Rules
Wichita Impound Auctions: What Happens If You Don't Claim a Towed Car
In Wichita, an unclaimed police impound is sold in an online auction. Kansas law sets the clock. The car must sit at least 30 days. Then you get a certified letter and 15 days to pay. Then come newspaper notices before any sale. To stop it, call the Wichita Police impound line at 316-268-4303 or 316-268-4396. Then go to the lot that holds the car with your ID and current registration.
Who holds my car: the city, the county or the Highway Patrol?
Three agencies can impound a car inside Wichita city limits. Where you were parked or stopped is your best clue.
- Wichita Police. Call 316-268-4303 or 316-268-4396, Monday to Friday, 6:30 am to 4:30 pm.
- Sedgwick County Sheriff. Call 316-383-7352.
- Kansas Highway Patrol. Call 316-744-0451. On the Kansas Turnpike, the stretch of I-35 that runs along the southeast side, you can reach a Highway Patrol dispatcher at *582.
Kansas law lets several "public agencies" impound and sell a car. That list includes the state transportation department, the Kansas Turnpike Authority, a county and a city. So if one agency has no record, ask the next one until someone finds your plate.
Calling after hours? The WPD Records Bureau page also links to an online impound search. If you think the car was stolen, the WPD Case Desk takes auto theft reports by phone around the clock at 316-268-4221.
Why did Wichita Police tow my car?
WPD policy lists when an officer can impound a car right away. The common ones:
- It stalled or crashed and blocks traffic, and you can't move it
- It's parked so it creates a hazard, or it's in a posted tow zone with a ticket on it
- It's on a snow emergency route during a snow emergency
- The driver was arrested, or was hurt in a crash
- It was stolen and recovered, or it's evidence in a case
After an arrest, the officer can sometimes release the car to a passenger or a friend. The policy says the officer weighs the traffic at that spot, and it names Kellogg as the example. On a busy road like that, nobody waits long. The car goes to the lot.
The officer fills out an Impound Vehicle Receipt. If you weren't there, the policy says your copy goes inside the car. So it may be sitting on your seat at the lot.
How long before a Wichita impound goes to auction?
Longer than a week, but shorter than most people hope. Here is the order Kansas law sets for a car a public agency impounds:
- The car sits in impound. A car held 30 days or more can be disposed of.
- The agency asks the state Division of Vehicles who the last owner and any lender are.
- A certified letter goes to the address on your registration. It says you have 15 days from the mailing date to claim the car and pay.
- If you don't, a notice runs in a county newspaper once a week for two weeks.
- If nobody claims it 10 days after the second notice, it can be sold at public auction to the highest bidder for cash.
In Wichita, the city's impound contract splits the mail. WPD sends the first legal notice. The wrecker company sends the rest. Once the legal waiting period ends, the wrecker can sell the car through an online auction.
The catch is the address. That certified letter goes to the address on your registration. If you moved and never updated it, you may never see it. Don't wait for mail. Call the impound line now.
What happens to my stuff inside the car?
WPD says the car and any personal property inside are sold online if nobody pays. You can't take items out without paying the fees. WPD makes exceptions for a photo ID, prescription drugs and legal papers like a Social Security card or birth certificate. Kansas law also says personal medical supplies must be handed back when you ask.
The contract also says the wrecker removes and destroys your plates before the auction. It can't strip parts off the car before you pick it up or before the sale.
How do I get my car back before the auction?
You go straight to the wrecker company that towed it, not to a police station. Here's what WPD says to bring:
- Photo ID. Any government photo ID works: a driver's license, state ID, military ID or passport.
- Current registration. State law asks for proof of valid registration and ownership.
- Payment. Tow and storage charges are paid at the lot.
Wichita's impound lots are open to the public 7 am to 7 pm, every day. Most of the lots on the city's list sit on South Broadway, which is US 81 coming in from the south. Others are on East MacArthur, North Handley, North Mosley and Esthner on the west side. The impound line tells you which one has your car.
