Tow Yard Release After a Fort Worth Crash
Short answer: Bring a photo ID and proof you own the car, then pay the allowed fees.
What to bring
- Government photo ID
- Proof of ownership: title, registration or insurance card in your name
- If someone else picks it up: a signed, notarized authorization from the owner is commonly required
- A way to pay; licensed storage facilities must take cash and major credit and debit cards
Requesting a tow hearing
If you think the tow wasn't authorized or the charges were too high, you can request a hearing in the justice court for the area where the car was towed from. The request must be made within 14 days after the tow, not counting weekends and legal holidays (Occ. Code ch. 2308). If the court finds against the tow or storage company, it can order fees returned.
Getting your belongings
Ask for your personal items even if you can't take the car yet. Check the trunk, glove box and child seats. A child seat that was in a crash usually needs replacing, and that cost belongs in the claim.
Where Fort Worth crash tows go
After a crash on I-35W, Loop 820 or I-30, the responding officer usually arranges the tow if your car can't be driven. The crash report or the officer's card names the company. A tow hearing for a tow inside Fort Worth goes to the Tarrant County justice of the peace precinct covering the tow location.
Fort Worth contacts after a crash
Fort Worth police take crash reports inside the city. On I-35W, I-20 and Loop 820 outside the city, Texas DPS troopers or the Tarrant County Sheriff may respond instead. Once the officer files the CR-3, TxDOT usually posts it within about 10 business days (getting your report).
Hospital ERs: JPS Health Network (John Peter Smith Hospital), Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth, Medical City Alliance, Texas Health Alliance.
Start with the Fort Worth first-steps checklist.
Common questions
How long do I have to request a tow hearing?
14 days after the tow, not counting weekends and legal holidays (Occ. Code ch. 2308).
Can the lot keep my belongings until I pay?
No. You can get personal property and ownership papers out without paying storage.
Want a lawyer to look at your case for free?
If you were hurt in a crash that wasn't your fault, in Fort Worth or anywhere else in Texas, you can ask for a free consultation. A trusted local attorney will contact you promptly and evaluate your case for free. There's no cost to ask and no obligation.