St. Paul plows in two phases during a snow emergency, and the rules are different from Minneapolis, so do not carry over what you know from across the river. When St. Paul declares, keep your car off Night Plow streets from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m., then off Day Plow streets from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Enforcement can run up to 96 hours after a declaration. Move early and you keep your car.
Night Plow and Day Plow
St. Paul splits plowing into two phases:
- Night Plow, 9 p.m. to 7 a.m., clears the streets posted for overnight plowing first.
- Day Plow, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., clears the remaining streets.
The signs on your block tell you which phase applies to that street. Enforcement can continue for up to 96 hours after the emergency is declared, so a car left out overnight is not safe just because the first morning passed.
How to get the alert
Text “StPaul Snow” to 468311, or call the hotline at 651-266-7569 (that spells PLOW). St. Paul issues its snow-emergency alerts in English, Spanish, Hmong, and Somali, so sign up in the language you use at home. The city budgets for roughly four snow emergencies a year, but they are called by conditions, not on a schedule.
Where a towed car goes, and it is not the usual lot
This is the trap. During a snow emergency, St. Paul does not send towed cars to its regular impound lot. Snow-emergency tows go to the lot at 1129 Cathlin St, St. Paul 55108, near the State Fairgrounds, phone 651-502-7480. The regular impound lot at 830 Barge Channel Rd, phone 651-266-5642, open daily 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., handles the rest of the year. So during an emergency, call Cathlin St first, not Barge Channel Rd, before you drive across town.
What it costs in St. Paul
St. Paul publishes its own fees, and they are not the Minneapolis numbers. A snow-emergency tow comes to $246 if you get the car back the same day before midnight. That total breaks down into a $143.89 tow, an $80.00 administration fee, and $22.11 in sales tax. Storage is $15 per day for each additional day, starting at midnight. On top of that, the $56 parking ticket is separate, and you pay it to the Minnesota courts, not the impound lot. Fee waivers fall under St. Paul Legislative Code 445.09, but the dollar amounts are set administratively and published on the city pages.
If your car is stuck, not towed
Snow and ice leave plenty of cars stuck at the curb or dead in a driveway. Quick Tow Minneapolis is a referral service covering the Twin Cities, including St. Paul and the East Side. We take the call and connect you with an independent local operator, and that operator quotes the job before rolling. Tell us the location, the destination, and whether the car runs.
Frequently asked questions
Is St. Paul the same as Minneapolis for snow emergencies? No. St. Paul uses Night Plow and Day Plow phases, different hotlines, and a different impound lot. Do not apply Minneapolis rules or fees to a St. Paul tow.
Where do I look for a car towed in a St. Paul snow emergency? The snow-emergency lot at 1129 Cathlin St, phone 651-502-7480, not the regular Barge Channel Rd lot. Call before you drive over.
How much is a St. Paul snow-emergency tow? $246 if retrieved the same day, made of a $143.89 tow, $80 administration, and $22.11 tax, plus $15 per day storage after and a separate $56 ticket paid to the courts.
How do I get snow-emergency alerts? Text “StPaul Snow” to 468311 or call 651-266-7569. St. Paul sends alerts in English, Spanish, Hmong, and Somali.