Know What To Do If Your Car Is Towed For Nonpayment Of Parking Tickets

When you get a parking ticket, it is important for you to pay it right away. There are many people who get numerous parking tickets, toss them in their glove box, and then forget all about them. When this happens, there are some jurisdictions that will put a boot on your car. The boot will not be removed from your car until you have paid all of your tickets. If you do not notice that your car has been booted or do not pay the tickets before dusk, the car will more than likely be towed. When this happens, it is important to know what to do. The following guide walks you through the steps to take if your car has been towed after being booted.

Contact the Local Traffic Authority

The first thing you need to do is contact the local traffic authority to find out if your car was in fact towed. The number for the traffic authority should be on a ticket or notice that you received in the mail letting you know that you need to pay your for your tickets and are being added to the boot list. If your car was not towed, you will need to report it stolen, but you do not want to waste a police officer's time by reporting the vehicle as being stolen if it was simply towed for nonpayment of parking tickets.

Go to the Traffic Court in Your Jurisdiction

Traffic courts are usually only open for a limited amount of time Monday through Friday. You need to go to the court as soon as you discover that your vehicle has been towed and pay for any fines and penalties that you owe for your parking tickets. You will get a receipt for the tickets that you paid and the court will give you a release form for you to take to the traffic authority to retain your car.   

Locate Your Local Traffic Authority Office

Next, you need to go to the traffic authority and pay the fines and fees that have accrued there. You have to pay a towing and storage fee before the vehicle can be released. You must prove that you are a licensed driver, have insurance on the car, and that it is registered to you before you can take it away. You will be given the opportunity to get your proof of insurance and registration out of your car if needed.

If you are not a licensed driver, you will have to hire a tow company to come and tow the car from the lot for you. Every day that the car sits on the lot, you will have to pay storage fees so it will be cheaper to have it towed to your home instead.

To learn more, contact a towing company like Exit 48-24 Hour Repair.