Your car got towed in Toronto. Here's exactly what to do next.

First: confirm it was actually towed (not stolen)

Before assuming the city took your car, rule out the alternatives. Walk a full block in each direction first — sometimes a friend moved it, sometimes you parked one block over, and sometimes (it happens) the car is exactly where you left it on a side street you forgot about. Then check:

1. Toronto Police Service non-emergency line: 416-808-2222. They maintain a record of any city-authorised tow within the last 24–48 hours.
2. If the police have no record of a tow, the next call is to report a stolen vehicle (the same number, 416-808-2222).
3. If you parked in a private lot — apartment building, supermarket, mall — the tow may be private. The lot's signage should name the towing contractor; call that contractor directly.

Confirming city-tow vs. private-tow vs. theft is the most important fifteen minutes after noticing your car is missing. The three lead to entirely different next steps.

The Toronto pound system

The City of Toronto operates a small number of impound pounds across the city. Pound assignments are based on the area where the tow happened, so the police dispatcher (or pound locator at toronto.ca/services-payments/parking-violations/) will tell you specifically which one to go to. Don't drive across town to a pound first — call first, confirm the location, then go.

Pounds are typically open 24/7 for vehicle release — including weekends and overnight — though the administrative side (paperwork queries, payment plans, dispute filings) keeps weekday office hours. The pound number you want is the one the police line gives you.

What you'll actually pay

Pricing changes year to year and depends on whether the tow was a standard violation, a no-stopping rush-hour tow, or a snow-route emergency clearance. As a 2026 ballpark:

• Tow fee — typically $250–$350 for a passenger vehicle, billed to you at the pound.
• Storage fee — typically $30–$50 per day, including the day of the tow.
• Administration fee — usually around $35.
• The original parking penalty — the ticket that caused the tow is separate. It travels with the licence plate and gets resolved through the Administrative Penalty System, not at the pound.

For a same-day pickup, you're typically looking at $300–$450 at the pound, plus the ticket itself. Every extra night in storage adds roughly $40. The pound accepts debit and credit; some accept cash. Some do not — call ahead.

Documents to bring to the pound

Pounds will only release a vehicle to a person who can prove they have legal right to it. Bring:

1. Government-issued photo ID (driver's licence is ideal).
2. Vehicle ownership (the green permit slip from the MTO). A photo on your phone often suffices but bring the physical document if you have it.
3. Proof of valid insurance on the vehicle.
4. Payment method — debit card, credit card, or cash if the specific pound accepts it.

If you are not the registered owner — a friend, family member, or business partner picking up on your behalf — they will need a signed letter of authorisation from you, along with photo ID, and the documents above. Without the letter the pound will refuse to release the vehicle.

Releasing your car — the visit itself

At the pound:

1. Present your documents at the office window. Pay the tow + storage + admin fees on the spot.
2. You'll receive a release slip with a vehicle stall number.
3. An attendant escorts you to the vehicle (or directs you to the stall in a fenced lot).
4. Inspect the car before driving off. Walk all four sides. Photograph any new damage. Pounds and tow operators are required to log pre-existing damage at intake, but disputes about post-tow damage are vastly easier when you have date-stamped photos taken at the lot.
5. If you find new damage, ask the attendant for the intake damage report and note the discrepancy in writing before you leave. This is the start of any future claim.

How to dispute the tow

The tow itself can be disputed if it was wrongful — i.e., the underlying parking violation wasn't valid. The dispute doesn't run through the pound; it runs through the Administrative Penalty System, the same process used for any parking ticket. (Full walkthrough: How to dispute a parking ticket in Toronto.)

If the screening or hearing officer cancels the underlying penalty and finds the tow was wrongful, the city refunds the tow fee and storage charges. The refund route is:

1. Win the screening review (or hearing review) on the underlying ticket.
2. Submit the decision letter, along with your pound receipt, to the city's refund desk via the contact details printed on the decision letter.
3. Refunds are typically processed in 6–10 weeks by cheque or e-transfer.

Keep the original pound receipt in a safe place. Without it the refund cannot be processed.

How to never need this article again

A few habits eliminate almost all tow risk in Toronto:

• Photograph the sign every single time you park. Fifteen seconds, no exceptions. It's evidence if you need it and a memory aid if you forget the time limit.
• Set a phone alarm for the moment the restriction begins — typically the start of a rush-hour window (7 a.m. or 3:30 p.m.) or the end of an overnight permit window (7 a.m. or 10 a.m.).
• Don't trust your eye on stacked signs. If a pole has more than two panels, read every one. Disagreement between panels is a real and disputable defence — but it's better to walk away than to fight afterward.
• Avoid arterial-street parking late at night. If you park on King, Queen, Bloor, Yonge, or Bathurst overnight, you have to move by the morning rush window or you'll be towed. Side streets one block off are typically fine.
• Watch for snow-route signs. They're posted year-round but only activate during declared emergencies. Sign up for the city's emergency alerts so you find out before the plough comes.