Getting your car towed is stressful. Getting it back doesn’t have to be. If your vehicle ended up in impound in El Paso, here’s exactly how to get it out, what it costs, and what to bring so you only make one trip.

Where impounded cars go in El Paso

Most vehicles impounded by city police or city tow contractors end up at the City of El Paso Vehicle Storage Facility. It sits at 11615 Railroad Dr, on the northeast side of town.

Call ahead at (915) 212-0205 to confirm your vehicle is there and to check the lot’s current hours before you drive out. That one phone call saves you a wasted trip if your car landed somewhere else.

Always confirm the location first. A car towed after a crash, an arrest, or a parking violation may go to the city lot. A private-property tow can go to a different contractor’s yard entirely.

What it costs to get your car back

Texas caps what any licensed storage facility can charge, statewide. The current TDLR maximums:

  • Daily storage: up to $22.85 per day for vehicles 25 feet and under
  • Larger vehicles: up to $39.99 per day for vehicles over 25 feet
  • Notification fee: a one-time $50 fee covering the required notices
  • Impound fee: up to $22.85

Two protections worth knowing. The lot must send you written notice by certified mail, within 5 days for a Texas-registered vehicle. And under Texas Occupations Code Section 2303.151, it cannot charge daily storage until 24 hours after that notice goes out. If notice went out late, the clock starts late.

The storage clock keeps running every day your car sits in the lot. That’s the main reason to move fast. A car you pick up on day two costs a lot less than one you leave for two weeks.

There may also be a separate tow charge depending on who moved the vehicle and why. Ask for the full total over the phone before you head out so nothing surprises you at the window.

Documents you need to bring

The facility won’t release a car to just anyone. You need to prove two things: who you are, and that the car is yours.

For the City of El Paso lot specifically, bring:

  • A valid driver’s license
  • Proof of insurance for the vehicle

That’s the city’s own requirement for its municipal facility. If your car was impounded over unpaid parking citations, those get paid at Municipal Court before the lot releases the vehicle. And once a police hold is lifted, you have 24 hours to pick the car up before storage fees start.

At other storage facilities, several documents can establish ownership: current registration, the title, a lease agreement, or a matching ID. You don’t necessarily need the title itself. If you’re picking up a car registered to someone else, expect to need a notarized power of attorney from the owner.

One more right worth knowing: if you believe the tow itself was improper, Texas law gives you the right to request a tow hearing at a Justice of the Peace court, normally within 14 days of receiving the storage facility’s notice. The court has to hold the hearing within 21 days of your request.

Double-check that the name on your paperwork matches the name on your ID. A mismatch is the most common reason people get sent home empty-handed.

A note for New Mexico communities

El Paso sits right on the state line, and a lot of our neighbors live just over it. If your car was towed in Sunland Park, Santa Teresa, Chaparral, or Anthony, New Mexico, the City of El Paso facility’s rules don’t apply.

Those communities fall under Doña Ana County and New Mexico rules instead. The storage location, the fee structure, and the paperwork can all be different. Call the agency or lot that handled your tow before you assume anything, and ask them where the vehicle is and what they charge.

When in doubt, find out which side of the line your car was towed from. That one detail decides which rules you’re dealing with.

Need a tow handled the right way?

If you’re facing a tow, or you need a car moved before it racks up storage fees, we can help. Quick Tow El Paso runs flatbed and wheel-lift trucks across the whole metro, and we’ll quote the rate before we roll.

Call us at (915) 615-2224 and we’ll tell you what your options are. No runaround, just a straight answer and a truck on the way.