Pick Up Your Vehicle | Calgary Parking
Vehicles may be impounded and brought to the Municipal Impound Lot for a variety of reasons. The Impound Lot is a secure storage facility for vehicles that have violated parking regulations or may have been:
- Stolen
- Abandoned
- Parked illegally or obstructing traffic
- Damaged or derelict
- Involved in an accident or crime
Locating your vehicle
Municipal Impound Lot
400 39 Avenue S.E.If your car has been towed, it may be held at the Municipal Impound Lot. Our team manages the impound lot to ensure that vehicles in the facility are safe, secure and released to authorized individuals. MacCon Public Safety actively monitors the Municipal Impound Lot to keep employees and Calgarians safe. Our staff do not tow the vehicles themselves. For more information on how we operate, view the Traffic Safety Act, Vehicle Seizure and Removal Regulation.
In the unfortunate circumstance that your vehicle was impounded, here’s how you can confirm if it’s located in at our Impound Lot:
When using this system, please note:
- It can take up to 48 hours for our system to be updated
- Your vehicle will not be shown in our system if it is on hold for investigation and has been seized by the Calgary Police Service (CPS)
- The estimated amount owing does not include daily storage fees
Picking up your vehicle
Once you’ve confirmed that your vehicle is in our impound lot, you can pick it up anytime between regular business hours with proper documentation. If any of the required documents are in the vehicle, you or your designate will be escorted to the vehicle to retrieve them.
We will not release vehicles to any person who is under the influence of alcohol or drugs. If your vehicle was seized as part of an investigation, it can only be released by the approval of the Officer that seized your vehicle.
Different documentation is required for different situations:
If the vehicle belongs to you
- Valid vehicle registration (or a valid in-transit permit)
- Valid driver's licence (Interim driver’s licence requires a second piece of government issued ID)
- Valid proof of insurance
If someone else is picking up your vehicle
- A letter of authorization signed and dated from you (the registered owner), indicating:
- First and last name of registered owner
- First and last name of designate
- What specifically is authorized to retrieve (ie. personal items, pickup vehicle)
- Complete vehicle description including:
- Vehicle make
- Vehicle model
- Licence plate number
- Vehicle identification number (VIN)
- Valid vehicle registration
- Valid proof of insurance
- Valid driver's licence for the driver (Interim driver’s licence requires a second piece of government issued ID)
- A copy or picture of your (the registered owner's) government issued ID
If your vehicle has dealership plates
- Valid driver's licence (Interim driver’s licence requires a second piece of government issued ID)
- Valid registration for the dealer plate
- Valid proof of insurance for the dealer plate
- Proof the vehicle is owned by the individual or company that owns the dealer plate such as a bill of sale or bill of lading
- Evidence of an association with the individual or company that owns the dealer plate such as a business card or pay stub
If your vehicle is a rental
- Valid driver's licence (Interim driver’s licence requires a second piece of government issued ID)
- Copy of your valid (not expired) rental agreement which must be in your name
- Rental company employees must show evidence of an association with the rental company such as a business card or pay stub
If the vehicle is being towed from the Impound Lot
- Valid driver's licence (may be replaced by any government issued identification)
- Valid registration (may be replaced by an expired registration or bill of sale)
- If a tow truck company is being used, they must be approved to be on the property and must remove the vehicle within 2 hours of payment
- If you intend to self-tow the vehicle, the following must be provided for the towing vehicle:
- Valid driver's licence
- Valid registration
- Valid proof of insurance
If using a trailer, the trailer must be smaller than 25 feet to allow for safe movement throughout the impound lot.
Fees and payments
Fees must be paid in full before you can have your vehicle returned. Our fees vary depending on the size of the vehicle and the distance it was towed. Once you’ve paid your fees, you have two hours to remove it from the impound lot; failure to do so will result in additional fees.
