The tow is usually not the surprise on an accident bill. The surprise is everything that piles up after it: storage days while a claim sits, a second tow from a lot to a body shop, a release fee, a trip back for a forgotten car seat. None of it is hidden if you know where to look. This guide covers how towing and storage charges work after a crash in Columbus, which rules and fee schedules apply to which kind of tow, and the habits that keep the total down. For the scene itself, start with our accident towing in Columbus page.
Fees below are the City's or our own published numbers, with sources, read on November 6, 2026. This is general information, not legal advice.
Three kinds of tow, three kinds of bill
The first thing to know is which kind of tow your car had, because different rules set the price for each.
- A tow you arranged (the officer let you choose, or you called after the scene was cleared): the towing company's own rates apply. Ohio Revised Code 4513.68 says the company must give you a written estimate of fees, services and destination if you ask.
- A police impound in Columbus: the City's fees apply, set in Columbus City Code Chapter 2107 and listed on the City's Impounded Vehicles page.
- A tow from private property such as an apartment or store lot: Ohio's PUCO caps in OAC 4901:2-24-03 apply, effective January 1, 2026. Those caps cover private-property tows under ORC 4513.60 and 4513.601, not crash tows ordered by police.
One more case catches people off guard. On Columbus police crash scenes where the car does not need to be impounded and the owner has not called a company, the Division's Directive 6.01 states a preference for a tow to the private lot of the wrecker police dispatch sends. That company's own rates then apply, so ask it for them. Our guide to police-called tows in Columbus explains how to tell which case you are in.
What the City of Columbus publishes
On November 6, 2026, the City listed a $125 towing fee for an impounded vehicle (more for vehicles over 7,000 pounds), a $30 administrative fee and an $18 storage fee, with the last two applying only if certified notification has been sent, plus any unpaid parking tickets. City Code Section 2107.06 sets storage at $18 for each 24 hours or fraction of a day for vehicles under 10,050 pounds. Read the City's page before you go; our post on getting a car out of the Columbus impound lot after a crash covers the documents and hours.
What our accident tows cost
Our published rate card lists full retail rates: $4 per mile en-route from our yard, a $125 hook-up and $7 per loaded mile, with after-hours, weekend, highway and large-vehicle surcharges listed on the same page when they apply. Storage at our lot is $45 a day, and it starts the day the vehicle is towed. On accident tows, we bill the insurer. Dispatch quotes the job before hookup, and the bill you or your adjuster receive is itemized against that card.
Where the extra charges come from
Most accident bills that feel too high are not padded; they are long. The common reasons:
- Storage days while a claim waits. Fault disputes, a weekend, or an adjuster who has not called back all add days.
- A second tow. The car goes to a lot first and then to a body shop, so you pay a second hook-up and mileage.
- Release on a title only. The City says a vehicle released on a title alone must be towed out, which adds a tow.
- Extra work at the scene. A car on its roof, down an embankment or tangled with a guardrail takes more time and equipment. On City impounds, Code Section 2107.06 lists hourly charges for that kind of work.
- Notice fees. On the City's list, the administrative and storage fees apply once certified notification has been sent. Under Ohio Revised Code 4513.61, that notice says the car will be declared a nuisance and disposed of if it is not claimed within ten days.
Seven ways to avoid surprises
- Ask the officer early whether you may call your own tow company. If yes, you choose the company, the rates and the destination.
- Pick the destination before hookup. If the body shop is known and open, tow straight there and skip storage and a second tow.
- Open the claim the same day and send the adjuster the towing company's contact details.
- Ask for a written estimate on a tow you arrange; ORC 4513.68 gives you that right if you ask.
- Ask for an itemized bill at any lot, and the fee schedule or rate card it is based on.
- Take your belongings at the scene so you do not need a separate trip. If the car is already stored by police, ORC 4513.61 lets the owner retrieve personal items without paying a fee.
- Check the car before it leaves the lot, and photograph it. The City says impound-lot damage claims must be made before you leave.
EVs, AWD cars and badly damaged vehicles
Equipment choice can change the bill and the risk. EVs ride with all four wheels off the ground, on a flatbed or a wheel-lift with dollies as the manufacturer allows, and all-wheel-drive cars travel the same way. A crashed EV with possible battery damage also needs to be stored apart from other cars; our article on storing damaged EVs safely explains why. Tell the dispatcher the vehicle type up front so the right truck comes the first time; flatbed towing covers most damaged cars.
If the bill is more than you can pay today
Talk to the company holding the car before storage adds another day. With us, payment plans are available only in extenuating circumstances, at the owner's discretion, and veterans with a military or VA ID get 10% off retail rates. If the City holds the car, its page lists the payment methods it accepts. Waiting rarely makes the total smaller.
When the officer lets you choose, one call covers the tow, the vehicle debris and delivery to our lot or your shop. See how it works on our accident and collision towing page, and read who pays for the tow after a crash in Ohio for the insurance side.
Frequently asked questions
How much does storage cost after an accident tow in Columbus?
It depends on who holds the car. The City publishes its impound storage fee, and Columbus City Code 2107.06 sets it per 24 hours. A private company charges its own rate; at our lot, storage starts the day of the tow at the rate on our published rate card.
Do PUCO towing fee limits apply after a car accident?
Not to police-ordered crash tows. The caps in Ohio Administrative Code 4901:2-24-03 apply to tows from private property under Ohio Revised Code 4513.60 and 4513.601. Police impounds in Columbus follow the City's fee schedule.
Can I get a written estimate before an accident tow?
For a tow you arrange yourself, yes. Ohio Revised Code 4513.68 requires the towing company to give the driver a written estimate of the fees, services and destination if the driver asks. Police-ordered and private-property tows follow their own rules.
How do I avoid paying for two tows after a crash?
Decide where the car should be repaired before it is hooked up, and tow it straight there when the shop is open and your insurer agrees. Opening the claim the same day and sending the adjuster the towing company's details also keeps storage days down.
Sources, opened November 6, 2026: City of Columbus Impounded Vehicles; Columbus City Code Chapter 2107; Columbus Division of Police Directive 6.01; Ohio Revised Code 4513.68 and 4513.61; Ohio Administrative Code 4901:2-24-03. This post is general information, not legal advice.
After a crash and free to choose the tow? Call (740) 812-9489 any hour, or send your location from the SOS request page.