Can your broken-down car be towed without warning? This is what NC law says
Colder weather could mean more car issues, and your vehicle could be towed if it’s left on private property for too long.
Property owners in North Carolina have the right to request any vehicles left on their land be towed after a certain amount of time has passed, according to state law. If your vehicle is towed, you could have to pay a hefty fee to get it back since there is no cap on how much companies can charge for towing services.
Though many North Carolina towns, including Charlotte, once had limits on how much tow companies could charge, a 2014 N.C. Supreme Court ruling said municipalities do not have the authority to set fee caps for towing services, The Charlotte Observer reported.
What happens to your vehicle if left on private property?
According to the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles, property owners have a few options when a vehicle has been abandoned on their property:
Law enforcement can be contacted to identify the vehicle if it has been reported as stolen.
After seven days, the property owner can contact a tow company to remove the vehicle.
If the vehicle remains unclaimed for 30 days, it is considered abandoned and the property owner can begin the process to sell the vehicle.
For more information on abandoned vehicles, you can call the NCDMV’s License and Theft Bureau at 919-615-6035.
What if you leave your car on an NC highway?
If your car is left parked on or along a highway for more than 24 hours, it can be towed by law enforcement, according to state law.
In North Carolina, it is illegal to leave your car parked or standing on any highway “unless the vehicle is disabled to such an extent that it is impossible to avoid stopping and temporarily leaving the vehicle,” state law says.
It is also against the law to leave your car parked on the shoulder of any highway unless the vehicle can be seen “from a distance of 200 feet in both directions and does not obstruct the normal movement of traffic,” according to state law.
What happens after your car gets towed?
If your car is towed, North Carolina law requires that you be notified by phone or by mail within 24 hours with the following information:
A description of your vehicle
The place where your vehicle is stored
The violation you are charged with, if any
The procedure you must follow to get your vehicle back
The procedure you must follow to request a probable cause hearing on the towing
You can get your vehicle back by paying the towing fee or posting a bond for double the amount of the towing fee, according to state law.
What if you can’t find your vehicle?
If you suspect your vehicle has been towed but are unable to locate it, you can search for it using the N.C. Department of Public Safety’s towed vehicle database.
The database gives you the option to search by owner name, vehicle plate number, or vehicle ID number, and will provide the name and address of the tow company holding your car.
This story was originally published December 26, 2024 at 6:00 AM with the headline "Can your broken-down car be towed without warning? This is what NC law says."
