What Happens to Your Car After It Gets Towed in Ontario?
Your car just got towed. Maybe you were in an accident on the QEW. Maybe you broke down on Highway 403 and a tow truck brought your vehicle to a shop. Maybe you returned to a parking lot in Oakville and discovered your car was gone. Whatever the reason, the moment a tow truck drives away with your vehicle toward a vehicle storage yard, repair shop, or impound lot, the same questions hit every driver: where is my car, how do I get it back, what will it cost, and what are my rights? The answer depends on why your car was towed, where it was taken, and who authorized the tow. In Ontario, vehicle storage after a tow is regulated by the provincial Towing and Storage Safety and Enforcement Act (TSSEA), which gives vehicle owners specific protections that many people do not know about. This guide walks you through the entire post-tow process step by step: where your car goes, what happens at the storage facility, how fees accumulate, how to retrieve your vehicle, how insurance claims work, what to do if your car was towed after an accident, and what your legal rights are under Ontario law. Need to reach us about a towed vehicle? Call (289) 430-5168 anytime, 24/7.
Quick Answer
What happens after your car is towed? Your vehicle is transported to either a repair shop you chose, a collision reporting centre, a body shop, your home, or a vehicle storage yard. If taken to storage, daily fees begin accumulating immediately. To retrieve it, you need valid ID, vehicle registration, and payment for all towing and storage charges. Under Ontario’s TSSEA, you have the right to access personal belongings, receive an itemized invoice, and choose your own tow company.
Questions about a towed vehicle? (289) 430-5168 – Available 24/7
Where Does Your Car Go After Being Towed?
The destination depends entirely on the reason for the tow. Here are the five most common scenarios and where your vehicle ends up in each one:
Scenario 1: Mechanical Breakdown
Where it goes: Your chosen mechanic’s shop, a repair facility, or your home driveway.
When you call for a breakdown tow, the driver asks where you want the vehicle taken. You choose the destination. If you do not have a preferred mechanic, the driver can suggest nearby shops, but the decision is yours under TSSEA regulations.
Scenario 2: Collision or Accident
Where it goes: The collision reporting centre, a body shop, vehicle storage, or your home.
If the accident involves injuries, police may direct the tow. Otherwise, you choose where to tow your car after an accident. Many drivers go first to the collision reporting centre to file the report, then have the vehicle moved to a body shop or storage. If the car is undriveable and you do not have a destination yet, it goes to a storage yard.
Scenario 3: Unauthorized Parking (Private Property)
Where it goes: The tow company’s impound or storage facility.
When your vehicle is towed from a private lot for a parking violation, it is taken to a certified vehicle storage yard. In Oakville, this process now follows By-law 2024-187. You retrieve it by paying the towing and storage fees, plus any parking penalty.
Scenario 4: Police-Ordered Tow
Where it goes: A police-designated impound lot or storage facility.
If police order a tow due to a Highway Traffic Act violation, an impaired driving arrest, a serious collision under investigation, or an abandoned vehicle, they may direct the vehicle to a specific facility. In these cases, you may not be able to choose the destination or retrieve the vehicle until the hold is released.
Scenario 5: Voluntary Tow for Transport or Storage
Where it goes: Wherever you direct it.
Sometimes you call a tow truck voluntarily: moving a non-running vehicle to a new home, transporting a project car, taking a vehicle for seasonal storage, or delivering a purchased vehicle. You control the destination completely with a long-distance tow or local transport.
What Happens at the Storage Yard
If your vehicle ends up at a storage facility rather than a repair shop or your home, here is what happens from the moment the tow truck arrives at the yard:
Vehicle intake and condition documentation
The storage yard operator logs the vehicle’s arrival including the make, model, colour, licence plate, VIN, odometer reading, and condition. Photographs are taken to document any existing damage. This protects both you and the storage operator by establishing a baseline record of the vehicle’s state on arrival.
Secure placement in a designated area
Your vehicle is parked in a secure, fenced area with controlled access. Reputable vehicle storage facilities have 24-hour video surveillance, perimeter fencing, and access restrictions. At our facility, all stored vehicles are monitored around the clock with no unauthorized access permitted.
