Tow yards don’t all charge one San Diego daily rate. The City of San Diego’s published fee schedule lists daily storage at $41 for regular-duty vehicles, $70 for medium-duty vehicles, and $100 for heavy-duty vehicles. Those figures were verified on August 2, 2026, but schedules can change, so confirm the current rate before waiting another day.
Why storage is separate from the tow itself
The tow charge pays for moving the vehicle to the storage facility. Storage is a separate charge for keeping the vehicle at that facility. That distinction matters because the tow happens once, while storage can add more billed time before release.
For City of San Diego impounds, the published schedule separates both charges. It lists regular-duty towing at $178 and regular-duty daily storage at $41. Medium-duty towing is listed at $190, with daily storage at $70. Heavy-duty towing is listed at $250, with daily storage at $100.
These are City of San Diego schedule figures, not universal San Diego County prices. A vehicle removed in Chula Vista, Oceanside, El Cajon, or another jurisdiction may fall under a different agency arrangement. A private-property tow can also involve a different process from an SDPD-ordered impound.
First, identify who ordered the tow. Then identify the yard holding the vehicle. Ask each party which current schedule applies to your case.
The original tow charge also isn’t the same as your complete release balance. The City schedule includes separate entries for certain items, including its Tow/Impound Cost Recovery Fee. Our guide to the total cost of getting a car out of impound explains how those separate lines can appear together.
Quick Tow SD doesn’t operate an impound lot or set another yard’s charges. We connect customers with independent towing operators for ordinary towing needs.
What a daily rate usually covers, and what it may not
A daily storage line should be read as one part of the invoice. Don’t assume it includes the original tow, agency charges, release paperwork, special equipment, or after-hours access. Ask the yard to explain every separate line before paying.
For a City of San Diego impound, confirm the vehicle’s duty category. The published storage rates differ for regular, medium, and heavy vehicles. The schedule defines regular duty as under 9,500 pounds GVWR, medium duty as 9,500 through 22,000 pounds, and heavy duty as more than 22,000 pounds GVWR.
Ask the yard these questions:
- Which duty category did you assign to my vehicle?
- What is the current daily storage rate?
- When did the first storage period begin?
- How does the yard count each additional storage period?
- What time must release finish to avoid another charge?
- Which invoice lines are separate from storage?
- Can I receive an itemized invoice before payment?
California law gives vehicle owners the right to an itemized invoice of actual charges before payment. It also allows inspection of the vehicle and retrieval of personal property at no charge during normal business hours, subject to the law’s scope and exceptions.
For private-property removals, the circumstances behind the tow also matter. Our private property towing guide explains the difference between arranging a lawful removal and retrieving a vehicle after one. The full statutory rules appear in California Vehicle Code 22658.
Weekend, after-hours, and hold questions to ask
Drivers often ask, “Do tow yards charge for weekends?” No single weekend storage rule or countywide weekend price was confirmed for every San Diego yard. Ask the facility whether storage continues during weekends and how it counts those periods.
Don’t confuse weekend storage with an after-hours release charge. The City of San Diego’s published schedule lists a $48 after-hours release fee after 5 p.m. and on weekends. That is a separate schedule entry. Confirm whether it applies to your planned pickup and whether a normal-hours pickup is available sooner.
A vehicle hold creates another issue. Paying the yard may not be enough when an impounding agency requires release paperwork. Ask the agency whether the vehicle is cleared before traveling across town to the lot.
These questions can prevent a wasted trip:
- Is the vehicle currently eligible for release?
- Does an agency hold remain active?
- Is signed release paperwork required?
- Which identification and ownership documents will the yard accept?
- Does the yard release vehicles during the hours you plan to arrive?
- Will an after-hours release charge apply?
- Could another storage period be added before pickup finishes?
Port of San Diego cases follow their own process. Harbor Police handles releases for vehicles impounded from Port District tidelands in San Diego, Chula Vista, National City, Coronado, and Imperial Beach. The registered owner must appear with the required documents when a signed release is needed. Fees are then paid at the towing yard.
That process differs from an SDPD impound. Location alone doesn’t tell you which agency controls the release.
How storage time changes the total before release
Storage can change the balance even when the original tow charge stays fixed. The key variables are the daily rate, the number of billed storage periods, and any separate charges that apply to the release.
Ask for a current payoff figure tied to a specific pickup time. Then ask when that figure changes. A quote for this morning may not remain accurate after the yard’s next billing cutoff.
Use this simple checklist:
- Confirm the vehicle’s duty category.
- Confirm the current storage rate.
- Ask how many storage periods are already billed.
- Ask when the next period begins.
- Confirm whether the agency has cleared the vehicle.
- Request an itemized release total.
- Ask which payment methods the facility accepts.
California storage facilities covered by Vehicle Code 22651.07 must accept cash, an insurer’s check, or a valid bank credit card. The same law provides access and invoice rights, but it doesn’t mean every hold disappears after payment.
Waiting can also create problems beyond the next storage line. A tow-yard lien sale can become a route for recovering unpaid towing and storage charges. The procedure depends on the vehicle’s value and other facts. It isn’t one automatic timeline for every vehicle.
If you can’t retrieve the car promptly, read what can happen when you don’t pick up a vehicle from a California tow yard. Contact the yard rather than assuming the balance will stop changing.
Where to confirm the current yard and agency figures
Start with the storage facility. Ask for its current posted rate, your vehicle category, the intake time, and an itemized balance. Record the employee’s name and the time of the call.
Next, contact the agency that ordered the tow. The agency can confirm whether a hold remains, whether release paperwork is needed, and which rate agreement governs the impound. For City of San Diego cases, AutoReturn is the City’s official towing and impound contractor. Its online vehicle locator is available at search.autoreturn.com.
For a private-property tow, ask which law-enforcement jurisdiction has primary responsibility for that location. California’s approved rates depend on the applicable local arrangement. A figure from Los Angeles, Georgia, or another state doesn’t answer a San Diego storage question.
Keep copies of these records:
- The tow notice
- The written authorization, when applicable
- The storage notice
- The itemized invoice
- Release paperwork
- Payment receipts
- Photos of the vehicle and posted signs
Owners of vehicles towed by public agencies may have post-storage hearing rights. Under California Vehicle Code 22852, the request window is 10 days from the mailed notice. The hearing must occur within 48 hours of the request, excluding weekends and holidays.
If you’re still organizing the release, follow our guide on how to get your car back from impound. It covers the order of calls, documents, and payment questions without assuming every San Diego impound works alike.
When to call us
An impound hold or storage dispute must be handled with the yard and ordering agency. If the released vehicle can’t be driven, Quick Tow SD can connect you with an independent licensed and insured operator for transport. Call (858) 923-5787 to reach dispatch.