Car Towed in Waikiki or Anywhere in Hawaii and How to Get It Back
If your car is gone from a lot that had a tow sign, it was almost certainly towed, not stolen, and you can usually get it back the same night, even if it is a rental. The fastest way to find it on Oahu is to call the Honolulu Police non-emergency line at (808) 529-3111, which can tell you where a towed car was taken. The same Hawaii law, HRS section 290-11, applies statewide and caps what a tow company can charge, so a tow is an expensive annoyance, not a disaster. This guide covers how to find your car, what a tow yard can legally charge, how to get a rental back, and how to fight an unfair tow.
Last updated 6 July 2026. General information about Hawaii’s towing laws, not legal advice. Laws and fees change, so check the figures on your own itemized receipt and, for a specific dispute, contact the state consumer protection office or a Hawaii attorney.
Do this first
- Find the car. Look for a tow-company sign in the lot with a phone number and call it. No sign, or not sure it was towed? Call Honolulu Police non-emergency at (808) 529-3111 on Oahu, and they will tell you where it is and who ordered the tow. If there is broken glass and no tow sign, it may be theft, so report it to police.
- Find out who towed it. A private tow, ordered by a hotel, condo, or business whose lot you parked in, is one path. A police or city tow, from a tow-away zone or after a violation, is another. This decides who can release the car.
- It is a rental, and you can usually still get it. Bring your driver’s license and the rental agreement. If it was a police tow, call your rental company right away, because a police-impounded rental may only be released to them.
- Do not panic-pay at midnight. On Oahu tow yards must release cars any time, day or night. If you cannot sort it tonight, the car is safe and storage is only about 25 dollars a day, so get your family somewhere safe and finish in the morning. Bring a card, they must accept it.
In this guide
- Find your towed car before anything else
- Private tow or police tow decides your path
- What a Hawaii tow yard can legally charge
- How to get a towed rental car back
- What to bring to the tow yard
- If it is late and you cannot reach anyone
- How to dispute an illegal or unfair tow
- How to avoid getting towed in Waikiki
- Frequently asked questions
Find your towed car before anything else
Before you worry about cost or rights, find the car. If you parked in a marked private lot, look for the tow-company sign, which by law must show the towing facility’s name, address, and phone number, and call it. If there is no sign, or you are not sure the car was towed rather than stolen, call the Honolulu Police non-emergency line at (808) 529-3111 on Oahu. On the neighbor islands, call the county police non-emergency line. They can tell you whether a car was towed and where it went. The company that holds your car is required to tell you its location, so you are not left guessing. Do not drive around hunting for it, and do not assume the worst, because a car missing from a signed lot has almost always been towed, not stolen.
Private tow or police tow decides your path
Which of the two kinds of tow you are dealing with decides who can release the car and which rules apply.
A private tow is one a property owner ordered, from a hotel, condo, restaurant, or business lot where you parked without permission or overstayed. It goes to a private tow yard, and it is governed by HRS section 290-11, which caps the fees and sets the rules below. In most private tows you can go to the yard and get the car yourself.
A police or city tow is one the police ordered, from a tow-away zone, for a parking violation, or because a car was abandoned or blocking traffic, and it is governed by a separate law. The car goes to a police-contracted lot. This is the important part for visitors: a rental car towed by police may only be released to the rental company, not to you directly, so if the police ordered the tow, call your rental company before you go anywhere. A car towed after a crash follows this path too, and our guide to an accident in a rental car covers that side.
What a Hawaii tow yard can legally charge
Hawaii law caps what a private tow company can charge, which is your protection against a padded bill. As of the 2024 update to the law, a standard private-property tow is capped at 75 dollars, or 85 dollars if a dolly is used, plus the add-on charges below. These caps were changed recently, so check the figures against your itemized receipt, and if a charge looks higher than the cap, that is your basis to dispute it.
| Charge | Legal cap for a private tow |
|---|---|
| Standard tow | 75 dollars (check current figure on your receipt) |
| Tow using a dolly | 85 dollars |
| Mileage | 7.50 dollars per mile towed |
| Storage, first 7 days | 25 dollars per day or part of a day |
| Storage, day 8 onward | 20 dollars per day |
| Difficult hookup surcharge | 30 dollars |
| Overnight or weekend overtime | 15 dollars |
| If you reach the truck before it drives off | Nothing, they must release it free |
Three protections in that law are worth knowing. First, if you get to your car while it is being hooked up, before the truck has driven off, the company must release it to you at no charge, so it is always worth hurrying to the lot. Second, a tow company must accept a credit card, a debit card, or cash, and cannot force you to pay cash or send you to an ATM, so a cash-only demand is a red flag. Third, on Oahu, which is a large county, tow companies must offer release around the clock, so you never have to wait until morning to get your car.
