 lbs. or more), and storage from $25 to $50 a day ($100 for heavier vehicles). Total storage charges are capped per vehicle, and no tow or storage fees apply to a car that was stolen when it was impounded or to a tow found to be erroneous.
In effect; the City's towing page lists the new amounts.
We read public records, laws and official reports and explain them in plain words. We do not say that any company broke the law; we report what the records show, with a link so you can check. If you see a mistake, email corrections@towedhelp.org.