Car Impounded While the Owner Is in Jail? Here's How to Get It Back
Tow yards charge storage fees every single day, and they won't hand the car to you without the owner's notarized OK. We get that signature inside the jail, fast.
Need to get a car out of impound while the registered owner is in jail? Most tow yards will release the vehicle to a family member only with a notarized authorization letter signed by the registered owner. On Call Notary visits the jail, gets the letter signed and notarized on the spot, and hands you the original, often the same day. Call or text (909) 751-8439, 24/7, serving San Bernardino, Riverside, LA, and Orange County facilities.
The car goes to the yard, the fees start that day
When someone is arrested, their vehicle is often towed and stored. From that moment the storage meter runs daily, and unclaimed vehicles eventually head toward lien sale. Two situations matter:
- Standard tow or storage. The yard can usually release the car as soon as someone shows up with the right paperwork. That's where the notarized authorization comes in.
- 30-day hold (Vehicle Code 14602.6). If the car was impounded because the driver was unlicensed or suspended, it's generally held the full 30 days, with narrow exceptions the agency decides. Fees accrue the whole time, so have the notarized authorization ready for the release date instead of scrambling on day 30.
Either way, the sooner the owner's signature gets notarized, the sooner the car comes home and the less you pay the yard.
Have this ready when you call
- Owner's info: full name, booking number, and facility.
- Vehicle info: year, make, model, and the plate or VIN.
- The tow yard's name and number so we can confirm their exact wording requirements first.
- Your driver's license — the letter names you and your license number, and you'll show ID at pickup.
The most common mistake: notarizing a letter before checking the yard's required wording, then having to do it all again. We check first. One visit, done right.
Three steps to the tow yard release window
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1
Call or text us
Tell us the facility, the vehicle, and the tow yard. We help confirm the yard's exact release requirements and quote the jail visit as one flat package before anything starts.
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2
We visit the jail
The registered owner signs the release authorization naming you, and we notarize the signature right there. Tow yards want the original document, and it leaves the jail in our hands and goes straight to yours.
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3
You pick up the car
Take the original notarized letter, your driver's license, and payment for the yard's fees. If the vehicle is on a 30-day hold, you'll be ready the moment the hold lifts.
Need more than one errand handled? A notarized power of attorney can let you handle the owner's vehicle, banking, and bills for the whole time they're inside — one signature instead of many.
Impound release questions, answered
How do I get a car out of impound if the owner is in jail?
The yard releases to the registered owner or to someone the owner authorizes in writing, with a notarized signature. We take that letter into the jail, get it signed and notarized, and you take the original to the yard with your ID. Call or text (909) 751-8439 and we'll start today.
What does the letter need to say?
Most agencies want the owner to name the exact pickup person with their driver's license number, describe the vehicle (year, make, model, plate or VIN), and sign before a notary. Yards typically accept only the original letter, not copies. Requirements vary by yard, which is why we confirm their wording before the visit.
Can I get the car before a 30-day impound is up?
Usually not. Cars impounded under VC 14602.6 (unlicensed or suspended-license driving) are generally held the full 30 days, with narrow exceptions the impounding agency decides. Fees run the whole time, so the smart play is having the notarized authorization ready for the release date.
How fast can you get the signature?
We answer 24/7 and can often visit the jail within hours, depending on the facility's schedule. Every day saved is a day of storage fees you don't pay.
What does it cost?
Notarization is $15 per signature (California's maximum), and the jail visit is quoted as one flat package covering travel and coordination. You'll know the full number before we book. Tow yard fees are separate and go to the yard.