How to get a towed rental car back
Rental cars
The good news is that Hawaii’s towing law counts the person renting a car as a vehicle owner, so you have the standing to retrieve it. For a private tow, go to the yard with your driver’s license and the rental agreement showing your name, and expect them to check that you are the named renter. If you are a driver not named on the agreement, the yard may ask for written authorization from the renter.
For a police or city tow, it is different. A police-impounded rental may only be released to the rental company, so call the rental company immediately. Many will retrieve the car and then bill you for the tow, the storage, and their own administrative fee under your rental contract. That rental company markup is separate from the towing caps above, which bind the tow company, not the rental company, and it works the same way as the pass-through charges in our guides to disputing a rental car damage claim and a parking ticket on a rental car.
What to bring to the tow yard
Bring a photo ID, proof that you are entitled to the car, and a way to pay. For a rental, the rental agreement with your name on it plus your license and passport is the proof. For your own car, bring the registration or other proof of ownership. Be ready to pay the tow plus any storage in full to release the car, by card or cash, since they must accept both. One thing the law does not give you is a guaranteed right to grab your belongings out of the car without paying the release, so do not count on retrieving items separately.
If it is late and you cannot reach anyone
If it is the middle of the night and you feel stuck, remember two things. On Oahu the tow company must be reachable to release your car 24 hours a day, so call the number on the lot sign or ask the police non-emergency line for it. And if you genuinely cannot resolve it tonight, the car is not going anywhere and storage is only about 25 dollars a day, so it is fine to get your family somewhere safe, rest, and finish in the morning. A tow is a delay and an expense, not an emergency.
How to dispute an illegal or unfair tow
Some tows are unlawful or overcharged, and you have real options, but the order matters. Before a private-property tow is even allowed, the lot must display a sign in letters at least two inches high, in reflective type on a contrasting background, stating that cars will be towed at the owner’s expense and giving the tow facility’s name, address, and phone number. If that sign was missing or did not meet those requirements, or if your bill exceeds the caps above, the tow may be unlawful or the charge may not be fully collectible.
Here is what actually works. Pay to release the car first, and say clearly that you are paying under protest, because refusing to pay just runs up storage and the yard holds your car as leverage. Before you leave, build your file: photograph the sign or the empty space where it should be, photograph where you parked, get an itemized receipt, and get the stated reason for the tow in writing. If you paid by card, you can also dispute the charge with your card issuer, which costs nothing and runs in parallel. Then file a complaint with the state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Office of Consumer Protection, whose Consumer Resource Center is at (808) 587-4272, since an unlawful or overcharging tow can be an unfair or deceptive practice under Hawaii law. Be realistic: a documented overcharge against the printed caps is the most winnable, and a missing-sign claim is winnable if you photographed it, while a vague it-felt-unfair complaint rarely gets money back. For a clear overcharge or illegal tow, small claims court can award your damages plus attorney’s fees, which is what makes even a small overcharge worth pursuing. Note that towing in Hawaii is not handled by the Public Utilities Commission, so do not waste time filing there.
How to avoid getting towed in Waikiki
Waikiki is where visitors get towed most, because parking is tight, private lots are aggressively enforced, and a spot that looks fine can be a reserved or permit-only space. The Ala Wai area and the dense side streets behind the main strip are common trouble spots. Read the signs on any lot before you park, do not leave a car in a hotel or business lot you are not a guest or customer of, watch for street-cleaning and permit-only restrictions, and when in doubt use a paid public garage. A few dollars for a garage is far cheaper than a tow plus storage, and it saves you the evening this guide is written for.
Key takeaways
- A car gone from a signed lot was almost certainly towed, not stolen. Call the sign’s number or Honolulu Police non-emergency at (808) 529-3111 to find it.
- A private tow you can usually retrieve yourself. A police tow of a rental may only release to the rental company, so call them.
- The law caps a standard private tow at about 75 dollars plus storage of about 25 dollars a day. Check your receipt against the caps.
- If you reach the truck before it drives off, they must release the car for free.
- They must take a card, and on Oahu they must release your car 24 hours a day.
