Pickaway County Vehicle Impound Guide

Scioto Valley Wrecker Service handles the bulk of OVI impounds in Pickaway County, towing 24/7 but only processing administrative releases Monday through Friday, roughly 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. — standard municipal business hours, not the round-the-clock schedule of the tow trucks themselves.

The Drop Fee Can Save the Whole Trip

If a sober spouse or family member reaches the scene before the vehicle is actually hooked up and removed, Ohio law requires the towing company to release it on the spot, charging no more than half the standard towing rate as a "drop fee." Asserting that right immediately, and paying by card right there, skips the impound lot and every storage fee that comes with it entirely.

The License Suspension Blocks the Owner, Not the Car

An OVI arrest that results in a failed or refused chemical test triggers an immediate Administrative License Suspension — which means the registered owner, even standing at the lot with full payment and the title in hand, legally can't drive the car away. The lot still requires the owner to appear in person to authorize the release and sign for it, but a second person with a valid license has to physically drive it off the property, or the owner has to arrange a second tow to a private residence instead.

Someone Else Picking It Up Needs Paperwork, Not a Phone Call

If the owner can't be there — incarcerated, out of town, whatever the reason — the lot requires an original notarized letter of authorization naming the specific proxy, along with a photocopy of the owner's ID and the title. Faxes and digital copies get rejected outright.

Fees Compound Fast After Three Days

Daily storage runs $17 to $22 depending on the vehicle, capped by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, with an after-hours retrieval fee that can reach $150. If a car sits for more than three days, the tow company starts a lien search and mails certified notices to the owner and any lienholder, which triggers its own roughly $25 administrative fee on top of everything else.

Disputing an Overcharge

A tow believed to be wrongful, or fees that exceed PUCO's caps, can be challenged through a civil action under Ohio Revised Code 4513.70, filed in Circleville Municipal Court within 30 days of getting the bill. Paying the undisputed portion of the bill gets the car released within two business days while the dispute itself gets decided by the court, without a jury.