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How to Retrieve My Vehicle
Before Retrieving Your Vehicle
Before requesting a hearing, please determine if you even need a hearing by visiting the Impounded Vehicle page.
Retrieving Your Vehicle
Arizona Revised Statue (ARS) 28-3511
If your vehicle was towed By the Pinal County Sheriff's Office as a result of a violation of ARS 28-3511, then the following applies:
To obtain the release of your vehicle prior to the expiration of the 30 days, a Post Storage Hearing must be scheduled with the Tow Hearing Specialist by calling 520-866-5277 and leaving a message with your contact information, Incident Report number and Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). The hearing officer will call you at the number(s) you provide within 5 business days (excluding holidays and weekends). If the hearing officer cannot reach you, the vehicle release will be denied.
- Hearings are by appointment only and walk-ins will not be accepted.
- Hearings must be scheduled within ten days of the vehicle being towed. After the ten days have elapsed, a hearing will not be granted.
- The hearings are to determine the validity of the impoundment or to determine whether the vehicle may be released prior to the end of the 20-day impoundment period.
- Hearings are held Telephonically and through Email Tuesday through Thursday in the order in which they were received.
- An Administrative Towing Fee of $150 is payable with a debit or credit card online through a Point and Pay link (which will be provided after telephone contact is made).
- In certain situations, the spouse of the owner may enter into an agreement with the Pinal County Sheriff's Office, stating that they will not allow a driver who had been arrested for Extreme or Aggravated DUI, or a minor who had been in possession of alcohol, to drive the vehicle for one year. If the agreement is violated, there is no relief available from the 20-day impoundment period.
- The vehicle may be released to the lien holder or repossession agent identified on the Motor Vehicle Division record, before the end of the 20-day impoundment period.
Only the vehicle owner, owner's spouse, owner's agent (lawyer), or lien holder may request a hearing. You must have been listed on the registration of the vehicle at the time of the impoundment as an owner or lien holder to qualify for a hearing. In most cases, the hearing officer will make an immediate ruling on whether or not the vehicle may be released early. Hearings are generally held within five business days of receipt of the request (excluding holidays and weekends). A lawyer is not required. The hearings are informal and do not take long. Read the following conditions carefully to see which may make this vehicle eligible for early release:
- The vehicle had been stolen prior to being impounded (a police report is required)
- You are the owner, and you were cited for driving on a license that was invalid, but your license is now re-instated 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
- The vehicle 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 as 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 or it will not be eligible for early release for future violations of ARS 28-3511
- It is required by a court to be equipped with a certified ignition interlock device and proof of installation is shown to the hearing officer either during the hearing or when arriving at the sheriff's office for your vehicle release
- It has been repossessed (foreclosure documents or an affidavit of repossession required)
- It is determined the vehicle was improperly impounded by the officer.
- At the conclusion of the hearing, you will be notified if the vehicle is eligible for immediate release (a copy of the hearing decision will be provided to you). If your request is denied, you must wait until the 20-day impound period has expired and follow the instructions above. If your request is approved, you will receive a Vehicle Release Form from the Pinal County Sheriff's Office.
- Except for properly reported stolen vehicles or improperly impounded vehicles, the vehicle owner is responsible for all fees relating to the impoundment.
Providing false or misleading information is a crime!
To obtain the release of your vehicle once the 20-day impoundment period has expired, you must call the Impound Hearing line at 520-866-5280 to set up an impound hearing.
- An Administrative Fee of $150 shall be paid at the time of the hearing. A Payment link will be provided once your impound hearing is scheduled and will be paid online by debit or credit card. There is a $3.44 processing fee for credit card transactions. Cash will not be accepted. Towing and storage fees are paid to the towing company storing the vehicle.
Arizona Revised Statue (ARS) 28-872
If your vehicle was towed By the Pinal County Sheriff's Office as a result of a violation of ARS 28-872:
- The vehicle owner or authorized representative may claim this vehicle at any time from the towing company named on the front of the Vehicle Removal Report.
- You do not need to come to the Sheriff's Office or request a hearing. You may Request a Hearing if you wish to try and refute the reason for the tow.
- You must show the towing company photo identification and proof of ownership in order for this vehicle to be released to you.
- The owner of the vehicle is liable for all towing fees and storage charges. These fees and charges are set by a contract between the towing company and the Sheriff's Office.