- Pay under protest, document everything, and dispute an unlawful or overcharged tow through the state consumer office or small claims.
Rental car problems in Hawaii
- What to do if you are arrested for a DUI in Hawaii
- A parking ticket on your rental car
- Your rental car got broken into
- Disputing a rental car damage claim
- An accident in a rental car
Frequently asked questions
How do I find out where my towed car is in Honolulu?
Call the tow-company sign in the lot if there is one, or the Honolulu Police non-emergency line at (808) 529-3111, which can tell you whether a car was towed and where it went. On the neighbor islands, call the county police non-emergency line. The company holding your car is required to tell you its location, so you should not be left guessing.
How much does it cost to get your car out of a tow yard in Hawaii?
For a private tow, the law caps the standard tow at about 75 dollars, or 85 with a dolly, plus 7.50 dollars per mile and storage of 25 dollars a day for the first week, then 20 dollars a day. Extra surcharges of 30 dollars for a difficult hookup and 15 dollars for overnight or weekend work can apply. Check your itemized receipt against these caps.
What do I do if my rental car gets towed in Waikiki?
Find out who ordered the tow. For a private tow, you can usually retrieve the car yourself with your license and the rental agreement in your name. For a police or city tow, the car may only be released to the rental company, so call them right away. Either way, expect the rental company to bill you for the tow, storage, and an admin fee if they handle it.
How much can a towing company legally charge in Hawaii?
For a private-property tow, Hawaii law caps the standard tow at about 75 dollars, 85 with a dolly, plus 7.50 dollars a mile and capped daily storage. A tow company that charges more than the caps, demands cash only, or sends you to an ATM is likely breaking the law, and you can dispute the charge and complain to the state consumer protection office.
What do I need to bring to get a towed rental car back?
Bring your driver’s license, the rental agreement showing your name, and ideally your passport, plus a credit or debit card to pay. If you are a driver who is not named on the rental agreement, the yard may ask for written authorization from the person who is. For a police-impounded rental, the rental company may have to retrieve it instead of you.
Are Hawaii tow yards open at night, or do I have to wait until morning?
On Oahu, tow companies are required to offer release around the clock, so you do not have to wait until morning to get your car. On the smaller islands, hours can be more limited. Either way, the car is safe overnight and storage is only about 25 dollars a day, so it is fine to deal with it first thing in the morning if you cannot sort it that night.
Can I get my car unhooked for free if I catch the tow truck?
Yes. Under Hawaii law, if you reach your car while it is being hooked up, before the truck has driven off, the company must release it to you at no charge. So if you see your car being loaded, get to it quickly, because catching it in time means you owe nothing.
Can a car be towed from private property in Hawaii without a warning sign?
No. Before a private lot can tow your car, it must post a sign in reflective letters at least two inches high stating that cars will be towed at the owner’s expense, along with the tow facility’s name, address, and phone number. If that sign was missing or did not meet the requirements, the tow may be unlawful, which is grounds to dispute the charge.
Can a tow company demand cash only in Hawaii?
No. A Hawaii tow company must accept a credit card, a debit card, or cash to release your vehicle, and it may not force you to pay cash or direct you to an ATM. A cash-only demand is a warning sign of an improper operator, and you should note it, pay under protest if you must, and report it.
How much is daily storage at a Hawaii tow yard?
Storage is capped at 25 dollars a day, or part of a day, for the first seven days, and 20 dollars a day after that. That relatively low daily cost is why a tow you cannot resolve tonight is not a crisis. The car is safe, and the cost of leaving it until morning is small.
How do I dispute an illegal or unfair tow in Hawaii?
Pay under protest to release the car, then build your case: photograph the sign or its absence and where you parked, keep the itemized receipt, and get the tow reason in writing. Dispute the charge with your card issuer if you paid by card, and file a complaint with the state Office of Consumer Protection at (808) 587-4272. For a clear overcharge or unlawful tow, small claims court can award damages plus attorney’s fees.
What happens if I do not pick up my towed car in Hawaii?
The tow company must mail written notice of the car’s location to the registered owner, and if the car goes unclaimed it is treated as abandoned after about 30 days from that notice and can be sold or disposed of. Storage fees keep adding up the whole time, so it is always cheaper to retrieve the car quickly than to leave it.
Sources include the Hawaii Revised Statutes on towing, the Honolulu Police Department towing procedures, and the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. General information, not legal advice. Fees and rules change, so verify current figures against your receipt.