For most passenger vehicles in Texas, an impound lot may charge $22.85 per day or part of a day. Vehicles longer than 25 feet carry a $39.99 daily rate. The final bill may also include towing and a few specific fees.
The daily storage caps set by the state
The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation lists two adjusted daily storage rates. A vehicle measuring 25 feet or less may be charged $22.85 per day. A vehicle longer than 25 feet may be charged $39.99 per day.
Length controls which storage rate applies. Weight doesn’t determine the daily storage category. That matters for pickup trucks, vans, RVs, and vehicles towing trailers. Ask the facility which vehicle length appears on its invoice if the higher rate was used.
These figures cover storage, not the entire impound bill. The towing charge is separate. A facility may also collect certain fees permitted by Texas rules. Before paying, ask for an itemized statement showing towing, storage, and every added charge.
The state rules apply to vehicle storage facilities across Texas. That includes facilities serving Corpus Christi, Flour Bluff, Padre Island, Robstown, and the Northside across the Harbor Bridge. Distance from the tow location may affect the towing portion, but it doesn’t create a different state daily storage category.
Local ordinances may establish lower maximum rates than the state limits. We couldn’t confirm through an accessible primary city source whether Corpus Christi currently has a lower local maximum. Ask the storage facility which rate schedule it follows and request a copy before paying.
City impound details also couldn’t be confirmed from an accessible City of Corpus Christi page. If law enforcement ordered the tow, contact the Corpus Christi Police Department directly. Confirm the facility holding the vehicle, its access procedures, and the current amount due.
Why part of a day counts as a day
Texas describes vehicle storage rates as applying per day or part of a day. A car doesn’t need to remain inside the lot for a full 24-hour period before one daily storage charge can apply.
That wording can surprise drivers. The time between arrival and release may be shorter than a full day, yet the facility may still assess one daily rate. Don’t assume each storage charge on the invoice represents 24 complete hours.
The rule is statewide. It doesn’t change because a vehicle was removed from an apartment lot near South Padre Island Drive, a parking area in Corpus Christi proper, or property across Nueces Bay. The facility should still apply the appropriate Texas storage rate based on vehicle length.
Get the vehicle’s intake time before arranging pickup. Then ask how many storage days have been entered on the account. When you arrive, compare the release time and total storage duration against the itemized bill.
Keep the final receipt. It should let you separate the daily storage amount from towing and other fees. A single unexplained total makes it harder to identify what the facility charged for each part of the impound.
If the vehicle came from private property, the circumstances behind the removal also matter. Our guide to private property towing in Corpus Christi explains how these nonconsent tows differ from a tow requested by the driver.
The under-twelve-hours rule
Texas provides an important limit for short stays. A vehicle storage facility can’t charge for multiple days when the vehicle was stored for less than 12 hours total.
That doesn’t make a short stay free. One daily storage charge may still apply under the per-day-or-part-of-day rule. The protection prevents multiple daily storage charges when the complete stay lasted under 12 hours.
Check the facility’s recorded arrival time against the actual release time. If the total is below 12 hours but the bill shows several storage days, ask the facility to review the timestamps and explain the calculation.
Write down the employee’s explanation and keep every document. Save the tow notice, facility notice, payment receipt, and any photos related to the removal. Records matter if you later question the bill or the tow itself.
Retrieving the vehicle promptly can also keep another part-day storage charge from accruing. Call the storage facility before traveling from Portland, Padre Island, or Robstown. Confirm what identification and ownership documents it will accept. Facility hours and city impound procedures couldn’t be verified from accessible Corpus Christi government sources, so confirm them directly with the facility or authorizing agency.
If the car can’t be collected immediately, don’t guess what the final balance will be. Ask for the amount due at that moment, the applicable daily rate, and the facility’s calculation of storage days. The lot, not Quick Tow Corpus Christi, controls that storage bill.
Fees a lot may add, and fees it may not
Daily storage is only one part of a nonconsent towing bill. Texas also permits a towing charge within the applicable limit. The state maximum is $272 for a vehicle weighing 10,000 pounds or less. It’s $380 for a vehicle weighing between 10,001 and 25,000 pounds.
For vehicles exceeding 25,000 pounds, the maximum nonconsent towing charge is $489 per unit, with a maximum total of $978. These are state limits for nonconsent tows. A local ordinance may set a lower maximum.
A consent tow is different. That’s a tow requested by the vehicle owner or operator. The TDLR nonconsent caps don’t control a tow you request yourself. Our guide to Corpus Christi towing costs explains the difference between a published starting rate and the total quoted by the matched operator.
Texas permits several other charges in specific situations:
- A notification fee may be as high as $50. It must be waived when the vehicle is claimed within 24 hours.
- An impoundment fee may be as high as $20. It applies only when damaged doors or windows are documented.
- Law enforcement or governmental fees may be passed through at their actual cost.
Other additional charges are prohibited under the TDLR consumer rules. Ask the facility to identify the authority for any charge that doesn’t fit one of the permitted categories. Don’t rely on a verbal total when an itemized statement is available.
A drop fee belongs to a different situation. It can apply when a vehicle is fully hooked to a tow truck but hasn’t left the property. Once the vehicle has been removed and placed in storage, focus on the towing charge, daily storage, and the limited additional fees allowed by Texas rules.
Owners and operators subject to a nonconsent tow may request a hearing on whether probable cause existed. The request must be filed within 14 days, excluding weekends and holidays, after placement in storage. The court filing fee is $20. A TDLR complaint doesn’t replace the hearing request.
Getting your documents and belongings out for free
Texas allows free access to ownership documents and personal property inside a stored vehicle. The facility can’t require payment of the towing and storage balance before giving that access.
This matters when an insurance card or registration document remains inside the glove box. Tell the facility that you need access to retrieve ownership documents or personal belongings. Getting those items doesn’t release the vehicle or erase the amount due.
To claim the vehicle, the owner must present acceptable photo identification. That may be a state driver’s license, federal-issued identification, or foreign government-issued identification. The facility also requires proof of ownership through an accepted document.
Accepted ownership proof may include a driver’s license matching the registration, an insurance card, the title, a notarized power of attorney, a tax collector’s receipt, or a lease or rental agreement. TDLR also provides forms that may be used in certain situations.
Payment of towing and storage fees is required before the vehicle is released. That payment requirement is separate from the right to retrieve documents and personal property without charge.
A facility operating around the clock must provide access within one hour at any time. Other facilities must provide access within one hour during the state’s specified periods: between 8 a.m. and midnight Monday through Saturday, and between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Sunday.
Bring the documents you already have, but don’t panic if proof of ownership is locked inside the car. Explain what you need and request access. Our complete guide on getting a car out of impound in Corpus Christi covers identification, payment, and pickup preparation.
When to call us
If a released vehicle needs towing over public roads, use a licensed towing operator. Every operator in our referral network is licensed and insured. Call us at (361) 967-8088 and we’ll connect you with a licensed operator.