Minnesota regulates some towing charges tightly and others only through a reasonableness standard. City impound fees are set by ordinance and published. Private-property tow charges have to be reasonable but are not capped at a single statewide number. Knowing which bucket your tow falls in tells you what to expect.
City impound fees are set and published
When a city tows your car, the fee is set by that city and is public. Minneapolis sets its towing fees under City Code Chapter 349, and as of 2026 the customer tow fee is $222 with $18 per day storage. St. Paul publishes its own figures, including a snow-emergency tow that totals $246 the same day plus $15 per day storage after that. These are not negotiable at the counter, but they are knowable in advance, which is the point of publishing them.
Private-property tows: reasonable, not capped
For a tow from private property, Minnesota Statutes 168B.035 requires the charge to be “reasonable for the type of vehicle removed and the circumstances surrounding its removal.” There is no fixed statewide dollar cap beyond that. Reasonable is tied to the actual job, so a straightforward pull should not carry a heavy-recovery price. Ask for an itemized total and keep it.
Requested roadside tows: quoted, not fixed
When you call for a tow, the operator sets the price and should quote it before dispatch. Minnesota does not set that rate. Quick Tow Minneapolis does not publish a rate either, because we are a referral service and no operator has given us a rate card to stand behind. You should hear the number before you agree to the job.
Lien and storage rules
If storage charges pile up and a car goes unclaimed, Minnesota’s lien statutes (514.18 through 514.22) control how a towing or storage company can eventually sell the vehicle: certified-mail notice to secured creditors 45 days before a sale, and a public auction with published notice. Those rules protect owners and lenders from a quiet sale, but they also mean storage keeps running, so claiming a car early is always cheaper.
Frequently asked questions
Does Minnesota cap what a tow company can charge? For city impounds, the city sets and publishes the fee. For private-property tows, the charge must be reasonable under Statute 168B.035, but there is no single statewide cap.
Who sets the Minneapolis impound fee? The City of Minneapolis, under City Code Chapter 349. It is $222 to tow and $18 per day to store as of 2026.
Can I challenge a towing bill I think is too high? Yes, especially for a private-property tow. Keep the itemized bill and any evidence, and dispute a charge that is not reasonable for the job.
Why won’t Quick Tow Minneapolis publish a price? Because we don’t set one. We match you with an operator who quotes the job before dispatch, and we only publish fees we can cite, which are the cities’ own impound figures.