Cochise County Vehicle Impound Guide
Impound Cost Calculator
Calculate how much it will cost to retrieve your vehicle from Private Towing Companies (e.g., Priority Towing, Lucky's Towing, Cochise Towing) in Cochise County, Arizona.
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The First 48 Hours
After a DUI arrest in Cochise County, your vehicle is likely towed to an impound lot. Storage fees accumulate daily, making time your biggest enemy.
Retrieval Timeline
- 1
Vehicle Towed
Usually within 30 minutes of your arrest.
- 2
Lot Notification
Fees and admin processing start immediately upon arrival.
- 3
Daily Accrual
Fees start at $25.0/day in Cochise County.
- 4
Final Notice
After 30 days, the lot may begin the auction process.
Required Documents
- Valid Photo ID (License or State ID)
- Vehicle Registration or Title
- Current Proof of Insurance
- Full Payment (Cash/Credit)
- Release Authorization (if not owner)
Owner Not Present?
If the registered owner is in custody, you will need a notarized power of attorney or specific written authorization and a copy of their ID to retrieve the vehicle.
Lot Details & Map
Current storage facility information for Cochise County. Verify your vehicle's location before traveling.
Private Towing Companies (e.g., Priority Towing, Lucky's Towing, Cochise Towing)
Address
Release Hours
The Sierra Vista substation offers a mere four hours per week (Monday and Tuesday, 12-2 PM) for vehicle release processing.
Accepted Payments
The Impound “Poverty Trap”
Many people can't afford to get their car out immediately, but waiting only makes it worse.
Here's the vicious cycle:
Can't afford the first 3 days of storage + admin fees
Wait a week to save money → fees double
Can't get to work without car → lose income
Wait 2 weeks → fees triple or quadruple
After 30 days → Car may be auctioned by the lot
What You Can Do
- • Borrow money from family/friends (pay them back later, cheaper than daily fees)
- • Use a credit card (even with interest, cheaper than impound fees)
- • Sell non-essential items quickly
- • Ask your employer for an advance
- • Check if your auto insurance covers towing/storage (some policies do)
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to get my car out of impound in Cochise County?
Expect around $1,100 for a full 30-day hold: a $150 Sheriff's administrative fee (cash only, exact change), plus $150-$250 for the tow itself, about $25 a day in storage, and a $75 gate fee if you retrieve it outside normal business hours.
Where do I get the paperwork to release my impounded car in Cochise County?
The Vehicle Release Form is issued at the Sheriff's Bisbee headquarters, 203 N Judd Drive, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. County documentation states only the Bisbee office can process a release, despite the Sierra Vista substation also listing hours for the same service.
Can I get my car back early if I wasn't the one driving?
Often, yes. A registered owner who wasn't driving, such as a spouse, can typically get the vehicle released immediately, provided they hold a valid license and the car wasn't used in a separate felony.
How do I challenge a DUI vehicle impound in Cochise County?
Request a post-storage hearing within 10 days of the impound notice. Even if the hearing is granted, the $150 administrative fee is usually still owed unless the impound is found to have been a straight police error.
Finding an ATM that dispenses the right bills to make exact change for $150 is a real problem people run into in Cochise County. The Sheriff's Office won't make change, and it won't take a card, so bring $20s and smaller before you go.
The 30-Day Hold
Arizona law, A.R.S. § 28-3511, requires a mandatory 30-day impound for anyone arrested with a suspended license or on an extreme or aggravated DUI charge. Getting the vehicle back before that window closes generally isn't possible for the driver, though exceptions exist for registered owners who weren't behind the wheel.
Two Fees, Two Different Places
People often assume paying the Sheriff's Office releases the car. It doesn't. There are two separate charges owed to two separate parties.
The Sheriff's Office charges a $150 administrative fee, cash only, exact change required, to issue the Vehicle Release Form. Without that form, the tow yard has no legal basis to hand the car back, no matter what else has been paid.
The tow yard charges its own fees on top: typically $150 to $250 for the tow itself, roughly $25 a day in storage that accrues every single day the car sits on the lot, and an extra $75 "gate fee" if you show up outside normal business hours (often 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays) to retrieve it. Add it up over a full 30-day hold and the combined cost runs around $1,100 before the car is legally yours again.
Where and When to Go
The Vehicle Release Form is issued at the Sheriff's Bisbee headquarters, 203 N Judd Drive, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Sierra Vista substation, at 100 Colonia de Salud, lists Monday and Tuesday, noon to 2 p.m. for the same service, but county documentation elsewhere states flatly that only the Bisbee office can process a release. Given that conflict, go to Bisbee first rather than risk a wasted trip to Sierra Vista.
Missing the window costs you. Bisbee is closed Wednesdays; Sierra Vista is closed every day except Monday and Tuesday. Miss both, and you're waiting until the following week while storage fees keep adding up.
If You Weren't the Driver
A spouse or other registered owner who wasn't driving can often get the vehicle released immediately, as long as they hold a valid license and the vehicle wasn't used in a separate felony. If you believe the impound itself was invalid, you can request a post-storage hearing, but the request has to go in within 10 days of the impound notice. Even if the hearing is granted, the $150 fee is usually still owed unless the impound turns out to have been a straight police error.
If You Need an Interlock Before Release
If your license requires an ignition interlock device to be reinstated, state law requires the tow yard to give an installer access to the vehicle during business hours without charging an extra fee. You'll need to line up that appointment around the yard's limited release hours, which takes some coordination given how narrow those windows already are.
Need Help Beyond Impound?
If you're dealing with a recent arrest, here are immediate resources for release and legal help: