Grand Rapids Impound: How to Get Your Towed Car Back

If the City of Grand Rapids impounded your car, it sits at the Vehicle Storage Facility, 1202 Market SW. But you can't start there. First go to the Grand Rapids Police Department at 1 Monroe Center St NW and pay all fees. Bring proof of registration and proof of insurance. The owner must come, or send someone with a signed, notarized letter. Then take the police paperwork to the lot.

Was my car towed, or was it stolen?

You come back to the curb in Eastown and the spot is empty. Take a breath and work through these steps.

1. Look at the signs. Was it a tow-away zone, a one-side street, or the wrong side on an odd or even date? That's a strong clue.
2. Call the impound desk. Dial 616-456-3403 and pick the impound desk prompt. The storage facility runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
3. Call police non-emergency. If the lot has no record, call GRPD at 616-456-3400. Ask if your car was towed and why.
4. Report it stolen. If no one has a record, make a theft report. If you feel unsafe where you're standing, call 911.

This lot holds cars towed for the City of Grand Rapids. If you parked in Wyoming, Kentwood, Walker or another suburb, call the police for that town instead.

Why does Grand Rapids tow cars?

The city lists a few common reasons on its storage facility page:

• The car is judged unsafe to drive.
• The car isn't registered, or the registration has expired.
• The owner's driver's license has expired.
• Other reasons decided by the Grand Rapids Police Department.

GRPD's written impound policy adds more detail. Officers impound a car that's evidence in a crime. They tow a car parked illegally in a way that could cause a traffic hazard. A car marked abandoned and left in one spot for more than 48 hours goes too. So does a car a court ordered held for overdue parking tickets.

A tow can also follow an arrest or a crash. If the driver is arrested and isn't the owner, the car may be impounded. The policy gives officers other options. With the owner's okay, a person with a valid license can take the car. An officer can also call someone you choose to come get it. Ask about this at the scene.

How do winter parking rules get cars towed in Grand Rapids?

Grand Rapids gets a lot of cold nights. NOAA counts about 133 nights a year at or below freezing. Plows need clear curbs. So the city runs seasonal parking rules on signed streets. They start at 12:01 a.m. on November 1 and end at 11:59 p.m. on April 1.

Odd-even streets

• Odd date, 1 a.m. to 6 p.m.: park on the side with odd house numbers.
• Even date, 1 a.m. to 6 p.m.: park on the side with even house numbers.
• 6 p.m. to 1 a.m.: either side is fine. By 1 a.m., move to the side that matches the next day's date.

That last line catches people. Say it's the 14th and you park on the even side at 9 p.m. At 1 a.m. it becomes the 15th, an odd date. Your car should be on the odd side by then.

One-side streets

Some streets ban parking on one side all the time during the season. The sign shows which side. Read it every time, even on a street you know.

The city says these rules let crews sweep and plow. They also stop catch basins from clogging and flooding the street. And they keep a lane open for fire trucks after a big snow.

Other everyday parking rules

The city's street parking page lists spacing rules too. Stay 15 feet from fire hydrants. Stay 20 feet from marked crosswalks. Stay 3 feet from a driveway. State law also lets police remove a car right away in a posted tow-away zone, or for snow or another emergency.

How do I get my car out of the Grand Rapids impound?

The order matters here. The lot can't release your car without police paperwork, and it doesn't take payments.

1. Gather your papers. Bring proof of registration and proof of insurance.
2. Go to police headquarters. That's 1 Monroe Center St NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503. Call 616-456-3400 first and ask when you can do a vehicle release.
3. Pay all fees there. The city says every fee gets paid at the Police Department before release. Ask for the full total on the phone so you aren't surprised.
4. Take the release paperwork to the lot. The Vehicle Storage Facility is at 1202 Market SW. Show the papers and pick up your car.

Can a friend pick it up for me?

Yes, with a notarized letter. The city wants the owner there in person. If you can't go, sign a letter that lets someone else take the car, and get it notarized. A text or a phone call won't count.

What if the police put a hold on my car?

Sometimes a detective or the Traffic Unit holds a car. GRPD policy says a Watch Commander has to approve each hold. When the hold comes off, the officer is supposed to tell you. Storage fees start 24 hours after the hold is removed. So once you get that call, move fast.

What about my stuff inside the car?

Officers inventory a towed car inside and out. The lot attendant inspects it when it arrives too. If you need something from the car, ask the police what you need to show.

What if a private lot towed my car?

Maybe you parked at an apartment, a store or an office lot near downtown. Then the property owner called a tow company, not the city. Michigan law sets rules for this.

• Signs at every entrance. Letters at least 2 inches tall must say unauthorized cars get towed at the owner's expense.
• The tow company named. The sign must list the tow company's name and phone number. Call that number.
• Posted ahead of time. The sign must be at least 4 feet off the ground. It must be up for at least 24 hours before a tow.
• Police told first. Before the tow company moves a car off private land, it must notify the police.

The sign rules have exceptions. They don't cover land that's part of a single or two-family home. They also don't apply if someone told you in person that you'd be towed.

Did you catch the truck before it left? For many tows, Michigan law says the driver must unhook your car if you arrive first. You pay a reasonable service fee and get a receipt. Crash tows and a few police cases are the exceptions.

How long do I have before the car is sold?

Don't let it sit. Michigan law says a police-impounded car not picked up within 7 days gets treated as abandoned. Then the state's abandoned vehicle steps start.

The Secretary of State mails a notice to the last titled owner. Check that the address on your title is current. The notice warns that the car may be sold if you don't redeem it or ask for a hearing within 20 days of the notice date. The state also keeps a public website where owners can look up cars taken in as abandoned.

Think the tow was wrong, or the fees too high? The law lets you ask the court named in the notice for a hearing. You can challenge whether the car was abandoned and whether the towing and storage fees were reasonable.

Unclaimed cars can go to auction. The city posts a list of upcoming auction items on its storage facility page. Sales there are final and as is.

My car won't run after release. What now?

Cars sit outside at the lot. In January, the normal low in Grand Rapids is about 19 degrees F. That's hard on a weak battery. A crash may have left the car unsafe too.

The city has a firm rule here. A car that isn't safe for the road must leave the lot on a flatbed tow truck. You can't drive it out.

• Battery dead from the cold. Ask for a jump start once the car is released. If it won't hold a charge, plan on a tow.
• Crash damage or not road safe. Book a car tow to your home or a repair shop.
• Slid into a snowbank on the way home. If you're off the road but close to it, a winch-out can pull you back.

Sentinel doesn't do impounds, releases or private-property tows. You settle the fees and paperwork with the police first. After that, a vetted local partner can tow your car, SUV, minivan or light pickup from Market SW.

How does Sentinel help after the release?

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 to see how it works. Our Grand Rapids towing page covers breakdowns on the S-Curve, I-196 and 28th Street.

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

Grand Rapids Impound Questions

Rules change, so check the official source before you rely on it. Sources: City of Grand Rapids: Vehicle Storage Facility, Grand Rapids Police Department, GRPD Vehicle Impounds policy, Seasonal Parking Restrictions, Street Parking, MCL 257.252a, MCL 257.252d, MCL 257.252k, MCL 257.252l, NOAA climate normals.