Storage keeps adding up each day the car sits. If paying is the problem, WPD lists an installment payment plan or a homelessness waiver that some owners qualify for. Ask about it before the notices start.
Can a friend pick up my car?
Yes, with paperwork. They need their own photo ID, your current registration and a notarized Vehicle Release Form signed by you. The form itself says the person picking up needs your registration, title and a valid driver's license. There's no notary at WPD, so get it notarized first.
What if there's a police hold?
A car held in a crime case won't come out until a detective clears it. Call the case detective and ask for a release. WPD says the release can be faxed to the tow lot.
Can I fight the tow?
Yes, but move fast. Call Wichita Municipal Court at 316-268-4629 to set up an impound hearing. You have five business days after the impound. Your request has to say why you think the tow was wrong. Hearings are held on Fridays at 3 pm at City Hall, 455 North Main, on the third floor.
You don't have to leave the car on the lot while you wait. WPD policy lets you post cash equal to the tow and storage charges, show you own it, and take it home until the hearing. For a complaint about how a wrecker company treated you, the Records Bureau page has a Wrecker Company Complaint Form.
What if a store or apartment lot towed me?
WPD doesn't tow from private property, except in criminal cases. Those tows follow a separate part of city code. Still, they don't vanish. Whoever ordered the tow must report it to the WPD Records Bureau no more than one hour after it's done. The report includes your plate, VIN and where the car is stored. So the impound line is still a good first call.
Before a business or apartment lot can tow you, city code wants a sign at each driveway, within five feet of the street's edge. It must say unauthorized parking is prohibited and that cars will be towed at the owner's expense. A business with 20 or fewer spaces can post a "customers only" sign in reflective letters. Single family homes are exempt, and so is anyone told in person not to park there.
City code also caps what a private tow and daily storage can cost. You're owed an itemized bill. A private lot tow can still go to auction under Kansas lien law. The tow company can sell a car it has held 30 days. It must send a certified notice first, give you 15 days to pay, and publish the auction notice at least seven days ahead.
Does Sentinel do impounds in Wichita?
No. Sentinel doesn't do impounds or private property tows. We can't release your car, pay your fees or talk to the lot for you. Our part starts once the car is yours again.
A car that sat for weeks may not start. A jump start at the lot may get it going. If it can't be driven, a car tow can take it from South Broadway to your home or a shop.
Sentinel Towing is a towing and roadside network. A vetted local partner tow company does the job. We text you a locked price before anyone is sent, then check on you by text until your driver arrives. That's our Stay-With-You Promise. For Wichita roads and weather, see our Wichita towing page, or browse other Kansas cities.
Stuck right now? Call 1-888-TOW-1213, or request help online.
Wichita Impound Auction Questions
How do I find out if my car is going to auction in Wichita?
Call the WPD impound line at 316-268-4303 or 316-268-4396 on a weekday. Kansas law requires a certified letter to the address on your registration before any sale. Then notices run in a county newspaper. Don't count on the letter if you've moved.
Can I buy my own car back at the auction?
You don't need to. Until the sale, you can claim it at the lot by paying the charges and showing ID and registration. The city's contract also lets WPD return a car to its owner before auction if all fees to date are paid.
Do I need my title to get my impounded car back?
If you pick it up yourself, WPD asks for current registration and a government photo ID. If a friend picks it up for you, the release form says they need your registration, title and a valid driver's license, plus the notarized form.
Who do I call if my car was towed on the Kansas Turnpike?
Start with the Kansas Highway Patrol at 316-744-0451. On the Turnpike itself, *582 reaches a Highway Patrol dispatcher. If they don't have it, try WPD and the Sedgwick County Sheriff.
Rules change, so check the official source before you rely on it. Sources: WPD Records Bureau, WPD Policy 404: Impounds, WPD Vehicle Release Form, City impound and auction contract, Wichita Code, Chapter 11.99, K.S.A. 8-1102, K.S.A. 8-1103, K.S.A. 8-1104, Kansas Highway Patrol.
