Rules
What Happens to an Unclaimed Towed Car in Colorado Springs
In Colorado Springs, a car towed by city police can be auctioned 30 days after the city mails a notice to the owner and lienholder on file with the state. The city sells it on propertyroom.com or as scrap. Once it's offered for auction, you can't claim it back. The clock starts at the mailing date, not the tow date, so act the week the letter arrives.
When does the 30-day clock start?
It starts when the notice goes in the mail. The city sends it to the last address the state has for the registered owner and any lienholder. It does not wait for you to open it.
That detail trips people up. Say you moved across town last spring and never updated your address. The letter goes to the old apartment. Your 30 days run anyway.
So don't wait for mail. If your car is gone, check the city's online search the same day. Since April 2026 it lists three kinds of tows:
- Tows by Colorado Springs Police (CSPD)
- Abandoned cars towed by City Neighborhood Services
- Private property impounds and repos
If you find it, you know where it sits. Now you can plan the pickup before any deadline shows up in your mailbox.
Why would my car end up abandoned in the first place?
Most unclaimed cars weren't abandoned on purpose. Life got in the way. Here's how it usually happens in Colorado Springs:
- The 72-hour rule. The city treats a car left in the same street spot for 72 hours as abandoned. It often starts with a neighbor's complaint. You're on a two-week deployment or a work trip, and the car gets towed from your own curb.
- The fees feel too big. An older car gets towed, and the owner decides it isn't worth getting back.
- Paperwork stalls. The registration lapsed, or the person picking up isn't on the title.
- A hold. Police or the District Attorney hold the car as evidence. You can't claim it until every agency releases it in writing. That can take until the case ends.
Colorado law adds one more trap. A car in a police impound lot counts as abandoned if it's still there 72 hours after police tell you it's ready for release. That's the state rule in C.R.S. 42-4-1802.
Who sells the car, the city or the tow company?
It depends on who ordered the tow. That one question decides which rules apply to you.
| Who towed it | Whose rules | How it's sold |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado Springs Police or City Neighborhood Services | City ordinance | Auction on propertyroom.com, or scrap |
| State Patrol or Sheriff, on public land | State law, Part 18 of Title 42, unless a local rule replaces it | Appraised, then sold 30 to 60 days after the notice |
| A private lot owner (apartment, store, office) | State law, Part 21 of Title 42 | The tow company sells it 30 to 60 days after the notice |
State law lets a city or county write its own process for abandoned cars on public property. Colorado Springs has one, which is why its rules differ from the state's. If El Paso County deputies, State Patrol or Fountain police towed you, call that agency and ask which rules they follow.
Will I still owe money if the car is sold?
For a CSPD tow, no. The city says that if your car sells at auction, you don't owe the impound fees. That's a real relief if the car was worth less than the bill.
State-law tows work differently. Under C.R.S. 42-4-1809 and 42-4-2108, if the sale brings in less than the tow company's charges, the tow company can come after you for the rest. Letting the car go doesn't always wipe the slate clean.
It can go the other way, too. If the sale brings in more than the charges and costs, the extra goes first to any lender on the car, then to the owner. You have to ask for it. If no one claims it within 120 days of the sale, it goes to the state.
What about very old cars?
State law says a car appraised at a low value can only be sold for junk, scrap or parts. The buyer gets no Colorado title. If your car is near the end of its life, that's likely where it's headed.
How is a private-lot tow different?
Say your car gets towed from an apartment complex off Academy Boulevard. That's a private property tow, and Part 21 of Title 42 sets the steps:
- The tow company has a 30-minute limit to tell local police. Police log the tow in the state crime computer, so a stolen car report will flag it.
- Within 10 days, the tow company sends a certified letter to the owner and any lienholder.
- The letter says the car is subject to sale unless claimed within 30 calendar days of the postmark.
- An independent third person appraises it. The company sells it 30 to 60 days after that postmark.
Two more details matter. Under state law, the tow company can't charge daily storage until it sends that letter, apart from the first 24 hours. And anything you left inside can be sold with the car if you don't redeem it. Get your work bag and kid's car seat out early.
State law also says a car that isn't registered gives up the owner's right to be notified. Keep your registration current, even on a car you rarely drive.
How do I stop the auction?
Claim the car before the deadline. For a CSPD tow, that means a trip to the city lot at 2725 East Las Vegas Street. It's open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays. It's closed weekends, city holidays and the third Thursday of each month. Call (719) 667-2777 or email impound@coloradosprings.gov with your VIN.
- Can't go yourself? Email the lot a copy of your ID, a note naming who will pick up, and the VIN. A power of attorney or notarized statement also works.
- Think the tow was wrong? File a written request in person at Municipal Court, 224 E. Kiowa St., Room 108, within 10 days of the notice. That's City Ordinance 10.25.105.
- Car was stolen? Report it right away to CSPD at 719-444-7000. State law stops the abandonment process for a car reported stolen.
- State Patrol or Sheriff tow? Ask for a hearing in writing within 10 days of the notice postmark. If the tow was illegal, the agency pays the tow and storage charges.
What if the car won't start when I finally get it back?
Weeks on a lot is hard on a battery. NOAA normals for the Colorado Springs airport show about 157 days a year at or below freezing. The city lot also has strict rules. If the car isn't drivable, it must be towed out. A licensed tow truck must be in the lobby by 3:45 p.m. to tow it that day.
Sentinel doesn't do impounds, and only the city or the tow company holding the car can release it. Once you have the release, a car tow can take it home or to a shop. If it dies again on the drive home, a jump start may be all you need. Our Colorado Springs towing page covers the roads and weather around town.
Sentinel Towing is a towing and roadside network. A vetted local partner tow company does the job. You get your price by text and say yes before anyone is sent. Then we check on you by text until help arrives. That's our Stay-With-You Promise. If anyone is hurt or you're stuck in a live lane, call 911 first.
Stuck right now? Call 1-888-TOW-1213, or request help online.
Colorado Springs Impound Auction Questions
How long before an impounded car is auctioned in Colorado Springs?
For a CSPD tow, the city can auction it 30 days after it mails a notice to the owner and lienholder. The clock starts at the mailing date. Once the car is offered for auction, you can't claim it.
Can I buy my own car back at the auction?
The city says anyone who wants to buy an auctioned vehicle must go through propertyroom.com. But once your car is offered, you lose the right to claim it as the owner. Claiming it before the deadline is the safer path.
Do I owe fees if the city sells my car?
For a car sold from the CSPD lot, the city says no. Tows handled under state law can be different. There, the tow company can claim the gap if the sale brings in less than its charges.
Does a police hold stop the auction clock?
A held car can't be claimed until every holding agency releases it in writing. Storage isn't charged during a hold. Call the officer or the District Attorney's office on the case to learn when it will be released.
Rules change, so check the official source before you rely on it. Sources: City of Colorado Springs: Impounded Vehicles, Search for My Vehicle, Colorado Revised Statutes, Title 42, Parts 18 and 21, NOAA 1991 to 2020 normals.
