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Tow and storage rates in Chicago
What could be charged for tows and storage in Chicago, by year and by who set the amount. Each row names the record it comes from and links the source.
How to read these tables. Amounts are in dollars, as the source states them. Use the row that covers the date of the tow, and read the note for vehicle sizes and other details. Rows marked "Not found yet" are gaps we are still researching.
City of Chicago impound (City tows to City auto pounds)
Set by: Chicago City Council (Municipal Code sec. 9-92-080)
| Year or period | Tow, standard car | Storage, per day | Record, source and status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Before 2019 | Not found yet | Not found yet We have not found official copies of the City impound fees before 2019 yet. | |
| 2019 | $150.00 | $20.00 | City Council Office of Financial Analysis, fiscal impact statement O2019-3864 COFA fiscal impact statement O2019-3864 (PDF) Official source Storage was $20 a day for the first 5 days and $35 a day after that, which COFA put at $660 over a 21-day stay. Heavier vehicles: $250 tow. |
| July 2020 to December 2025 | $150.00 | $25.00 | OIG audit (fees at the time of the 2023-2024 audit); COFA towing-fee proposal (2025); City VIP reforms page (storage cap) OIG audit, Program Finances (PDF); COFA revenue proposal: towing and storage fees (PDF); Vehicle Impoundment Program Reforms (City of Chicago) Official source 8,000 lbs. or more: $250 tow and $50 a day. The July 22, 2020 reforms capped storage at $1,000 per car. We have not confirmed the date the flat $25 daily rate replaced the 2019 rates. |
| From December 2025 | $250.00 | $50.00 | Municipal Code sec. 9-92-080(b); City Common Towing Questions page; OIG audit Common Towing Questions (City of Chicago); Municipal Code sec. 9-92-080 (American Legal Publishing); OIG audit (PDF) Official source 8,000 lbs. or more: $350 tow and $100 a day. The code caps total storage at $1,500 per vehicle and charges only one day of storage if the car is disposed of; no fees for a stolen car or an erroneous tow. The City's VIP reforms page still shows the older $1,000 cap. |
State maximum for a private-property relocation tow, light-duty vehicle
Set by: Illinois Commerce Commission (625 ILCS 5/18a-200(6))
| Year or period | Tow, standard car | Invoice fee | Record, source and status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Before December 2010 | $170.00 | Not listed | News report (CBS Chicago, July 6, 2011) CBS Chicago, July 6, 2011 Not yet verified From a news report only; we have not found the ICC order. |
| December 2010 | $198.50 | Not listed | News report (CBS Chicago, July 6, 2011) CBS Chicago, July 6, 2011 Not yet verified The report says the ICC raised the maximum in December 2010. From a news report only; we have not found the ICC order. |
| Current (start date not published) | $238.20 | $2.50 | ICC Police, relocation towing FAQ ICC Police (Illinois Commerce Commission) Official source Light duty means a manufacturer's weight rating under 8,000 lbs. The relocator may add a $2.50 invoice fee and may charge only the lower of this amount and the fee on its sign. No storage may be charged for the first 24 hours; the ICC's daily storage maximum is not on its public pages. The ICC says relocation rates may not exceed the average of the 5 highest police tow rates in the tower's area. |
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