New Orleans Impound Lot: How to Get a Towed Car Back

If the City of New Orleans towed your car, call (504) 658-8100 to confirm it. Then go to the city tow lot at 400 N. Claiborne Ave., right under the expressway at Conti Street. The city lists it as open 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., every day. You must pay every unpaid parking and camera ticket on your plate, plus the tow and storage fees, before the car comes out.

How do I know the city towed my car?

You walk back to the block in the Marigny where you parked. The spot is empty. Don't panic and don't guess. Call the city at (504) 658-8100 and give your plate number. They can tell you if the city towed it.

If the city has no record, think about where you parked:

• A store, bar or apartment lot: that's private property, and the city lot won't have it. Look for a posted sign with a tow company name, or ask the manager.
• Behind on car payments: call your lender. The car may have been repossessed.
• Nobody has it: report it stolen to the police.

If you feel unsafe where you're standing, call 911 first.

Why did New Orleans tow my car?

The Department of Public Works Parking Division runs city towing. The city says it may tow right away for public safety. Its list goes past the usual hydrant and crosswalk rules. These are easy to miss in older neighborhoods:

• Within 3 feet of the curb at a public or private driveway
• Within 20 feet of a crosswalk or an intersection
• Within 50 feet of a railroad crossing
• Within 20 feet of a fire station driveway
• Alongside a neutral ground curb
• On a bridge, or in a tunnel or underpass
• Double parked next to a parked car
• Blocking the view of a traffic sign or signal
• In a bike lane, or on a sidewalk, even in front of your own house

Parade days

The city's parking rules say a car parked on a parade route 2 hours before the parade starts can be towed. Park early for a good spot, and you may come back to nothing. Check the route before you leave the car.

Old unpaid tickets

A car with three or more unpaid parking tickets more than 90 days old can be booted and towed by the city. The car doesn't have to be parked wrong that day.

Flood days

Neutral ground parking is a towable spot on a normal day. During major street flooding, the city may lift that rule so people can move cars to higher ground. Parking rules come back two hours after the flooding ends. Move the car back in time.

Where is the New Orleans tow lot, and when is it open?

Lot	Address	Hours the city lists
Main tow lot (pay here)	400 N. Claiborne Ave., New Orleans, LA 70112	7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., 7 days a week
Auto impound lot	10200 Almonaster Ave., New Orleans, LA 70112	8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday to Friday

The main lot sits beneath the I-10 expressway where North Claiborne meets Conti Street. That's the edge of Treme, a short ride from the French Quarter.

One catch: the city's ticket payment page lists the same lot open until 1 a.m. The towed car page says 10 p.m. Don't bet a late-night trip on the later time. Call (504) 658-8100 before you go.

Why might my car be on Almonaster Avenue?

The city says a car stored more than 24 hours may be moved to its auto impound lot on Almonaster Avenue, out in New Orleans East. That's a long way from downtown.

Here is the part that trips people up. You still pay at 400 N. Claiborne first, no matter which lot holds the car. So the order is: pay on Claiborne, then go to Almonaster during its weekday hours. A car moved there on a Friday night may wait until Monday. Pick it up fast to keep it off that list.

What do I have to pay to get it out?

The city lists four things you pay before release:

1. Every unpaid parking ticket on the car
2. Any other unpaid tickets 90 days old or more
3. The tow fee, which has a minimum charge for the first 1.5 hours of a light-duty tow, then adds by the half hour
4. A storage fee for each day the car sits on the lot

Safety camera tickets count too. To hear the total tied to your plate, call (504) 658-8284. The city posts the current fee amounts on its Find My Towed Vehicle page. Storage adds up every day, so go as soon as you can.

How can I pay?

The city's ticket page says cash isn't accepted. It takes a check, credit or debit card in person at the Claiborne lot. You can also pay tickets by phone at (504) 525-0088. The city says a new ticket doesn't show up online until a day after it's written. If today's ticket is missing, check again tomorrow.

The city pages don't list which ID or papers the lot wants at release. Ask when you call. Bring your license, registration and insurance card to be safe.

Can I fight the ticket that got me towed?

You can contest a New Orleans parking ticket online, by mail or in person. You can't do it over the phone. You'll need the citation number and your plate or VIN. In-person hearings are at the Administrative Hearing Center, 1300 Perdido St., Room 1W09, weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Go on or before the date printed on the ticket. If you lose, you pay the original ticket amount.

What if my car was booted instead?

A city boot comes off once you pay the old tickets. The city lists three ways to pay:

• Call the Boot Release line at 1-855-437-9340.
• Go to the Administrative Hearing Center, 1340 Poydras St., Suite 1100, weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Go to the Cashiering Office at 400 N. Claiborne Ave., weekdays 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Booted in a private lot? You can ask the city for a hearing within ten calendar days by filing a Booting Complaint Form. If the hearing officer finds the boot was wrong, the booting company has to pay your fees back within three business days.

Who do I call about a tow or storage company?

Louisiana State Police regulate tow and storage businesses under the state's Towing and Storage Act. Its Towing and Recovery Unit investigates complaints from the public. Call the unit at 225-925-6113. Keep your receipt, the tow paperwork and photos of the car.

My car won't start after the lot. What now?

Cars at the lot sit outside under the expressway. New Orleans gets about 71 days a year at 90°F or hotter, per NOAA. Heat is hard on an old battery.

• It clicks but won't turn over: a jump start may be all you need.
• It won't run, or it's damaged: book a car tow to your home or a repair shop once it's released.

To be plain about it, Sentinel doesn't do impounds, releases or private-property tows. You settle the tickets and fees with the city. After that, we can help with a car, SUV, minivan or light pickup.

How does Sentinel work?

Sentinel Towing is a towing and roadside network. A vetted local partner tow company does the job. You get a locked price by text before anyone is sent. Then we check on you by text until your truck arrives. That's our Stay-With-You Promise. For breakdowns on I-10, I-610 or the river bridge, see our New Orleans towing page.

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

New Orleans Impound Questions

Rules change, so check the official source before you rely on it. Sources: Find My Towed Vehicle, Towing Rules and Fees, Parking Rules and Regulations, Pay Parking Ticket, Contest a Parking Ticket, Get Boot Removed, Dispute Boot on Private Property, Louisiana State Police Towing and Recovery Unit, NOLA Ready flooding, NOAA annual normals.