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Your car is a precious part of your sense of personal freedom in the modern age. Hell, in many parts of the country, driving isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity. As such, if the police impound your car, you might be in a difficult spot with your responsibilities. So, when can police officers take your car to an impound lot?

Police officers can impound your car for many reasons, including arrests and abandonment

We drive to live in this country. We drive to get to work, school, and see our families. Tragically, much of the nation still doesn’t have regular and reliable access to mass transit, cabs, and ride-share services. Consequently, your car is too important an implement to lose to a police impound lot or unfortunate circumstances.

However, if you’re not careful, you could end up with your beloved car, truck, SUV, or minivan behind a chainlink fence and concertina wire. Here are just a few of the reasons the police department might impound your car. Of course, some instances might depend on your state of residence.

  • Arrest
  • Trespassing on private property
  • Violation of parking regulations
  • Suspected or confirmed stolen
  • Suspected or declared abandoned

For starters, if a police officer arrests you, your vehicle may be left at the arrest site. In some cases, the officer may summon a tow truck to take your vehicle to an impound lot. While the status of your vehicle might play second-string to your arrest, you’ll likely want to know where your ride is. In many cases, you can check your local government’s towed vehicle locator to find and pay for your car’s return.

Moreover, there are multiple reasons why police might impound your vehicle without arresting you. For instance, if authorities identify your vehicle on private property, they might order the impounding of your ride. Furthermore, should the authorities input your license plate number and suspect the vehicle is stolen, they may impound it.

Finally, should your car sit for too long in one, non-reserved parking spot, it may be declared abandoned by the local government. As such, the authorities might have it impounded and later sold at auction. However, these aren’t the only reasons the authorities might order the impounding of a vehicle. They are, however, many of the reasons you might have to recover your ride from a municipal lot.

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Staff Writer

Erik Sherman

Erik Sherman joined the MotorBiscuit team as an Autos Writer in 2022. An admitted petrolhead and an avid motorcyclist, Erik has owned everything from classic cars to motorcycles to modern driver’s cars. Erik also has extensive experience with military and emergency vehicles, ranging from ambulances and fire engines to MRAPs and M-ATVs. Erik is an eager car and motorcycle reviewer with experience covering everything from sports cars to pontoon boats and jet skis.

Erik holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations (IRG) from the University of Texas at Austin and has studied Chinese, Energy, and European Politics at the University of Glasgow in Scotland. Erik’s background is unorthodox; he is a United States Marine Corps (USMC) combat veteran, water survival practitioner, and a former firefighter/EMT. Additionally, Erik is a regular volunteer and former instructor with the American Red Cross (ARC).