Tow and storage rates in San Francisco
What could be charged for tows and storage in San Francisco, 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.
| Year or period | Tow | Storage, per day | SFMTA administrative fee | Record, source and status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Until July 2009 | $250.00 | $80.00 | Not listed | Maximum private-property tow rate as still printed on SFPD's towing-rights FAQ SFPD Vehicle Towing Rights (FAQs) Not verified (unofficial copy) SFPD's page still shows these 'until July 2009' amounts. They are out of date and are not a current cap. |
| 2010-2015 | Not found yet | Not found yet We have not found SFMTA's tow fee schedules for these years yet. | ||
| 2016 (from April 1) | $208.00 | $68.25 | $261.00 | SFMTA Board Resolution 170606-070, fee table (column 'Effective April 1, 2016') SFMTA Board Resolution 170606-070 and Section 305 amendment Official source Tow fee covers up to 1 hour of labor. Storage was $58.50 for the first 24 hours. Administrative fee $172 for a first tow, $86 for a first tow by a low-income owner. |
| 2017 (from July 1) | $214.00 | $71.00 | $269.00 | SFMTA Board Resolution 170606-070, fee table (column 'Effective July 1, 2017') SFMTA Board Resolution 170606-070 and Section 305 amendment; Controller's audit of AutoReturn (March 15, 2018), fee table Official source Storage was $59.25 for the first 24 hours and free if the car was picked up within 4 hours. Administrative fee $177 for a first tow, $89 for a first tow by a low-income owner. |
| 2018 (from July 1) | Not listed | Not listed | $283.75 | SFMTA Board Resolution 180515-079 (Section 305 amendment) SFMTA Board Resolution 180515-079; Staff report, May 15, 2018 (item 10.4) Official source First-tow administrative fee $200.75; low-income owners pay no administrative fee and dolly or flatbed fees are waived. The staff report cites a minimum tow fee of $229 paid to the towing contractor at that time. |
| 2019 (from July 1) | Not listed | Not listed | $298.75 | SFMTA Board Resolution 180515-079 (column 'Effective July 1, 2019') SFMTA Board Resolution 180515-079 Official source First-tow administrative fee $211.25; low-income administrative fee waived. Tow and storage fees for this year were not in the resolution we read. |
| 2020-2022 | Not found yet | Not found yet We have not read official SFMTA tow fee schedules for these years yet. | ||
| 2023 (one bill, as reported) | $277.00 | $66.00 | $336.00 | Amounts on one towed driver's bill, as reported by the San Francisco Standard (February 28, 2023) San Francisco Standard, Feb. 28, 2023 Not yet verified A news report of one bill, not an official schedule. |
| 2024 (from July 1) | $297.00 | $77.00 | $360.00 | SFMTA Fees and Fines, July 2024 column (schedule Rev 12/11/25) SFMTA Fees and Fines effective July 1, 2025 (shows July 2024 and July 2025) Official source First-tow administrative fee $304; low-income tow fee $104; dolly $53; first 24 hours of storage $64. |
| 2025 (from July 1) | $305.00 | $79.00 | $370.00 | SFMTA Fees and Fines, July 2025 column (schedule Rev 12/11/25) SFMTA Fees and Fines effective July 1, 2025 Official source First-tow administrative fee $313; low-income tow fee $107; dolly $54; first 24 hours of storage $66. |
| 2026 (from July 1) | $317.00 | $82.00 | $385.00 | SFMTA Fees and Fines, July 2026 column (schedule Rev 6/15/26) SFMTA Fees and Fines effective July 1, 2026 Official source First-tow administrative fee $335; low-income tow fee $111; dolly $56; first 24 hours of storage $69; lien fees $35 or $50 at the start and again at the end of a lien sale. These are the amounts the Towed in San Francisco tool uses (rule sf-sfmta-tow-fees-fy2026-27). |
| 2027 (from July 1, scheduled) | $331.00 | $86.00 | $402.00 | SFMTA Fees and Fines, July 2027 column (schedule Rev 6/15/26) SFMTA Fees and Fines effective July 1, 2026 Official source Scheduled, not yet in effect. First-tow administrative fee $352; low-income tow fee $116; first 24 hours of storage $72. |
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