Mohave County Vehicle Impound Guide

Going straight to the tow yard without agency paperwork in hand is the single most common mistake in Mohave County. Every one of the county's police departments requires the registered owner to pay an administrative fee and get a Vehicle Release Form from them first; showing up at the tow yard without it just gets you turned away.

Which Agency, Which Rules

The Mohave County Sheriff's Office (600 W. Beale St., Kingman) handles releases for arrests made in unincorporated areas, open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., though arriving after 3:30 p.m. risks the transaction not finishing before close. Kingman Police Department (2730 E. Andy Devine Ave.) generally runs 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. but closes its records window for lunch, noon to 1 p.m. Lake Havasu City PD (2360 McCulloch Blvd N) runs standard weekday hours and specifically schedules post-storage hearings for Tuesdays and Thursdays. Bullhead City PD (1255 Marina Blvd) has the tightest hours in the county: Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. only, appointment required, closed Fridays entirely — a Thursday-night arrest there can mean the car sits until Monday, a mandatory four days of storage.

All four charge the same $150 statutory administrative fee. Most take cash, cashier's check, or money order; personal checks are rejected everywhere, and card payments (where accepted) often carry a surcharge around 2.5%.

The Geography Problem

If you're arrested in Lake Havasu City or Bullhead City but transported to Kingman for booking, you're released 35 to 60 miles from your own car. Completing the full loop, agency fee, then tow yard, in one trip can take 6 to 8 hours once you account for transport between cities, and if you're released mid-afternoon it's often physically impossible to finish before the offices close at 5 p.m., leaving you stranded for another night.

What It Costs

Towing runs $150 to $250 depending on vehicle size and distance, storage $15 to $25 a day, and a gate fee of $50 to $100 if a yard agrees to open after hours (rare). A full 30-day hold typically totals $700 to $1,200 combined with the $150 agency fee. If the vehicle is older and worth less than the accumulating fees, signing the title over to the tow company waives the storage bill, though the $150 agency fee is a separate municipal debt that can still go to collections.

Early Release

A spouse can retrieve the vehicle under Arizona's community-property provision even if they're not on the title, but if the last names on ID don't match, bring a marriage certificate — agencies enforce the registered-owner rule strictly and may require a supervisor's sign-off without one.