Find My Towed Car in Albuquerque: Where to Start

If your car is gone from an Albuquerque street, call the Albuquerque Police non-emergency line at 505-242-COPS (2677). APD tows go to the yard of whichever company was next on its on-call rotation list, so police records are the fastest way to learn which yard has it. If you parked in a store, office or apartment lot, read the tow signs there first. New Mexico rules make those lots post them.

Who towed my car: police or a private lot?

Start with where you left the car. That one detail points you to the right phone call.

• A city street. APD likely ordered it. Call 505-242-COPS and give your plate number.
• A store, office or apartment lot. The property owner likely had it towed. Look for the tow sign near the entrance.
• A crash scene or a breakdown. If police were there, the officer gave the driver a copy of the Tow-In Report. It names what was towed and what was inside.
• Vacant land near a busy road, with a "for sale" sign in the window. APD can tow a car displayed for sale there after a yellow warning sticker has been on it for 24 hours.

Keep your plate number and VIN handy. Both are on your registration. If no one has a record of a tow, report the car stolen. If you later learn a friend or relative had it, APD asks you to tell them right away so the report gets updated.

Feel unsafe where you're standing? Call 911.

Where does APD take towed cars?

Not to a police station. APD's towing procedure (SOP 2-48) says officers may not tow cars to an area command. Instead, the Emergency Communications Center calls the on-call tow service from a rotation list. Your car goes to that company's yard.

That's why there is no single Albuquerque impound lot to drive to. It's also why we don't list yard addresses here. The yard depends on which company took the call. The police record tells you which one it was.

Can I pick my own tow company when police are there?

Sometimes. The policy lets an officer allow the owner or driver to call a tow truck of their choice. The officer has the final say, based on traffic and how soon the truck can get there. If you're allowed, a car tow to your own repair shop can save you a trip to a storage yard later.

Why would APD tow my car in Albuquerque?

APD's procedure lets officers impound a car without warning the owner first when, for example:

• The car was being driven unsafely under city ordinance.
• The driver was hurt, taken to the hospital or arrested.
• The car was abandoned, vandalized or wrecked badly enough that it won't run.
• The car broke the city traffic code and police couldn't reach the owner.
• Detectives need the car as evidence.

There's one protection worth knowing. Officers aren't supposed to tow a car parked at the driver's home or registered address. The exception is a car on the street that breaks the city's impound ordinance.

What happens to my keys and my stuff?

Before the tow, the officer goes through the car and lists the property on the Tow-In Report. That includes the trunk, glove box and truck bed. When it's practical, the ignition key stays in the car. Other keys go back to you. The officer is also told to make sure you aren't left stranded. They can call a friend, a relative or a taxi for you.

What if my car sat parked on the street for days?

A car left on city property can be red-tagged as abandoned. APD mails a notice by certified mail to the registered owner. Seven days after the red tag, the car can be towed. If you contest it through the City Hearing Officer, the tow is put on hold.

Going out of town? APD's policy mentions an Unattended Vehicle Permit. You can get one at any area command. It's good for 15 days, and the car has to run and have a current plate. APD's Abandoned Vehicle Unit is listed at (505) 761-8800.

What if a private lot towed me?

New Mexico's towing rules come from the state Department of Transportation. They took effect July 1, 2024. For a tow from private property, the tower needs written permission from the owner or their agent. That paper has to say when your car was moved and that it was parked illegally.

1. Before hooking up, the tower must photograph your car showing where it sat on the lot.
2. At a business or apartment lot, there must be visible tow signs. They have to list the exact hours parking is restricted.
3. The tower must also photograph those signs before the tow.
4. The tower can't pay the property owner for the right to tow cars off the lot.

Ask the yard for those photos if you think the tow was wrong.

What can I do at the tow yard?

The state rules give you real rights here, as long as police haven't put a hold on the car.

• Look at your car for free during normal business hours.
• Take out your registration or title so you can prove it's yours.
• Take out your personal things once you show proof of ownership.
• Get the car back by paying the charges and showing proof of ownership.

Bring cash. Yards must take it, plus a card or a check. They must post which ones they take. Yards that do police tows must have someone meet you at the lot by appointment during business hours, within two hours of your call. Yards that tow from private lots must keep their office staffed during business hours. Either way, the office has to sit within one mile of the yard, with a sign you can read from the road.

What if police put a hold on my car?

Then the yard can't let you look inside or take it without the police agency's written OK. APD places holds for things like warrants and VIN checks. A car held for a search warrant stays at the tow yard. APD's policy caps that hold at 14 days unless it's extended. After that, the tow company may release it.

How long before storage charges stack up or the car is sold?

Move fast. Storage starts when the car reaches the yard. The rules also put deadlines on the tower. It has three business days to ask the state for the owner's name and address. Then it has two business days to mail you a certified notice. If the tower misses either deadline, it can't collect storage charges or a lien on an unclaimed car.

Think the bill is wrong, or that the tow was illegal? The tower must hand you a written statement explaining how to complain to the state. You can file at the NMDOT complaint portal or call the Transportation Regulation Bureau at (505) 827-4519. Bring copies of your bill and receipts.

My car is out, but it won't start. Now what?

Sentinel doesn't do impounds. We can't find your car, pay a yard or get it released. Only the yard or the police can do that. Once the car is yours again, though, we can help with what comes next.

• Battery died while it sat? Get a jump start.
• Crash damage, or it just won't run? Get a tow to a repair shop.
• A tire went flat in the yard? A partner can do a flat tire change with your spare.

Sentinel Towing is a towing and roadside network. A vetted local partner tow company does the job. We lock your price by text before anyone heads out, and we check on you by text until help arrives. That's our Stay-With-You Promise. You can track your truck on a map while you wait. For the Big I, Nine Mile Hill and how quadrants work, see our Albuquerque towing page. Stuck after dark? Read our Albuquerque night towing guide.

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

Albuquerque Towed Car Questions

Rules change, so check the official source before you rely on it. Sources: APD SOP 2-48: Towing Services, APD: Auto Theft, 18.3.12 NMAC: Towing Services, NMDOT: Wrecker Companies, NMDOT complaint portal, NMDOT Transportation Regulation Bureau.