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Tow Fees in Madison: Posted Maximums and Storage Rates

Answers taken from the rules Towed in Madison uses. Each one gives its official source and the date that source was checked. Which rules apply depends on the facts of each tow; the tool asks about them. Rules current as of October 12, 2026.

We are not a law firm, and we are not your lawyer. This website gives general information and self-help forms that you choose and fill in yourself; it does not give legal advice and is not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. Deadlines can end your rights.

What are the posted maximum tow and storage charges for Madison?

How much can a tow company charge for a private-property tow in Madison?

For a tow from private property, no removal charge may exceed $150, whether the vehicle is moved by flatbed, hook and chain, wheel-lift, boom or any other method.

Source: Wis. Admin. Code § Trans 319.03(1)(a) · Checked on October 12, 2026

Up to $150 more may be charged only for necessary special equipment or travel over 20 miles, and only if the vehicle is unusual or 10,001 lb or more, the space was hard to reach, or the round trip exceeded 20 miles ($3.00 a mile beyond 20, with odometer readings on the tow slip). Administrative, gate and lien processing fees, and fees for equipment or procedures ordinarily required, may not be charged under this paragraph.

Source: Wis. Admin. Code § Trans 319.03(1)(d) · Checked on October 12, 2026

What can a storage lot charge for storage in Madison?

Storage may not exceed $25 for each 24-hour period at an outdoor storage facility, or $35 at an indoor one. The storage period counts 24-hour periods from the time the towing service gave the police notice until the vehicle is retrieved, rounded up.

Source: Wis. Admin. Code § Trans 319.03(1)(b), (c), (4) · Checked on October 12, 2026

No storage fee may be charged for any calendar day on which the storage facility is open for retrieval less than 4 consecutive hours between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. The rule's own example: a car towed Friday night and picked up Monday morning, from a lot closed Sunday, is charged for two days, not three.

Source: Wis. Admin. Code § Trans 319.03(4) and Note · Checked on October 12, 2026

What rules apply when a car is booted in Madison?

A parking area where boots may be used must have a sign at each vehicle entrance and at least one more for every 10 spaces, each at least 12 by 18 inches, saying unauthorized parking is prohibited, that a boot may be used, and the removal fee. The removal fee may not be more than $50.

Source: Madison Gen. Ord. § 23.56(3), (13) · Checked on October 12, 2026

No one may require payment of money, goods, services, a waiver of legal rights, a credit card number, or a business address or phone number as a condition of removing a boot, except the removal fee or the deferral agreement. Before removal, the person either pays the fee or signs a deferral agreement to pay it or contest it under § 23.565 within 14 days. If the car was not parked in violation, no removal fee is owed and the enforcer is liable for an amount equal to the fee.

Source: Madison Gen. Ord. § 23.56(6)(b)5., (7), (9), (12) · Checked on October 12, 2026

A person who signs a deferral agreement files an appeal with the Transportation Commission, on its form, within 14 days of the boot's removal. The parking enforcer has 14 days to respond; no response is an admission of every material allegation. The enforcer must prove by a preponderance of the evidence that the car was illegally parked, that the lot was posted under § 23.56(3), and that the fee was within the $50 limit. If the appellant wins, the enforcer is ordered to pay the appellant an amount equal to the removal fee.

Source: Madison Gen. Ord. § 23.565 · Checked on October 12, 2026

Put a charge next to a posted maximum

Pick a posted maximum and type the amount on your bill. The box shows the two numbers side by side; which amount applies to a tow depends on its facts.

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