New Orleans drivers who get booted or towed are about to feel a sharper hit to the wallet. Starting Monday, July 27, the city will charge more to recover vehicles that have been immobilized or hauled to the impound lot, with the boot fee climbing from $121 to $172 and towing and impound charges recalculated under a new rate schedule.
New Rates, By Vehicle Type
According to Fox 8, the new boot fee lands at $172.
Light-duty tow and impound charges rise from $161.25 to a minimum of $228.75 for the first 90 minutes, then $76.25 for each additional half hour. Medium-duty tows start at a minimum of $335 for the first 60 minutes, with $167.50 for every additional half hour. Heavy-duty tows move to a minimum of $430.50 for 60 minutes and $215.25 for each half hour after that.
In other words, the longer your vehicle sits on the hook, the more the clock and the bill keep ticking.
Why The City Tied Rates To The State Schedule
The city did not pull these numbers out of thin air. New Orleans’s municipal code requires that towing and storage rates line up with those set by the Louisiana Public Service Commission, as laid out in the city’s code on Municode.
The LPSC issued a general order that updated its schedule for non consensual towing and recovery, including annual PPI adjustments and revised invoice rules. That state schedule now forms the basis for the city’s new charges. By tying local fees to the LPSC framework, New Orleans aims to keep towing rates standardized across parishes that follow the same state guidelines.
Where To Pay And How The Process Works
If your vehicle gets towed, you will have to pay impound fees at the city tow lot at 400 North Claiborne Ave., which the city lists as open from 7:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily. Vehicles that sit in storage for more than 24 hours may be transferred to the Almonaster impound at 10200 Almonaster Ave., but payment and release still happen at the Claiborne location, according to the City of New Orleans.
If you suspect your vehicle has been removed, the city advises calling the Department of Public Works phone numbers posted on its towing page to confirm where your car is and how much you owe before heading to the lot.
What Motorists Should Know
The updated rates only apply to immobilizations and tows or impounds that occur on or after July 27. Vehicles that were already in impound before that date will still be charged under the old rate schedule, per Fox 8.
Because the state schedule is based on time minimums instead of flat fees, some line items are recalculated and not every charge changes in a simple straight-line increase. Drivers with questions are directed to review the Louisiana Public Service Commission towing schedule and the city’s towing information page for full details and contact numbers, so they know exactly what they are in for if their vehicle gets the boot or the hook.
