Impounded Vehicle

Why Your Vehicle Was Impounded

There are only two reasons your vehicle would have been towed by the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office. The first is Arizona Revised Statute 28-3511, and the second is Arizona Revised Statute 28-872.

If the Driver is Present

If the driver of the vehicle was present, the Deputy gave the driver a form called the "Vehicle Removal Report." Read both sides of the form carefully and completely. If this does not answer your questions, the information on this site should be able to assist you. If the driver was not present, it was mailed to the registered owners and any lien holders.

There are other circumstances where the driver was arrested, and the vehicle will be towed pursuant to ARS 28-3511. Vehicles towed under this statute are impounded for 20 days. However, in some cases your vehicle may be released before the end of the 20-day impound period if you meet certain conditions. You must request and have a Post Storage Hearing within 10 days from the date of impound, then have that hearing before the vehicle will be released. The conditions which may allow for an early release are:

  • It had been stolen prior to being impounded (a police report is required)
  • You are the owner and were cited for driving on a license that was invalid, but your license is now reinstated and valid unless you were also charged with aggravated or extreme DUI. If you are the owner and were charged with Extreme or Aggravated DUI you are not eligible
  • It was driven by an employee of a business (including a parking service or repair garage) and the employer’s vehicle is subject to bailment, as in a leased vehicle
  • The owner’s driver license has been reinstated; ( you must satisfy any court issues as well to have it re-instated by the motor vehicle division)
  • It is a rental vehicle or a loaner vehicle from a company, not owned by the driver (and it was not being driven by an employee or owner of the rental vehicle company at the time of impoundment)
  • The owner or owner’s spouse (NOT the person driving the vehicle at the time of impoundment) enters into an agreement with the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office for one year promising not to allow this vehicle to be operated in violation of ARS 28-3511 - Future violations of ARS 28-3511 will render the vehicle ineligible for early release
  • It is required by the court to be equipped with a certified ignition interlock device and proof of installation is shown to the hearing officer
  • It has been repossessed (foreclosure documents or an affidavit of repossession required)
  • It is determined the vehicle was improperly impounded by the officer

If No Driver is Present

If no driver was present, such as an abandoned vehicle, the vehicle was involved in a collision, and the driver was unable to care for the vehicle and in certain incidents where the driver is arrested, the vehicle may have been towed under ARS 28-872. If your vehicle was towed pursuant to this statute no hearing is required.

Retrieve Your Vehicle

For more information on retrieving your vehicle, visit the How to Retrieve My Vehicle page.