Storage fees begin accumulating
Daily storage fees start from the time the vehicle arrives at the yard. Rates vary by facility and vehicle size, but typical daily rates in the GTA range from $30 to $75 per day for standard vehicles and higher for oversized vehicles like RVs, trucks, and trailers. Fees accumulate every calendar day including weekends and holidays, which is why retrieving your vehicle quickly keeps costs down.
Notification to the vehicle owner
If the tow was not requested by the vehicle owner (such as a parking enforcement tow or police-ordered tow), the vehicle owner must be notified so they can retrieve the vehicle. The Halton Regional Police Service is notified as part of the process in Oakville. You can also contact the tow company directly to confirm your vehicle’s location.
How to Retrieve Your Towed Vehicle
Getting your car back from a storage facility is straightforward if you have the right documents and payment ready. Here is what you need:
Retrieve your vehicle as quickly as possible. Every extra day in storage adds to the bill. If you know the vehicle will need time for an insurance assessment or repair scheduling, ask about the daily rate upfront and factor that into your timeline.
Need Your Car Moved From Storage to a Shop?
We transfer vehicles from storage yards to body shops, mechanics, your home, or anywhere in Ontario.
Understanding Towing and Storage Fees in Ontario
The total cost of a tow and storage consists of several components. Here is a breakdown so you know exactly what you are paying for:
A vehicle that sits in storage for a week at $50 per day accumulates $350 in storage fees alone, on top of the initial tow. This is why speed matters. For a full breakdown of towing costs, visit our 2026 Towing Cost Guide.
What to Do If Your Car Was Towed After an Accident
Accident tows involve more complexity than breakdown tows because insurance, police reports, and repair decisions all intersect. Here is the post-accident timeline:
1. The tow from the scene
After the accident, your vehicle needs to leave the scene. Under TSSEA, you have the right to choose your own tow truck towing company. If a tow truck arrives unsolicited at the scene, you are not obligated to use it. Politely decline and call your preferred company. Do not sign anything or hand over keys to a tow operator you did not request.
2. Collision reporting
In Ontario, you must report a collision to the police within 24 hours if total damage exceeds $2,000 or if there are injuries. The accident towing process often includes transport to the collision reporting centre as a first stop. In Oakville, the Halton Regional Police handle collision reports.
3. Insurance notification
Contact your insurance company as soon as possible after the accident. They will open a claim, assign an adjuster, and tell you which body shops are in their approved network. Many insurance policies cover towing and storage as part of the claim, but there are often limits on daily storage fees and total storage days. An insurance towing service that works directly with insurers can streamline this process by providing documentation and billing directly to the claims team.
4. Insurance adjuster assessment
The insurance adjuster inspects the vehicle to determine whether it will be repaired or written off as a total loss. This inspection may happen at the storage yard, at a body shop, or remotely using photos. The faster the adjuster sees the car, the sooner a decision is made and the sooner you stop paying storage fees. Push your insurer for a quick inspection appointment.
5. Repair or total loss
If the vehicle is repairable, it goes from storage to the body shop. If it is declared a total loss, the insurer settles the claim and the vehicle may be picked up by a salvage company. In either case, the vehicle leaves the storage yard and daily fees stop. If you need a tow from the storage yard to the body shop, we handle that transfer.
Your Rights Under Ontario’s TSSEA
Ontario’s Towing and Storage Safety and Enforcement Act gives vehicle owners strong protections. Every driver in Ontario should know these rights:
Choose Your Own Tow Company
Unless police direct the tow, you have the right to choose which tow truck towing company takes your vehicle. Decline unsolicited tow trucks at accident scenes.
Written Consent Before the Tow
A tow operator must get your written consent before moving your vehicle (unless the tow is police-ordered or authorized under a municipal by-law like Oakville’s 2024-187).
Free Written Estimate
Before any work begins, the tow operator must provide a written estimate. You can decline the service if the cost is not acceptable.
Itemized Invoice
You must receive a detailed, itemized invoice before payment that shows every charge: tow fee, distance, storage days, surcharges, and any other costs.
Access to Personal Belongings
You have the right to access personal items inside your vehicle at no extra charge, even before you pay for the tow or storage. The storage facility cannot hold your belongings hostage.
