Cleveland Updates Vehicle Impoundment and Towing Fees
Cleveland City Council has passed an emergency ordinance to update the regulations and costs associated with vehicle impoundment and towing services managed by the Department of Public Safety. Under File No. 698-2026, the city is modernizing administrative rules that have not been updated in nearly forty years to better align with current operating costs and modern practices.
What's in the file
The legislation amends several sections of Chapter 405 of the Codified Ordinances and introduces new requirements for fee management. According to the 698-2026-Legislative Summary-Chapter 405 Towing Amendments, the changes include:
- Recalibrating various towing, impound, storage, and preparation fees.
- Repealing three obsolete provisions: a probable-cause hearing framework that predated the Parking Violation Bureau, an outdated bicycle impound provision, and a vehicle diversion program no longer in use.
- Enacting a new Section 405.13, which requires the Director of Public Safety to review chapter fees before initiating competitive bidding for towing, storage, or disposal contracts.
The following table outlines the specific fee adjustments authorized by the ordinance:
| Fee Category | Current | Proposed |
|---|---|---|
| § 405.06(a)(2) — Standard tow fee (non-commercial) | $125.00 | $190.00 |
| § 405.06(a)(2) — Recovered stolen vehicle tow | $50.00 | $75.00 |
| § 405.06 — Dolly / flatbed / tire-change surcharge | $35.00 | $50.00 |
| § 405.08(a) — Commercial storage (≤ 5 tons net weight) | $10.00/day | $20.00/day |
| § 405.08(a) — Commercial storage (> 5 tons net weight) | $20.00/day | $25.00/day |
| § 405.10(a)(1) — Transmission pin removal (non-commercial) | $2.00 | $35.00 |
| § 405.10(a)(2) — Towing preparation labor (non-commercial) | $7.00/qtr-hr | $35.00/qtr-hr |
| § 405.11 — Incomplete / dropped tow | $25.00 | $45.00 |
Who may be affected
- Department of Public Safety: Administers the towing and impoundment operations.
- Local vehicle owners: Subject to the updated towing, storage, and preparation fees.
Status and timeline
- 2026-05-29: The ordinance was introduced to City Council.
- 2026-07-15: The emergency ordinance officially passed.
Residents can verify all details and fee changes by reviewing the official record for File No. 698-2026.
Source record
- File
- 698-2026
- Type
- Emergency Ordinance
- Status
- Passed
- Committee
- City Council
- Introduced
- May 28, 2026
Official documents
- 698-2026-Legislative Summary-Chapter 405 Towing Amendments
- 698-2026 Amend CO Section 405.01 405.03 405.06 405.08 405.10 and 405.11- Vehicle Impoundment and towing operations
- 698-2026 FP letter-AMEND CO Section 405.01 405.03 405.06 405.08 405.10 and 405.11- Vehicle Impoundment and towing operations
- 698-2026 Amend 698-2026
- 698-2026-as amended-desk copy-Final
- FINAL VERSION City Record July 24, 2026 - Page 25