Alamance County Vehicle Impound Guide

Law enforcement officers in North Carolina order immediate vehicle towing following an impaired driving arrest. This clears the roadway. The legal mechanism governing your vehicle's release depends on your driver's license status at the time of the stop. If your license is active and valid, the vehicle undergoes a standard municipal rotation tow. If you are caught driving with a license already revoked for a prior impaired driving offense, North Carolina mandates an immediate vehicle seizure under N.C.G.S. § 20-28.3. This is known as Runyon's Law. It results in the potential forfeiture of the vehicle.

Where Is Your Car?

Municipal police and state troopers utilize a rotational system of private towing companies to store impounded vehicles. The specific lot that took possession of your vehicle depends on the agency that arrested you.

The primary impound lots serving the local jurisdiction include:

• Dale's Towing, INC.
• Address: 2343 Durham St Extension, Burlington, NC 27217
• Phone: (336) 578-7245
• Alamance Towing & Auto Repair
• Address: 2416 Durham St. Ext, Burlington, NC 27217
• Phone: (336) 227-3970
• Adams Towing & Recovery, LLC
• Address: 1203 Belmont St, Burlington, NC 27215
• Doug's 24 hour Towing & Recovery LLC
• Address: 509 W Haggard Ave, Elon, NC 27244

How to Find Your Vehicle

Check the citation paperwork provided to you upon your release from the detention center. The arresting officer must document the specific towing company on the vehicle disposition form. If you were arrested by the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, you can track the storage location using the online North Carolina State Highway Patrol Towed Vehicle Search. Alternatively, call the non-emergency dispatch line for the arresting agency and provide your vehicle's license plate number.

What You Need to Retrieve Your Vehicle

Towing operators face strict civil liability. They will not release a vehicle without verified proof of ownership.

Required Documents

You must present the following paperwork at the impound lot:

• A valid government-issued photo identification card.
• The current physical vehicle registration certificate or the vehicle title.
• Proof of active liability insurance coverage for the vehicle.
• Payment for all accrued towing and storage fees.

If You Don't Have a Valid License

A DUI arrest often triggers an immediate administrative license suspension. If your license is suspended, you cannot drive the vehicle off the lot. You must bring a licensed driver with you to the facility.

The licensed driver must present their valid driver's license. If you are the registered owner but cannot physically attend the lot, the person retrieving the vehicle must present a notarized letter of authorization signed by you. This letter must explicitly grant them permission to take possession of the vehicle. A valid Power of Attorney document is also acceptable.

Costs & Fees

Towing costs are highly volatile. North Carolina lacks strict statewide fee caps on private rotational towing, which allows storage fees to escalate rapidly.

Dale's Towing, INC. charges a base hook-up tow fee ranging from $75 to $125. In addition to the base fee, daily storage rates range from $25 to $50 per day. These fees accumulate every calendar day the vehicle remains on the lot. This includes weekends and holidays when the administrative office may be closed for releases.

Payment

Dale's Towing, INC. accepts only cash or credit cards. Personal or business checks are strictly prohibited for impounded vehicle releases. You must call the specific towing facility in advance to confirm their accepted payment methods before traveling to the lot.

Timeline

Retrieve your vehicle immediately. Every day of delay increases your debt to the impound lot.

Act Immediately

Towing and storage fees begin accruing the moment the tow truck hooks your vehicle. Dale's Towing, INC. conducts vehicle releases between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday. If you arrive at 4:45 PM, staff may refuse to process the release because the administrative work cannot be completed before closing. Arrive before 3:30 PM to avoid this delay. After-hours releases are available via 24/7 dispatch but require the payment of substantial gate fees.

After 30 Days

If a vehicle remains unclaimed for 30 days, North Carolina law allows the towing operator to initiate a mechanics and storage lien process. This process grants the towing company the legal authority to sell your vehicle at a public auction to satisfy the unpaid debt.

If You Can't Afford the Fees

Unpaid towing fees can quickly exceed the actual market value of the vehicle. You must take action to mitigate these costs even if you lack immediate funds.

Ask a family member or friend to pay the fees to stop the daily accumulation of storage costs. Some private lots may negotiate a payment plan, though they are not legally obligated to do so and will typically hold the vehicle until the balance is paid in full. If your vehicle was seized under Runyon's Law due to a driving while license revoked charge, you must file a petition for a pretrial release of the vehicle. This requires a formal hearing before a magistrate or judge at the courthouse in Graham.

After Retrieval

Inspect the entire exterior and interior of your vehicle before driving it out of the impound lot. Take clear, time-stamped photographs of all sides of the vehicle while it is still on the towing company's property. If you discover new mechanical or cosmetic damage, report it to the lot manager in writing before leaving. Once you drive the vehicle past the gate, proving the towing company caused the damage becomes extremely difficult.