Why Would Your Car Be Towed?
There are two simple reasons (other than computer error) that would result in a car being towed:
#1. Being illegally parked (because you might have misread or ignored a parking regulation sign).
#2. Having outstanding parking tickets that have lapsed into default judgment and fines and penalties totaling more than $230.
When you receive a summons, you have 29 days to answer the summons. Once this window to respond closes after 120 days after the response deadline, you will be declared in default judgment for that summons. By default, you are now guilty and liable for the fine, penalties and interest. If you accumulate more than $230 in fines, penalties and interest, it is open season on your car.
Once your car is seized, you have 30 days to claim it and pay all outstanding fines, penalties and interest. If not, your car will be sold at auction to satisfy the judgment, minus the sheriff fees and other expenses. However, you may decide to say, “To heck with the car—it’s not worth the book value in fines, penalties and interest. Let ’em sell it.” Then you may have another problem.
If the sale of the auctioned car does not generate enough to cover the outstanding fines, penalties and interest owed the City, any car you decide to purchase in the future may also be seized to satisfy this old judgment. So choose wisely. Ignoring even one summons is not in your best interest.
A word of advice: If you’re not going to fight the ticket, do yourself a favor. Just pay the ticket now before one small summons becomes a really big headache. The choice is yours.
What to Do When Your Car is Towed
If you believe your car has been towed, first call 212-TOW-AWAY to see if your car was actually towed. If not, call the local police precinct to report your car stolen. If you were towed in Manhattan below 96th Street, your car will probably be waiting for you at Pier 76, located at West 38th Street and 12th avenue. Pier 76, also known as the Main Pound, is open 7 days a week.
Call the PVB at (212) 477-4430 to check if you have any outstanding summonses on your license plate. If you have outstanding tickets on your car, pay them first before you get to the Main Pound.
When you get to the pound, you must bring with you:
- the registration for the vehicle
- your driver’s license
- $150 payable in cash, travelers checks, by certified check or a NYCE bank card that can be used to debit your account for the amount of the tow. (Company checks are accepted for commercial vehicles only.)
- extra cash, because there is a $15/day storage fee after the first 24 hours.
Peak hours tend to be 1-7 p.m. If you can, plan your visit accordingly. This is not going to be a pleasant experience. Bring a friend or something to read to pass the time.
Keep in mind that when your car is towed, the clock is running, and you have about 96 hours to find and claim your vehicle or it will be considered abandoned. After 30 days, your car will be sold at an auction.
If a call to the police proves unsuccessful, you may also want to call the Sheriff’s Office and/or Marshall’s Department. These telephone numbers are listed for your convenience on page 113 in Chapter 8.
Depending on what borough your vehicle was towed from, you will have to go to one of the following borough tow pounds:
- Midtown North
- Brooklyn Heights
- Gramercy Park
- Chelsea
- Greenwich Village/SoHo
- East Side
- Upper West Side
- Washington Heights
- Wall Street
- Midtown South
