Towing in Houston by the numbers

Houston's tow maximums

• $232

  City rate for a police-ordered (nonconsent) tow that does not need a heavy-duty wrecker, in 2026.

  Source: Houston Code § 8-123(b); City rate notice of Nov. 25, 2025; checked October 5, 2026

• $354

  City hourly rate for a police-ordered tow that needs a heavy-duty wrecker, in 2026, with a 2-hour minimum.

  Source: Houston Code § 8-123(c); City rate notice of Nov. 25, 2025; checked October 5, 2026

• $232

  Most a private-property tow can cost in Houston in 2026: the lower of the state maximum ($272) and the City rate ($232).

  Source: City of Houston rate notice of Nov. 25, 2025; checked October 5, 2026

• $24.26

  City vehicle release fee that a storage lot collects and sends to HPD (City fee schedule, as of January 1, 2026).

  Source: Houston Code § 8-123(e); City of Houston fee schedule; checked October 8, 2026

• $7

  Harris County law-enforcement administrative fee (plus sales tax) that a storage lot collects on a law-enforcement tow from outside a city.

  Source: Harris County Tow Truck Ordinance (2026), art. VI.I.1; checked October 8, 2026

• $54

  Filing fee for a tow or boot hearing in a Harris County justice court ($21 state and $33 local consolidated civil fees).

  Source: Harris County Justice Courts, Information about Tow Hearings; checked October 13, 2026

• 8

  Harris County justice courts that take tow and boot hearing requests: the two courts (Places 1 and 2) in each of Precincts 2, 3, 6 and 8 (list below).

  Source: Harris County Justice Courts Local Rule 2.3.3; Information about Tow Hearings; checked October 13, 2026

Police towing and storage lots in Houston

• 214

  Active police tow agreements (PATSAs) between HPD and tow companies, reported in June 2021.

  Source: HPD, Chapter 8 Towing Ordinance Changes, Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee (June 17, 2021); checked October 14, 2026

• 56

  Private-property tow companies, reported in June 2021.

  Source: HPD, Chapter 8 Towing Ordinance Changes, Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee (June 17, 2021); checked October 14, 2026

• 891

  Wrecker drivers, reported in June 2021.

  Source: HPD, Chapter 8 Towing Ordinance Changes, Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee (June 17, 2021); checked October 14, 2026

• 1 hour

  A storage lot that takes Houston police tows must release a vehicle within one hour, at any hour, under HPD's 2026 storage-lot agreement.

  Source: HPD 2026 Police Private Storage Lot Agreement; checked October 8, 2026

• $145.50

  Harris County's maximum for a light-duty police tow, unchanged since 2011, per the county budget office's memo of June 23, 2026. Commissioners Court voted on July 9, 2026 to update the county rates; we have not found an order with the new amounts.

  Source: Harris County Office of Management and Budget memo (June 23, 2026); checked October 8, 2026

Houston's police tow rate, year by year

The tow hearing (Texas law)

• 14

  Days to ask a justice court for a tow hearing: the written request must reach the court before the 14th day after the tow or boot, not counting Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays.

  Source: Occ. Code § 2308.456(a); checked October 14, 2026

• 21

  Calendar days: the court must hold the hearing before the 21st calendar day after it receives the request.

  Source: Occ. Code § 2308.458(a); checked October 14, 2026

State maximums that apply in every Texas city

• $272

  State maximum for a light-duty private-property tow (in effect since November 1, 2021).

  Source: 16 Tex. Admin. Code § 86.455(b); checked October 7, 2026

• $135

  State maximum light-duty drop charge (the car is released before it is towed away).

  Source: 16 Tex. Admin. Code § 86.455(c); checked October 7, 2026

• $22.85

  State maximum daily storage at a licensed storage lot for a vehicle 25 feet long or less (since January 1, 2024).

  Source: 16 Tex. Admin. Code § 85.722(d)(1); TDLR notice of Jan. 3, 2024; checked October 7, 2026

• $22.85

  State maximum impoundment fee at a licensed storage lot (since January 1, 2024).

  Source: 16 Tex. Admin. Code § 85.722(e); TDLR notice of Jan. 3, 2024; checked October 7, 2026

• $50

  State maximum notification fee; none may be charged if the vehicle is picked up within 24 hours after the lot received it.

  Source: Occ. Code § 2303.155(c); 16 Tex. Admin. Code § 85.722(c); checked October 7, 2026

Complaints to TDLR, the state regulator (fiscal year 2025, statewide)

• 2,205

  Consumer complaints TDLR received about tow companies and operators.

  Source: TDLR, Tow Companies and Operators, Fiscal Year 2025 complaint statistics (Nov. 19, 2025); checked October 14, 2026

• 290.59

  Average days TDLR took to close a towing case.

  Source: TDLR, Tow Companies and Operators, Fiscal Year 2025 complaint statistics (Nov. 19, 2025); checked October 14, 2026

• 6.71%

  Share of closed towing cases that resulted in disciplinary action.

  Source: TDLR, Tow Companies and Operators, Fiscal Year 2025 complaint statistics (Nov. 19, 2025); checked October 14, 2026

• $55,899.74

  Consumer restitution in towing cases.

  Source: TDLR, Tow Companies and Operators, Fiscal Year 2025 complaint statistics (Nov. 19, 2025); checked October 14, 2026

• 612

  Consumer complaints TDLR received about vehicle storage facilities (storage lots).

  Source: TDLR, Vehicle Storage Facilities, Fiscal Year 2025 complaint statistics (Nov. 19, 2025); checked October 14, 2026

• 328.80

  Average days TDLR took to close a storage-lot case.

  Source: TDLR, Vehicle Storage Facilities, Fiscal Year 2025 complaint statistics (Nov. 19, 2025); checked October 14, 2026

• (800) 803-9202

  TDLR's toll-free number in Texas, listed on its towing consumer page. Complaints about a tow company or storage lot go to TDLR online or on its paper form.

  Source: TDLR, Towing consumer information; checked October 14, 2026

How to file a TDLR towing complaint

Where tow hearings are heard and where towed cars are held

Justice courts that hear tow cases: Harris County

Court list checked October 13, 2026

• Houston (City of Houston / Houston Police Department): Find a towed car: www.findmytowedcar.com
• Harris County (unincorporated; Harris County Sheriff's Office): Find a towed car: findmytowedcar.org/harriscountytow

Getting the car back in Houston

Records we have asked for

• Houston Police Department: storage-lot and booting permits, complaint outcomes, the tow agreement and impound counts. Requested on October 7, 2026 (request P162476-100726); waiting for the response.
• Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR): towing and storage-lot complaints and enforcement outcomes, by county. Requested on October 9, 2026 (request R056518-100926); waiting for the response.

More about towing in Houston

• Open Towed in Houston
• Questions and answers about towing in Houston
• Tow hearing
• Tow fees
• Getting the car back