Anson County Vehicle Impound Guide

Getting Your Car Back After DUI Arrest in Anson County

Your Vehicle After a DUI Arrest

If you are arrested for driving while impaired in the local area, your vehicle is not left on the side of the road. Law enforcement officers immediately order it towed. This is standard procedure under North Carolina law to clear the roadway and secure the vehicle. The arresting officer from the local police or the State Highway Patrol decides which private towing company on the official rotation list will handle the vehicle.

Where Is Your Car?

The local Sheriff's Office does not operate a government impound lot. Instead, private towing operators handle all seized vehicles. Your vehicle will be taken to one of the authorized lots in the region.

The primary rotational impound lots serving the area include:

• ATR Towing & Recovery
• Address: 7534 US-52, Wadesboro, NC 28170
• R & R Towing and Recovery, LLC
• Address: 521 Ballard Spring Rd, Morven, NC 28119
• Williamson Wrecker Service
• Address: Stanback Ferry Rd, Wadesboro, NC 28170
• Phone: 704-694-4545

How to Find Your Vehicle

Do not guess where your vehicle was taken. You can locate it using three direct methods:

• Arrest Documentation: The arresting officer lists the towing company on the vehicle seizure report or inventory form provided during booking.
• Sheriff's Dispatch: Call the Anson Sheriff's Office non-emergency line at 704-694-4188. State the location and time of your arrest to confirm which company took the vehicle.
• State Highway Patrol Portal: If a state trooper arrested you, search the North Carolina State Highway Patrol towed vehicle database using your license plate or Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).

What You Need to Retrieve Your Vehicle

Tow yards will not release a vehicle to just anyone. They enforce strict liability rules.

Required Documents

You must present the following documents at the tow lot:

• A valid photo identification card.
• Proof of ownership, such as the vehicle registration card or the vehicle title.
• Proof of active financial responsibility (auto insurance policy).
• Payment in full for all towing and storage fees.

If You Don't Have a Valid License

A DUI arrest triggers an immediate 30-day civil license revocation under North Carolina General Statute § 20-16.5. Your license is physically confiscated. Because you cannot legally drive, you cannot drive the car off the lot yourself.

You must bring a licensed driver with you. If you cannot go to the lot personally, a family member or friend can retrieve the vehicle. They must present:

• Their valid driver's license.
• A notarized letter of authorization signed by you (the registered owner) explicitly permitting them to claim the vehicle.
• The original vehicle title or registration.

Costs & Fees

Towing fees are determined by the private wrecker service on the rotational list. Daily storage rates accrue quickly.

Under North Carolina Administrative Code 14B NCAC 07A.0116, daily storage fees do not begin to accrue until the calendar day following the initial tow. If you are arrested at 11:00 PM, you have until the close of business the following day to retrieve the vehicle before the first daily storage fee is added.

Payment Rules

Historically, some rural towing companies demanded cash. Modern State Highway Patrol regulations mandate that rotational towing providers must accept major credit cards. If a rotational operator refuses credit card payment, they face suspension from the official rotation list.

Standard after-hours gate fees apply if you retrieve your vehicle outside of standard business hours. These gate fees range from $45 to $75. State regulations cap after-hours fees at 10 percent above the standard business-hour rate.

Timeline

Act Immediately

Fees accumulate daily. Every 24 hours the vehicle sits in storage increases your final bill.

After 30 Days

If a vehicle remains unclaimed for 30 days, the towing company can initiate a landlord or towing lien sale. Under North Carolina law, this process allows the towing operator to sell the vehicle at public auction to cover the unpaid towing and storage costs. Unclaimed vehicles are sold quickly once the statutory timeline expires.

If You Can't Afford the Fees

Failing to pay will result in the permanent loss of your vehicle.

• Ask for Assistance: Have a family member pay the fees immediately to stop the daily accumulation.

After Retrieval

Inspect your vehicle thoroughly before leaving the impound lot.

• Walk around the vehicle and check for fresh body damage, scratches, or bumper scrapes.
• Take clear photographs of all four sides of the vehicle while it is still on the lot.
• If you discover damage, demand that the lot manager document it in writing before you drive away.