North Carolina Chatham CountyImpound

Chatham County Vehicle Impound Guide

Impound Cost Calculator

$45/day*

Calculate how much it will cost to retrieve your vehicle from the impound lot in Chatham County, North Carolina.

*Estimated fees shown for Chatham County. Actual fees may vary.

Arrest Date (Vehicle Towed)

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Planned Pickup Date

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The First 48 Hours

After a DWI arrest in Chatham 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 state averages in Chatham 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 Chatham County. Verify your vehicle's location before traveling.

Lot Information Pending

Contact Chatham County local dispatch for specific towing lot assignments.

Frequently Asked Questions

Chatham County runs its impounds through a rotation of private wrecker services spread across 708 square miles, monitored jointly by the State Highway Patrol and the Sheriff's Office — there's no single municipal lot. East Coast Towing is a prominent rotation provider for the Pittsboro and Siler City area; Ploughes Wrecker Service and Downtown Automotive in Siler City cover other zones. Don't rely on memory from the arrest scene to find your car — the arresting officer fills out an "Auto Tow Slip" naming the specific vendor, and the fastest way to track it down is calling the Sheriff's Office Records Division at (919) 545-8121 or searching the State Highway Patrol's online towed-vehicle database by VIN or plate.

Standard fees run $200 for the base tow plus $45-$55 a day in storage, with a $100 administrative processing fee and a $45 gate fee if you retrieve outside normal business hours — a near-certainty given most DWI arrests happen nights or weekends. State rules do prohibit charging storage for days the lot was closed and unavailable to the owner, so keep records if you're disputing a bill.

A hold order changes everything. If your vehicle is involved in a crash or suspected of containing other evidence, the investigating detective can place an investigative hold — the tow yard legally can't release the car or even let you retrieve personal items until that hold is lifted. Your attorney contacting the DA's office or the impounding officer directly is usually the fastest path to supervised access.

If you're caught driving on a license already revoked for a prior DWI, the vehicle is subject to formal seizure rather than simple impound, and you have the right to request a tow hearing before forfeiture — filed with the Chatham County Clerk of Superior Court, Civil Division, at the Justice Center in Pittsboro, though the request must go in immediately upon written notification of the seizure.

Only the registered owner, with valid ID and proof of insurance, can retrieve the car. If that's the incarcerated defendant, the lot needs a notarized power of attorney or a vehicle release form executed directly at the detention center.