After an arrest
Getting a Car Back After an Arrest
The bill nobody plans for. Storage fees accrue daily, a 30-day hold can apply, and the jail has nothing to do with any of it.
Almost every family we help is surprised by this one. They budget for the bond, get the person out — and then discover the car has been accruing daily storage fees since the night of the arrest, and that a 30-day hold may apply. The jail has nothing to do with the vehicle, and no bail bond touches it.
Why the car was taken
Vehicle Code 22651 sets out the circumstances in which a peace officer may remove and store a vehicle — including where the driver is arrested and the vehicle would otherwise be left unattended, or where it obstructs traffic. That is a separate decision from the arrest itself, made at the roadside.
The 30-day hold
This is the expensive one. Vehicle Code 14602.6 permits impound for up to 30 days where the driver was unlicensed, or driving on a suspended or revoked licence. Storage accrues every day of it. If the arrest involved driving on a suspended licence or a DUI, ask about this immediately — the difference between acting on day one and day ten is real money.
You may be able to challenge it
California provides for a post-storage hearing, and Vehicle Code 22852 requires that notice of the right to one be given. The request generally has to be made promptly. Families routinely discover this after the window has closed, which is exactly why it is on this page.
What release usually requires
| The registered owner | With photo identification. If the owner is the person still in custody, that is a problem to solve before travelling. |
| Proof of insurance | Current, for that vehicle. |
| A licensed driver | Someone who can lawfully drive it away. |
| Payment | Towing plus storage for every day, and in many cases an agency release fee paid separately from the tow operator. |
| A release form | Many agencies require a release obtained from the police or Sheriff before the yard will hand the vehicle over. |
Requirements and fees vary by agency and by tow operator. Call both the agency and the yard before driving anywhere — a wasted trip costs another day of storage.
Property inside the car is a separate question again
Personal items inside an impounded vehicle are generally retrievable even when the vehicle is not released, but the procedure differs from the jail’s property window. See getting property back from jail, which covers the belongings taken at booking.
Related
ProcessHow Long Release TakesWhat controls the clock once the money is in.Read more
HoldsHolds and Multiple CasesWhy posting bail does not always mean release.Read more
PaperworkRelease PaperworkThe document that controls the court date.Read more
Local guides: Anaheim, Brea, La Habra, Fullerton, Buena Park, Yorba Linda and Tustin.
Please note: American Freedom Bail Bonds is a licensed bail bond agency, not a law firm. Nothing here is legal advice. Procedures and fees change — confirm with the facility, the court, the tow operator or a criminal defence lawyer. California bail license 1841014.
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