Multiple Payment Methods
The operator must accept cash, debit, and credit card. They cannot force cash-only payment.
Most Direct Route
The tow operator must take the most direct route to the destination. They cannot take a longer route to inflate the per-kilometre charge.
No Unsolicited Referrals
The tow operator cannot steer you to a specific body shop or repair facility unless you ask for a recommendation. Your vehicle goes where you direct it. Learn more about why drivers choose us for transparent, TSSEA-compliant service.
Frequently Asked Questions About What Happens After a Tow
How do I find out where my towed car was taken?
If you requested the tow, you know the destination because you chose it. If you did not request it, check the parking ticket left on scene, contact Halton Regional Police (for Oakville tows), or contact ServiceOakville at 905-845-6601. For highway tows ordered by the OPP, call the OPP non-emergency line. They log every tow including the storage facility name and address.
Can I get my personal belongings from a towed car before paying?
Yes. Under Ontario’s TSSEA, you have the right to access personal items inside your vehicle at no charge. The storage operator must allow you to retrieve medications, child car seats, work equipment, documents, and other personal property even if you have not yet paid the towing or storage fees.
Will my insurance cover towing and storage fees?
Many Ontario auto insurance policies include towing and storage coverage, but limits vary. Some policies cover a flat amount (for example, $500 total), while others cover specific daily rates. Contact your insurer immediately after the tow to confirm your coverage. An insurance towing service provider like us can bill the insurer directly in many cases, reducing your out-of-pocket expense. For roadside services like boosts, lockouts, and tire changes, separate roadside assistance coverage may apply.
What happens if I do not pick up my vehicle from storage?
Storage fees continue accumulating every day. After an extended period (which varies by facility and circumstance), the storage operator may follow legal procedures to declare the vehicle abandoned. Eventually, an unclaimed vehicle can be sold or scrapped to recover the storage costs owed. Do not let this happen. Even if the car is not worth repairing, retrieve it or arrange for its removal to stop the fees.
Where should I tow my car after an accident if I do not know a body shop?
If you do not have a preferred body shop, tow the vehicle to a secure storage facility first. This buys you time to contact your insurer, get the adjuster’s recommendation, and choose a body shop without pressure. From storage, we can do a second tow to the body shop once you have made a decision. Alternatively, ask your insurance company for their list of approved collision repair centres.
Can someone else pick up my towed vehicle for me?
Yes, but they need written authorization from the registered owner, their own valid photo ID, and proof of the vehicle’s registration. Some storage facilities may require the authorization to be notarized. Call the facility in advance to confirm their specific requirements so the person is not turned away.
What if a tow truck showed up at my accident without being called?
This is a common concern and exactly the kind of predatory towing Ontario’s TSSEA was designed to combat. You are not required to use an unsolicited tow truck. Stay with your vehicle, politely decline, and call your preferred tow company. Never sign paperwork or hand over keys to a tow operator you did not request. If you feel pressured, call the police non-emergency line.
Is there a time limit for picking up my car from vehicle storage?
There is no hard deadline, but storage fees accumulate daily. The longer you wait, the more it costs. If the vehicle is there for an insurance claim, communicate with your adjuster to schedule the inspection quickly. If the vehicle is a total loss, your insurer or salvage company handles removal. Our vehicle storage facility offers transparent daily rates with no hidden fees.
Can I have my vehicle towed from one storage yard to another?
Yes. If your vehicle ended up at a facility with high daily rates or a location that is inconvenient, you can pay the outstanding fees, then have us tow it to a different storage facility, a body shop, your mechanic, or your home. You have the right to move your vehicle at any time once fees are settled. View our tow truck fleet, browse our service area, or check our FAQ page for more details.
How do I file a complaint about a tow company or storage facility in Ontario?
If a tow operator or storage yard violated your TSSEA rights, you can file a complaint with the Ontario Ministry of Transportation using their online form, by email at towing@ontario.ca, or by phone at 416-246-7166 (toll-free within Ontario: 1-800-387-7736). Document everything: take photos, save receipts, note the operator’s name and truck number, and keep any paperwork you received.
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