Accepted forms of payment
We are a cashless facility. We accept the following forms of payment:
- Visa debit/credit
- MasterCard debit/credit
- American Express
- Discover
- Debit
- Certified cheque made out to The City of Calgary
- Money order made out to The City of Calgary
Towing fees - additional KM charges may apply
| Seizure | Towing fees |
|---|---|
| Accident or CPS seizure | $171 |
| Parking related | $160 |
| Abandoned | $138 |
| Motorcycles | $240 |
| Parkade tow | $243 |
| Flat deck | $193 |
| Heavy towing – 3/4 ton or diesel | $243 |
| Heavy towing – 3 ton or greater | $373 |
Towing operated by CityWide. Please note that RVs, oversized vehicles, or certain types of trucks that are over 32 feet may be subject to additional charges if additional CityWide resources are required.
Other fees
| Service | Additional fees |
|---|---|
| Storage fee |
Private lot storage $32.76 / Main lot storage $43 a day / Medium lot storage $55 a day for larger vehicles |
| Large vehicle storage - this is for vehicles that are over 30 feet in length that will not fit in the Impound Lot. | Rate: $65.00 a day |
| Administration fee – security, staffing and building maintenance | $32 per vehicle |
| Parking ticket fee – if you’ve parked illegally you will be charged on top of all the other fees (this can be paid at a later date) |
Amount showing on ticket |
| Letters – registered, lien check, seizure | $22.00 each |
| Disposal preparation | $65.00 |
| Locksmith | $57.75 |
Donating your vehicle
You may also choose to donate your vehicle instead of picking it up. Several charity programs allow registered owners to donate their vehicles and receive a tax receipt in the mail. Examples include:
- The Kidney Foundation of Calgary's Kidney Car program
- Donate a Car program
Impound lot storage support
Did you know the Impound Lot has a subsidy program for Calgarians living with low income? If you qualify as low-income, your storage fees could be subsidized through the Impound Lot Storage Support program under Fair Entry. Find out more about the Fair Entry Program and how to apply.
Why was I impounded?
Private property with permission
- You may be ticketed and/or towed if you do not have permission from the property owner to park in that area
- Be sure to get consent before parking in any area labelled private parking
- Be sure to park in the correct stall
- Be sure to follow posted signage for registering vehicles
Late night taxi zone
- These zones are located in several communities and make taxis more accessible, encouraging a safer way to get around for those under the influence, those without vehicles or who don't want to drive. See more on late night taxi stands.
- You will ticketed and towed if parked here Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m.
Rush hour tow-away-zone
- These zones are in place to ensure smooth and efficient travel during the busiest times of the day
- You will be ticketed and towed if parked here during the indicated morning and afternoon times, please check signs for timing
Alleyways
- Vehicles need at least 3 meters of clearance to be able to drive safely through alleys and emergency vehicles require access at all times
- You can be towed if parked in an alley that is blocking driveways or accessibility to the alley. See Traffic Bylaw 26M96.
Abandoned on a public roadway
- Abandoned vehicles left of the street decrease property value and impact community standards
- You will be ticketed and towed if it’s clear that your vehicle is inoperable and is parked on city streets or alleyways longer than 72 hours – e.g. a vehicle with missing tires, see Parking Bylaw 41M2002
Expired or missing license plate
- You will be ticketed and/or towed if parked on city streets or alleyways
- You must park on private property because all vehicles must be registered and insured to drive on public roadways
Accidents, crimes and stolen vehicles
If the Calgary Police Service has seized your vehicle because it was involved in an accident or illegal activity it will be towed to our impound lot. If you find yourself in this situation here are some things you should know:
- Your vehicle could be held for investigation
- If your vehicle was stolen you are responsible for the impound fees, be sure to check your insurance as you may have coverage for these fees
- If your vehicle was involved in an accident you must pay the impound fees and arrange to have it towed out of the lot
Releasing a vehicle at time of towing
There are a few ways to have your vehicle released from a tow truck driver before it gets taken to the impound lot:
- If you return to your vehicle before it’s been towed you can have it released on the spot at no charge.
- If the tow truck has already moved your vehicle, you can have it released, but you owe the full towing fee to the tow truck driver that will need to be paid before release.
In both cases you will need to confirm the following with the tow truck driver for release:
- You are the owner of the vehicle or have authorization to use it.
- Your vehicle is registered.
- You will move the vehicle immediately from the area.
