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Tow and storage rates in El Paso
What could be charged for tows and storage in El Paso, 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.
El Paso City Code limit, nonconsent tow (ch. 12.54)
| Year or period | Light-duty tow | Medium-duty tow | Heavy-duty tow | Drop charge, light-duty | Record, source and status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Before 2014 | $70.00 | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | El Paso Police Department, Tow Fee Study presentation to City Council (April 4, 2017), 'History on El Paso Towing Fees' 2017 Tow Fee Study (PDF) Official source The presentation gives the light-tow limit only. Chapter 12.54 dates from 2002 (Ord. 15076). |
| March 4, 2014 | $81.00 | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Ord. 18137 (City Code history note); amount from the 2017 presentation El Paso City Code § 12.54.020 history (Municode); 2017 Tow Fee Study (PDF) Official source The presentation dates the change to February 2014; the Code history dates Ord. 18137 to March 4, 2014. |
| September 4, 2017 | $85.46 | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Ord. 18669 (May 2, 2017); amount and effective date from the 2018 presentation 2018 Tow Fee Study (PDF); El Paso City Code § 12.54.020 history (Municode) Official source A 5.5% consumer-price-index increase recommended by the police in April 2017. |
| April 17, 2018 to now | $100.00 | $350.00 | $450.00 | $50.00 | El Paso City Code § 12.54.020, Ord. 18774 El Paso City Code ch. 12.54 (Municode); 2018 Tow Fee Study (PDF) Official source Up to $25 more for dollies or go-jacks; over 10,000 lb, $55 an hour after two hours. No charge before hook-up, half the tow fee after hook-up ($50 for a car). The state rule for private-property tows lists $272 / $380 / $489 per unit; our tool shows both. |
El Paso city fees on police-ordered tows
| Year or period | Other charges | Record, source and status |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 and 2011 to now | $20 police-tow fee; $20 city impoundment fee | City Code § 12.54.060 (Ord. 16957, 2008; Ord. 17700, Dec. 20, 2011) El Paso City Code § 12.54.060 (Municode) Official source A $20 fee collected at release for a police-ordered tow, plus a $20 impoundment fee when the car went to the City-owned lot. |
Charges listed by the City storage lot's operator
| Year or period | Light-duty tow | Medium-duty tow | Heavy-duty tow | Other charges | Record, source and status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current (checked 2026-10-07) | $100.00 | $350.00 | $450.00 | flatbed $158; dollies $30 | Operator's El Paso page, 'Minimum Towing Charges (Approximate)' Vehicle Management Solutions El Paso page Not verified (unofficial copy) The operator lists $100 light-duty, $158 flatbed, $30 dollies, $350 medium-duty, $345 per two-hour minimum, $450 heavy-duty hookup and a fuel surcharge 'as required', and a 1.98% fee on credit cards. The City Code limit is $100 'regardless of the type of truck used', with dollies up to $25. We list both and do not decide whether either amount applies to a given tow. |
Texas maximum, private-property tow (TDLR)
| Year or period | Light-duty tow | Medium-duty tow | Heavy-duty tow | Drop charge, light-duty | Storage, per day | Storage per day, over 25 ft. | Impoundment fee | Record, source and status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Before Nov. 1, 2021 | $255.00 | $357.00 | 459 per unit (up to 918) | $127.00 | $20.64 | $36.11 | $20.64 | TDLR news release of Oct. 21, 2021 (the 'old fee' column) TDLR: Changes to Private Property Towing Fees (Oct. 21, 2021) Official source The release gives the amounts in force just before November 1, 2021, not the date they started. |
| Nov. 1, 2021 to now (storage changed Jan. 2024) | $272.00 | $380.00 | 489 per unit (up to 978) | $135.00 | $21.03 | $36.80 | $21.03 | 16 Tex. Admin. Code § 86.455, adopted Oct. 5, 2021; storage and impound amounts from the same TDLR release TDLR: Changes to Private Property Towing Fees (Oct. 21, 2021); 16 Tex. Admin. Code § 86.455 Official source Tow and drop maximums are still in force. The storage and impound amounts in this row applied until the January 2024 change in the next row. |
Texas maximum, storage lot (TDLR)
| Year or period | Storage, per day | Storage per day, over 25 ft. | Impoundment fee | Notification fee | Record, source and status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 to now | $22.85 | $39.99 | $22.85 | $50.00 | 16 Tex. Admin. Code § 85.722 (2023 cost-of-living adjustment) 16 Tex. Admin. Code § 85.722; TDLR towing and storage news (New VSF Storage Fees Start Jan. 1, 2024) Official source TDLR's news item says the new amounts started January 1, 2024; the rule's source note says January 15, 2024. Our tool uses January 15 for flagging. |
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