Sometimes—but there is no nationwide rule. Whether a driver must release your car, and whether a fee is allowed, depends on where the car is, who ordered the tow, and how far the hookup or removal has progressed. Ask for the applicable release rule, but do not touch the equipment, block the truck, or physically confront the operator. If the tow continues, document what happened and use your local complaint or hearing process.
The examples below cover Texas, Connecticut, Oregon, and San Diego, California. They are not a 50-state survey, and rules for private-property tows may not apply to police-directed, repossession, roadside-assistance, or other tows.
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What determines whether a tow can be stopped?
Check three facts before relying on a rule:
- Location: Identify the state and, where relevant, the city. Do not assume a rule from another state or locality applies.
- Who ordered the tow: A tow from private property can be governed by different rules than a police- or traffic-authority-ordered tow. Repossessions and roadside-assistance tows may follow different processes too.
- How far the tow has progressed: Record whether the truck has arrived, attached equipment, completed hookup, left the property, or taken the car to storage. The legal meaning of “hooked up” or “removed” differs by jurisdiction.
Ask the operator which rule and fee apply to your location and type of tow. If you safely can, note the time and the truck’s location, and photograph the signs and scene without interfering.
How the release rules differ in four jurisdictions
These official consumer summaries illustrate why the tow’s stage matters but do not establish a general U.S. rule. Texas information below comes from a Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation handout labeled November 2022; Connecticut’s bill of rights is effective October 1, 2025. Oregon’s guidance is from the Oregon Department of Justice, and the California example is the City of San Diego’s summary of private-property towing rules.
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| Location and source | When the driver returns | Release and fee described in the guidance |
|---|---|---|
| Texas — Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) | Before the car is fully hooked up and ready to tow; or after that point but before the truck leaves the parking lot. | Before full hookup, the owner may keep the car without charge and need not prove ownership at that moment. After full hookup but before the truck leaves the lot, the owner may keep it by paying a drop fee; cash, credit, and debit must be accepted for that fee. |
| Connecticut — Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), nonconsensual tow bill of rights | Before the vehicle is connected to the wrecker; or after connection but before it is removed from the property. | Before connection, the owner may stop the tow; if the owner moves the vehicle or corrects the reason for the tow, no fee may be charged. After connection but before removal from the property, the vehicle must be released upon payment of a “Drop Fee.” |
| Oregon — Oregon Department of Justice (DOJ) | While the vehicle is present and hookup is incomplete; or once hookup is complete. | Incomplete hookup means release at no charge. After complete hookup, the tower may charge a hookup fee, not the full tow price. Oregon defines complete hookup as the point when the truck can leave with the vehicle, even if the operator is still securing it for safe towing. |
| San Diego, California — City of San Diego summary | Before the tow truck has left the parking lot. | The driver must immediately and unconditionally release the vehicle; payment cannot be demanded as a condition of release. The company may pursue a charge of up to one-half the regular tow fee for hoisting the vehicle. |
Limits on applying these examples
Texas TDLR’s handout says it does not cover law-enforcement-initiated tows. Connecticut’s cited bill of rights concerns nonconsensual tows and distinguishes private-property rights from after-tow rights. San Diego’s page is a city summary of California private-property rules, not a guarantee that the same result applies to every California tow; it notes exceptions to authorization and signage requirements. Verify the current rule for the precise tow type and location.
What to do while the truck is there
- Keep a safe distance. Do not get in front of the truck or under the car, touch towing equipment, or try to prevent the operator from moving the vehicle.
- Ask for the release rule and any fee. State your location and ask whether the car is considered connected, fully hooked up, or removed under the local rule. If a fee is requested, ask what it covers and how it must be paid.
- Document the encounter without obstructing it. Note the time, location, operator or company name, what stage the tow had reached, and what you were told. If safe, photograph the signs, parking location, and vehicle condition.
- If the operator refuses a release you believe is required, do not escalate physically. Texas TDLR specifically tells consumers not to physically stop a tow and to let the car go and file a complaint if an operator refuses a required release. Preserve your notes and use the applicable agency or legal process.
If the tow has already happened
Keep the tow paperwork, receipts, photographs of the location and signs, and any information you have about who authorized the tow. Request the applicable itemized paperwork and ask the local agency how to challenge the tow or charges. Deadlines and procedures vary; the Texas process below is one jurisdiction-specific example, not a national deadline.
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Texas: request a Justice of the Peace tow hearing
The TDLR handout says a person who believes the tow was improper or the fee exceeded the allowed amount may request a hearing in the Justice of the Peace court in the county where the vehicle was towed. The request must be made before the 14th day after the vehicle is removed and placed in a vehicle storage facility. The handout says the court may charge $20 and must hold the hearing within 21 calendar days after receiving the request. TDLR labels its handout a summary, not a complete description of the law, so confirm the current procedure with the court.
Oregon and Connecticut: preserve the records and use the relevant state process
Oregon DOJ says property-owner authorization for a private-property tow must be signed and that a photograph must show how the vehicle was parked in violation of a posted prohibition. It identifies the Oregon State Board of Towing as a contact for questions or complaints. Connecticut’s DMV bill of rights says a wrecker must take at least two photos showing the reason for the tow and the vehicle’s condition before removal. It also says owners may inspect the vehicle and retrieve personal property; the wrecker service must allow access within four hours of a request and may not hold personal property.
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Connecticut publishes different charge tables for different tow categories and effective dates. Check the current table for the relevant category rather than relying on an amount quoted elsewhere.
San Diego: check the city’s California-specific remedies
The City of San Diego’s summary describes remedies and other rules for private-property tows, including authorization, signs, access to retrieve a vehicle, and invoices. Because the city notes exceptions to some requirements, check its current guidance and the rules that apply to the specific circumstances before treating a tow as invalid.
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Why “hooked up” is not one universal cutoff
The four examples use different milestones: Texas distinguishes full hookup from leaving the parking lot; Connecticut distinguishes connection from removal from the property; Oregon uses whether the truck can leave with the vehicle; and San Diego uses whether the truck has left the lot. A driver’s right to request release—and any permitted fee—can therefore change with the location and the precise stage of the tow. Describe what has physically happened rather than assuming that one state’s definition controls elsewhere.
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