A car towed in Cambridge, Somerville, Quincy, or any other Greater Boston town goes to that town’s impound through its contracted tow company, not the City of Boston lot. The fees, the process, and the hours are the town’s, not Boston’s. Quick Tow Boston explains how to find and retrieve a suburban-towed car.
How to find a suburban-towed car
The first step is to find out which lot the car was taken to. The town’s police department is the right starting point. The police can confirm the tow and identify the contracted company.
For Cambridge, the plate lookup is at cambridgema.gov, and Cambridge police are at 125 Sixth Street.
For Somerville, the claim check is obtained at the police station at 220 Washington Street.
For Quincy, retrieval runs Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The Quincy Police Department is the right starting point to confirm the tow and the lot.
For other towns, the town’s police department website or the town’s general information line is the right starting point.
A driver who finds an empty space should also check whether the car was towed by the town or by a private company. The signs at the lot, the receipt, or the town’s website usually identify which one.
What a suburban impound charges
A suburban municipal impound follows the state DPU maximums, not the City of Boston’s published fees. The current maximums under 220 CMR 272.00 are:
- Base tow, up to five miles: $132, including one hour of service or waiting time
- Each mile over five: $4.40
- Storage at a lighted outdoor lot enclosed by a 6-foot fence: $35 per 24 hours
- Storage at other outdoor storage: $17.50 per 24 hours
- No gate fee, no after-hours fee in the regulation
The DPU maximums are the cap, not the contracted company’s price. The actual price may be lower, depending on the town’s contract. Confirm the total with the lot before paying.
A bill that adds a gate fee or an after-hours fee is overcharging, because the regulation includes neither. Question any bill that adds one.
What to bring to the lot
The standard release documents are:
- Valid driver’s license
- Proof of registration
- Proof of insurance
- Payment of the tow fee and any storage
Some towns also require a claim check from the police station before the lot will release the vehicle. Somerville is the most common example. The driver picks up the claim check at the police station and then takes it to the lot.
A driver who is not the registered owner may need additional documents, such as a notarized letter of authorization from the registered owner. Confirm with the lot before arriving.
Hours of operation
The hours are the town’s, not Boston’s. The City of Boston lot is staffed Monday through Friday, 7:00 AM to 10:30 PM, with kiosks around the clock. A suburban lot may have different hours.
Quincy’s retrieval runs Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, and is closed on weekends. A weekend tow in Quincy can mean a wait until Monday, and the storage clock runs the whole time.
Cambridge and Somerville publish their hours through the police department and the town’s website. Confirm the hours before arriving.
How to keep the bill down
Move fast. Storage is the charge that grows, whether it is $35 a day or $17.50 a day, so the day you retrieve the car matters.
Bring every document the first time. A missing registration or insurance card can turn a same-day pickup into a second trip, and the meter runs while the car sits.
Pick up the claim check before going to the lot, when the town requires it. A trip to the police station first and then to the lot saves the back-and-forth.
If the tow was on private property, raise the free-release rule under M.G.L. c. 266 s. 120D if any requirement was missed. A missing sign or no written police notice is a defense.
How to dispute a suburban tow
A driver who believes a suburban tow was wrongful should contact the town’s police department first. The police can review the circumstances and confirm whether the tow was authorized.
The next step is the Massachusetts Attorney General’s office. The AG handles consumer complaints about tows, and a complaint that includes the date, the time, the location, and the reason for the tow is a record the AG can review.
For a DPU rate overcharge, the DPU’s Transportation Division is the regulator, and a complaint to the DPU can result in an audit and a refund.
What Quick Tow Boston can and cannot do
Quick Tow Boston does not handle suburban-tow disputes. We connect drivers with independent local operators for new tows at the side of a road or in a parking lot. If a car has been towed in a suburb, the right call is the town’s police department and the lot that holds the vehicle.
For a car that needs a tow from a suburban impound to another location, the operator quotes the job before the truck rolls, and the tow is a consensual tow that follows the operator’s pricing.
Frequently asked questions
Where does a Cambridge-towed car go? Cambridge runs its own impound through a contracted company. Confirm the lot location with Cambridge police at 125 Sixth Street, and check the plate at cambridgema.gov.
Where does a Somerville-towed car go? Somerville uses the police station at 220 Washington Street for the claim check, and the vehicle is held by a contracted company at the DPU maximum rates.
Where does a Quincy-towed car go? Quincy’s impound retrieval runs Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The Quincy Police Department is the right starting point to confirm the lot.
Does Quick Tow Boston handle suburban impound disputes? No. We connect drivers with independent local operators for new tows. For a suburban impound dispute, contact the town’s police department and the Massachusetts Attorney General’s office.
When to call us
Call when a vehicle is disabled at the side of a road or in a parking lot and needs a local operator sent, not when a car is already in a suburban impound. Quick Tow Boston connects drivers with independent local operators across Greater Boston, and the operator quotes the price before anyone is dispatched. Calls are recorded after a notice. Reach the dispatch line at (857) 858-5057.