How to dispute a tow in Allston
Think a tow near Allston was wrong? Massachusetts gives you a real path to challenge it, but which route you take depends on who towed the car.
What Massachusetts law says
There are two separate routes to challenge a tow in Massachusetts, and using the wrong one wastes time. If a car was taken from private property, the standard is M.G.L. c. 266 s. 120D: the lot must post signs at every entrance and exit, the owner must notify the local police chief in writing before removal, and the company may charge only the 220 CMR 272 rates. Miss any of those and the vehicle must be released with no charge. If a city or town impounded the car, the dispute goes to the department that ordered the tow. Work out which happened first, because a public-street tow and a private-lot tow answer to different rules.
Allston sits outside Massachusetts, so a different state's impound and towing rules apply here instead of the Massachusetts law above. Call the line and the operator who takes the job can walk you through what's different for your vehicle.
How it works in Allston
- 1 Work out who towed it
A city or town impound and a private-property tow have different rules and different places to complain. Getting this wrong is the most common reason a challenge goes nowhere.
- 2 For a private-lot tow, photograph the signs
Under M.G.L. c. 266 s. 120D the lot must post signs at every entrance and exit. Photograph the lot, including any missing signs, before anything changes.
- 3 Check the written notice to police
The property owner must notify the local police chief in writing before removal. Ask the department whether that notice was given.
- 4 Check the charge against the ceiling
The company may charge only the 220 CMR 272 rates: up to $132 for a base tow within five miles and up to $35 per 24 hours of storage. Anything higher is not allowed.
- 5 Use the free-release remedy
If the company failed any provision, the statute says the vehicle must be released with no towing or storage charge. Keep your evidence.
- 6 File it with the right body
A private-lot rate or licensing complaint goes to the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities. A city or town impound dispute goes to the department that ordered the tow.
What this looks like around Allston
Inside Boston, around Dorchester, Roxbury, Jamaica Plain and the other neighborhoods, a city tow is disputed with the City of Boston, which you reach at 617-635-3900, while a car taken from a private lot is measured against M.G.L. c. 266 s. 120D and the 220 CMR 272 rate ceiling. Photograph the lot and any signs before anything changes.
A Allston tow inside the city goes to the City of Boston lot at 200 Frontage Road. Look it up at cityofboston.gov/towing/search, entering three characters of the plate, which covers the past 15 days, or call 617-635-3900, and 617-343-4629 if you do not know your plate. The city fee is $90 to tow and $3 per hour of storage up to $15 per day. To release it you need a valid driver's license, your license plate number, proof of active registration and proof of insurance, and the city takes cash, a money order, a cashier's check or a debit or credit card with a 2.5% fee on cards. The lot is staffed Monday to Friday, 7:00 AM to 10:30 PM, with automated kiosks around the clock. A street-cleaning tow is different: a private company holds the car at its own lot and charges $108 plus $35 per day, so confirm which kind of tow it was. Around September 1 an Allston car is often towed for a move-in permit or a marked truck zone, so check the lookup and any posted temporary signs first.
Allston is ground zero for what locals call Allston Christmas. About 70 percent of Boston's leases turn over on September 1, more than 150,000 students move at once, and Allston, more than 90 percent renters and packed with BU housing, takes the brunt of it. A moving truck without a city permit risks a ticket or a tow, and the low bridges over Storrow Drive claim a rental truck or two every year when a driver forgets the height. Outside move-in week it is a dense, young, car-heavy neighborhood, so lockouts, dead batteries and permit-zone tows run steady. A city tow goes to 200 Frontage Road, $90 to release plus $3 an hour up to $15 a day, with the plate lookup at cityofboston.gov/towing/search. The operator we send knows the September rush and the Storrow height trap both.
Common Allston questions
How do I challenge a tow in Allston?
First work out who towed it. A private-property tow is measured against M.G.L. c. 266 s. 120D, so check the signs at every entrance and exit, the written notice to the police chief, and the 220 CMR 272 rate. A city or town impound dispute goes to the department that ordered the tow.
What if the lot had no signs in Allston?
Under M.G.L. c. 266 s. 120D a lot must post signs at every entrance and exit. If the signs were missing, the removal was not lawful and the vehicle must be released with no charge. Photograph the lot before anything is changed.
What if the tow company overcharged in Allston?
The company may charge only the state Department of Public Utilities rates in 220 CMR 272: up to $132 for a base tow within five miles and up to $35 per 24 hours of storage. A charge above the ceiling is not allowed, and you can raise it with the DPU.
Can Quick Tow Boston settle my tow dispute in Allston?
No. We are not the towing company, the town or the DPU, and we have no standing in your dispute. We can tell you which route applies and line up an operator once the car is released. Call (857) 858-5057.
Related help for Allston
Disputing a tow in the rest of the Boston Neighborhoods area
Need your car towed once it's released in Allston?
We can't waive the yard's fees. We can line up an operator the moment it clears.