How much does it cost to get a car out of impound in Arlington?
A plain-English guide to impound and storage costs in Arlington: release fees, daily storage, the paperwork you need, and how to get your car back for less.
Why impound & storage fees costs what it does in Arlington
Newton, Brookline, Waltham and every other town on this side run their own impound with their own contracted company, which is not the Boston lot. Massachusetts caps what they may charge through the Department of Public Utilities in 220 CMR 272: up to $132 for a base tow within five miles, $4.40 for each mile past five, and up to $35 per 24 hours at a fenced, lit lot, or $17.50 otherwise. Ask the town that ordered the tow for its lot and its hours.
Arlington runs its own impound, not the City of Boston lot, so a Boston city fee will not match here. Call the police department that ordered the tow and ask for the tow fee and the daily storage rate. A police-ordered or private-property non-consensual tow is capped by the Massachusetts DPU maximums in 220 CMR 272: up to $132 to tow within five miles, up to $4.40 a mile beyond, and up to $35 per 24 hours of storage at a lighted fenced lot or $17.50 otherwise. Those are state maximums, not a set price. Under M.G.L. c. 266 s. 120D a private-property tow taken without posted no-parking signs at every entrance and exit, or without written notice to the local police chief before removal, must be released with no removal or storage charge. In Arlington call the police department that ordered the tow, since an Arlington tow goes to the town's own contracted lot.
How we work Arlington
Arlington runs along Route 2 as it heads toward the Alewife bottleneck, one of the most congested points in the state, so its towing leans on the highway: breakdown and crash recovery at the corridor and the rush-hour crush at Alewife. The Minuteman Bikeway runs through the town, and the neighborhoods are a mix of single homes and denser blocks with tight parking. That keeps ordinary lockouts and residential tows steady between the highway calls. As its own town, a tow in Arlington follows the state DPU maximum rates, up to $132 to release plus up to $35 a day storage, rather than the Boston lot fees. The operator we send covers the Route 2 corridor and the neighborhood streets, and points you to the Arlington process for an impounded car.
Cost details for Arlington
These details cover applicable pound or municipal fees in Arlington. If the vehicle needs a tow after release, the operator quotes that separate job before dispatch based on the vehicle, access, distance, and requested service.
For applicable pound or municipal fees, use the details above. If you need a tow after release, call (857) 858-5057 for the operator's separate quote before dispatch.
Common Arlington cost questions
How much does it cost to get my car out of impound in Arlington?
Arlington runs its own impound, which is not the City of Boston lot and does not use Boston's $90 fee, so a figure a neighbor quotes from a city tow won't match. Massachusetts caps what a non-consent tow may charge through the Department of Public Utilities in 220 CMR 272: a base tow within five miles of no more than $132, $4.40 for each mile past five, and storage of no more than $35 per 24 hours at a fenced, lit lot, or $17.50 otherwise. Call the department that ordered the tow and ask for its lot and its rate.
What do I need to get my impounded car back in Arlington?
For the City of Boston lot you need a valid driver's license, your license plate number, proof of active registration and proof of insurance, and all charges paid; the city accepts cash, a money order, a cashier's check, or a debit or credit card with a 2.5% processing fee. A suburban impound sets its own list, so ask the department that ordered the tow what it needs before you drive over.
What happens if I don't pick up my car in Arlington?
A town impound sets its own hours, and storage keeps running the whole time at up to $35 per 24 hours under the state ceiling, so the earlier you call the department that ordered the tow, the less it costs. Massachusetts also treats a vehicle left over 72 hours as abandoned under M.G.L. c. 90 s. 22C, and a private-property tow that skipped a required step, such as posted signs at every entrance and exit or written notice to the police chief, must be released with no charge under M.G.L. c. 266 s. 120D.
Can Quick Tow Boston get my car out of impound in Arlington?
No, and it's worth being straight about that. We connect drivers with private tow and roadside operators; we aren't the city lot, the town or the police department holding your car, so we can't waive anyone's fees or release it faster. What we can do is help you work out who has it and what the process is, and line up an operator to move it once it's released. Call (857) 858-5057.
Related towing info for Arlington
Impound & storage fees in the rest of the West Suburbs area
Need a tow after release in Arlington?
Call the line for the operator's separate onward-tow quote before dispatch.