Guide
What a tow costs in Denver
There are two kinds of tow in Colorado and two kinds of price. A tow you call for is priced by the company. A tow you didn't ask for is capped by the state, and the caps are public.
One local towing company gives its name and the total first. Your rights · Who pays us
A tow you call for
No state cap applies. Most companies charge a hook-up fee plus a rate per mile, and some add a fee for a flatbed, a winch, or a call at night or in a storm. The only way to know the number is to ask for it, all of it, before the truck leaves. We ask every company we pass a request to for one total on the phone that matches the bill.
A short tow across town and a long tow back from the mountains are very different jobs, so if a quote seems high, ask how many miles it covers.
A tow you didn't ask for
For a tow from private property, the Colorado PUC sets maximums. After the March 15, 2026 inflation adjustment, the cap for a vehicle under 10,000 pounds was $250.91 for the tow and $48.19 per 24 hours of storage, plus mileage from a base of $3.80 a mile that moves monthly with diesel prices. In October 2026 that mileage cap was $5.15 a loaded mile, billable for up to 12 miles on a tow within 10 miles of I-25. If you get to the car after it is hooked up but before it leaves a commercial lot, the most the company may charge to drop it is $97.70. From a residential lot there is no drop fee at all. The PUC adjusts these every year, so check its current table.
| What | Public number | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tow from private property you did not ask for (vehicle of 10,000 lbs or less) | Up to $250.91 PUC maximum in the table effective March 15, 2026, plus capped mileage ($5.15 a loaded mile at most in October 2026). The PUC adjusts it every year. | Colorado PUC |
| You reach the car after it is hooked up, before it leaves (commercial lot) | Up to $97.70 drop charge From a residential lot, such as an apartment complex, the company can't charge a drop fee at all. | Colorado PUC |
| Storage after a private-property tow | Up to $48.19 per 24 hours Prorated by the hour, and only the first 24 hours until the required notice is sent. | Colorado PUC; HB22-1314 |
| Your belongings from a car towed from a residential lot | No charge Ask within 30 days of the tow notice. | Colorado PUC |
| Getting your belongings or the car out before paying in full | 15% of the bill or $60, whichever is less You sign a form that you still owe the rest. Ask within 30 days of the notice. | HB22-1314 |
| City of Denver impound, vehicle under 6,000 lbs | $120 tow, then $20 a day Over 6,000 lbs: $170 and $30 a day. No fees for a car reported stolen. | City and County of Denver |
| A tow you call for (breakdown, crash, move) | Set by the company No state cap. Ask for the hook-up fee and the per-mile rate. Then ask about after-hours or winch charges, and get one total. | Colorado PUC |
How to check a bill
- Ask for it itemized. Colorado companies have to give you one on request.
- Count the storage days. A company can't charge for days it didn't store the car.
- For a private-property tow, compare each line with the PUC's posted maximums.
- Look for a notice fee over $75. That is the legal limit.
Questions Denver drivers ask
Why did the price go up when the truck arrived?
Sometimes the job really is different, like a car that needs a winch or a flatbed. Ask why before any work starts. If the reason doesn't hold up, you can say no.
Sources
- Colorado PUC, Towing rates (maximum rates for nonconsensual tows, table effective March 15, 2026) (checked October 28, 2026)
- Colorado PUC, Towing carrier fuel surcharge (monthly mileage cap) (checked October 28, 2026)
- Colorado General Assembly, HB22-1314 Towing Carrier Nonconsensual Tows (signed June 7, 2022) (checked October 28, 2026)
- City and County of Denver, Vehicle Impound (fees, hours, documents) (checked October 28, 2026)