City of Buffalo Impound Lot: Has Your Car Been Towed?

If the City of Buffalo towed your car, it goes to the Dart Street Impound at 166 Dart St., Buffalo, NY 14213. Look it up first on AutoReturn by plate or VIN. Then pay the towing charges at City Hall, 65 Niagara Square, Room 111, before you go to the lot. Bring the receipt, your insurance card, and your license or photo ID. Call the impound at 716-851-5369 with questions.

Was my car towed by the city, or stolen?

You come out of a Sabres game, or a late shift, and your spot on the street is empty. Don't panic yet. Work through these checks in order.

1. Search AutoReturn. The city points you to AutoReturn for its newest tow records. You can search by plate number, VIN, or general vehicle details.
2. Walk the block. Buffalo can do a "mini-tow." Parking Enforcement may shift your car to a legal spot as far as 500 feet away. You don't pay a full tow for that. A mini-tow fee gets added to your ticket instead.
3. Call your police district. Still nothing? Call your Buffalo Police District. The city says districts get told as soon as Parking Enforcement moves a car.

Records can take a little time to show up. If you search right after the tow, try again before you assume the worst. If no one has a record of a tow, report the car stolen. If you feel unsafe where you're standing, call 911.

What if I was parked in a private lot?

Then the city didn't take it. Buffalo's Parking Enforcement only tows from city streets and city property. A grocery store lot, an apartment lot, or a paid lot near Canalside is private. Call the property owner or manager. Ask who towed the car and where it went.

Why do cars get towed in Buffalo in winter?

Buffalo averages 94.7 inches of snow a year, according to NOAA. Winter brings rules that catch a lot of drivers off guard.

The big one is the bus route ban. City Ordinance Chapter 479, Section 15.45 says you can't park on a street where buses run from 1:30 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. That applies every day from November 15 to April 1. Last season's list covered stretches of Main, Elmwood, Delaware, Niagara, Bailey, Broadway and Hertel.

• Read the side rule. If the list names a side of the street, that side is the banned side. If it names no side, both sides are banned.
• Check the current list. The city says the bus route list can change. Look at it each fall before you park overnight.
• Watch the dates. The city's FAQ gives a wider window, November 1 to April 15. The two pages don't match, so play it safe early and late in the season.

During a snow emergency, the city's advice is different. If your car vanished during plowing, call your district police station. They can tell you whether it was towed and where it went.

How do I get my car out of the Dart Street Impound?

This is the part that trips people up. In Buffalo, you pay first and pick up second. The lot is not where you pay the towing charges.

1. Go to City Hall. Pay the towing charges at 65 Niagara Square, Room 111. City Hall is open 8:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., Monday to Friday.
2. Keep the receipt. The impound wants to see it.
3. Gather your papers. For a car that's legal to drive, bring your insurance card, the receipt, and your license or photo ID.
4. Go to Dart Street. The lot is at 166 Dart St. It releases drivable cars from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday to Friday.

Plan around those hours. If you work days, you may need to take time off. City Hall closes at 4:15 p.m. and the lot stops at 3:30 p.m., so start early. The city lists no weekend hours, so call 716-851-5369 before you count on a Saturday.

Can someone else pick it up for me?

Yes, with paperwork. The impound only releases a car to the owner, or to someone the owner sends with notarized consent. A text from you won't do it. Get the consent notarized before your friend makes the trip.

How do I pay by check?

Make checks out to the Parking Violations Bureau. The city only takes checks for tickets when your registration is not suspended. If you have a question about paying, call the Parking Department at 716-851-5182.

What if my car was towed for a crash, plates or a suspension?

Some tows come with extra steps. Do these before you head to the lot, or you'll get turned away.

• Towed after a crash. Call your insurance company before you try to pick the car up.
• Suspended registration. Want to keep your plates? Go to the DMV first. If you don't, the impound can cut your plates. Then a licensed tow company has to tow the car out, and you turn the plates in to the DMV.
• Switched plates. Register and insure the car properly before you come. The lot won't release it until that's done.
• A boot on the wheel. Call the impound at 716-851-5369, or go to 166 Dart Street in person.

Can I fight the parking ticket?

You can ask for a hearing. The city takes hearing requests by email, phone or mail. Call 716-851-5182, or mail a dispute to Parking Violations, 65 Niagara Square, Room 111, Buffalo, NY 14202. Take photos of the signs and the spot where you parked. Snowbanks can bury a sign, and a photo helps your case.

What happens if I leave the car there?

The city sells impounded cars at auction. Its Parking Department runs those sales through GovDeals. The city doesn't post a public countdown for when a car goes up for sale, so don't wait. Call the impound and ask how long you have. If money is tight, ask about it on that same call.

My car won't start or can't be driven. Now what?

Cars sit at Dart Street through cold nights. Batteries die. A crash may have bent a wheel. Or your plates got cut, so the car can't legally go on the road.

The lot handles this with a cutoff. If the car needs a tow out, the last tow out leaves by 3:15 p.m. each day. Book your tow for earlier than that, not right at the wire.

• Battery dead from the cold. Ask for a jump start after the release. If the battery won't hold a charge, plan on a tow instead.
• Crash damage, cut plates, or no licensed driver. Book a car tow to your home or your shop.
• Plowed in at the curb back home. If your car ends up stuck in a snowbank next to the road, a winch-out can pull it free.

Sentinel doesn't do impounds or releases. You clear the fees and paperwork with the city first. A vetted local partner can then tow a car, SUV, minivan or light pickup out of the lot.

How does Sentinel help once the car is released?

Sentinel Towing is a towing and roadside network. A vetted local partner tow company does the job. We text you your price before anyone is sent, and that price is locked. Then we check on you by text until your truck arrives. Read the Stay-With-You Promise for the details. Our Buffalo towing page covers help on the 190, the Skyway, the Kensington and around town.

Stuck right now? Call 1-888-TOW-1213, or request help online.

Buffalo Impound Lot Questions

Rules change, so check the official source before you rely on it. Sources: City of Buffalo: Has My Car Been Towed, City of Buffalo Impound Procedure, Parking Enforcement FAQs, Winter Bus Route List, Bus Route FAQ, Snow Emergency Resources, Auto Auction, Buffalo Police Districts, NOAA climate normals.