Tennessee Clay CountyImpound

Clay County Vehicle Impound Guide

Impound Cost Calculator

$45/day*

Calculate how much it will cost to retrieve your vehicle from the impound lot in Clay County, Tennessee.

*Estimated fees shown for Clay 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 DUI arrest in Clay 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 Clay 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 Clay County. Verify your vehicle's location before traveling.

Lot Information Pending

Contact Clay County local dispatch for specific towing lot assignments.

Frequently Asked Questions

An officer who skips the paperwork can lose the right to hold your car. Tennessee Code § 66-19-103 requires the arresting officer to provide the towing company a written authorization listing the vehicle's year, make, model, color, license plate, and VIN, and that authorization has to remain posted with the vehicle until it's claimed. If that documentation wasn't properly executed during a chaotic late-night arrest, the towing company technically has no statutory lien on the vehicle at all, which is real leverage against being charged compounding storage fees.

McClain's Towing & Recovery Specialist handles most Clay County impounds, with Celina Towing Services and Heritage Towing and Recovery LLC taking overflow. Call the Sheriff's Office dispatch at (931) 243-3266 to find out which operator actually has the vehicle; the officer's written authorization is the record that matters, not guesswork. These rural operators get pulled constantly into off-road recoveries, pulling cars out of mud or lake-access points, so a lot attendant capable of processing a cash release isn't reliably sitting at a desk. Call ahead to confirm a specific window when someone will physically be there, and don't attempt a walk-in without that confirmation first.

Dispatch runs 24/7, but administrative release processing typically closes by 4 or 5 p.m., so someone released from jail at 4:30 on a Friday afternoon will likely find the car stuck, accruing storage fees, until Monday morning. Arriving at least two hours before the close of business gives real breathing room. These lots also often sit on unmarked private or industrial land without clear signage, so ask the dispatcher for actual turn-by-turn directions rather than trusting GPS to a general Celina address.

Only the registered owner can retrieve the vehicle with valid ID and proof of ownership, unless that owner provides a notarized letter authorizing someone else to collect it. This matters more than usual here given how often tourists arrive in borrowed cars or rentals for Dale Hollow Lake. If the tow itself seems improper, disputes go through the Clay County General Sessions Court at 145 Cordell Hull Drive in Celina.