Two rules tow cars in Minneapolis that have nothing to do with a snow emergency: a winter parking ban and street sweeping. A winter parking ban keeps cars off one side of the street for weeks at a time, and street sweeping clears a block for a single posted day. Both are announced ahead, and both end in a tow if you miss them. Watch for the bright pink signs and check which side of the street applies.
The winter parking ban is not a snow emergency
Minneapolis and St. Paul can each declare a one-side winter parking ban on residential streets, separate from a snow emergency. It keeps cars off the even-numbered side of the street so plows can get through all winter, and it can last until conditions clear or until April 1. This is different from the three-day snow-emergency sequence, which is called storm by storm. The ban runs in the background for weeks, so if it is in effect, park on the odd side and leave the even side clear.
Street sweeping tows in spring and fall
Twice a year, Minneapolis sweeps every residential street, once in spring and once in fall. The spring sweep runs about mid-April, and in 2026 it started around April 21 in Minneapolis and around April 13 in St. Paul. Crews post bright pink “no parking” signs at least 24 hours before your block’s sweep day, and parking is banned from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. that day. Miss the sign and your car is towed to clear the block.
Read the pink sign, not the calendar
The exact sweep date for your block changes every year and is not the same as your neighbor’s a few streets over. Do not rely on last year’s date. When you see a pink sign, read it: it names the day and the hours parking is banned. The city also posts a street-sweeping map you can check by address. Move the car the night before, because the ban starts at 7 a.m. and tow crews follow the sweepers closely.
What a sweep-day tow costs
A car towed off a sweep route is not sent to the impound lot for free. Minneapolis has reported towing on the order of 160 vehicles on a single sweep day, with a $138 fine plus $18 per day storage. If the city towed your car, search by plate or VIN at minneapolismn.gov or call the impound lot at (612) 673-5777. The lot is at 50 Van White Memorial Blvd, open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Storage is charged by midnight each day, so get it out sooner rather than later.
If you just need a tow
Winter is hard on cars, and plenty end up dead or stuck at the curb when you are trying to move them off a ban. Quick Tow Minneapolis is a referral service. We take the call and match you with an independent local operator across the metro, and that operator quotes the job before rolling. Tell us where the car is and where it needs to go.
Frequently asked questions
Is a winter parking ban the same as a snow emergency? No. A snow emergency is a three-day sequence called storm by storm. A winter parking ban keeps cars off one side of residential streets for weeks, until conditions clear or April 1.
How much notice do I get before street sweeping? Bright pink signs go up at least 24 hours before your block’s sweep day. Parking is banned 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. that day, and tow crews follow the sweepers.
When does spring sweeping happen? Around mid-April, though the exact date changes each year and differs by block. In 2026 it started around April 21 in Minneapolis. Read the pink sign or check the city’s street-sweeping map.
What does a sweep-day tow cost? Minneapolis has reported a $138 fine plus $18 per day storage. Find the car at minneapolismn.gov or by calling the impound lot at (612) 673-5777.