IMPOUNDS UNIT

A vehicle being towed by a tow truck

The APD Impounds Unit was created to ensure the police department complies with municipal ordinances and state laws governing vehicle impoundment. 

Impound information:

The Anchorage Police Department may impound a vehicle for a variety of reasons, including but not limited to:

  • Operating Under the Influence (OUI) or driving with a revoked, canceled, or suspended license.

  • Driving without proof of insurance.

  • The driver is listed as a delinquent offender on the Scofflaw list.

  • Meeting the definition of a junked or abandoned vehicle.

  • Being driven or parked on public property with no registration, or with registration expired by one year or more.

  • Being parked on public property in a hazardous manner that may create a safety risk or disrupt the normal flow of traffic.

  • Being needed for evidentiary purposes during an investigation.

If you were present when your vehicle was towed, the officer on scene will inform you that it is being impounded. If the vehicle was unoccupied and parked at the time it was towed, you may not receive notification from APD.

For additional details on the ordinances and laws governing the APD Impounds Unit, please refer to Anchorage Municipal Code Titles 9 and 15.20.  Information about associated fines and fees, and retrieval procedures can be found on the Municipality’s Civil Law webpage.

 If you have questions or need assistance, please email APD Impounds at APDImpounds@anchorageak.gov.

frequently asked questions:

  • If you notice your vehicle is not where you left it, contact APD at 786-8500 or 3-1-1 to speak with an APD employee. They will be able to tell you whether or not APD had the vehicle towed and what company has it, or they will be able to assist you in filling out a stolen vehicle report, if appropriate.

  • There are a few reasons why your vehicle could be impounded during a traffic stop:

    • You were driving without insurance.

    • You were operating under the influence.

    • You have excessive delinquent traffic fines.

    • You were driving with a suspended, revoked, or canceled driver's license.

    The officer on scene at the time the decision is made to tow the vehicle will advise you that it is being impounded and which company will be towing. In any of those cases, contact the Municipal Attorney's Office - Civil Division - during normal business hours for instructions on how to get your vehicle released. 343-4545 or visit Municipal Attorney’s Office Impounds page for details.

  • No. APD has sole source contracts with local towing agencies for various types of tows. The reason a vehicle is towed dictates which towing company completes the impound and where the vehicle is taken.

  • Report the damage to the tow company that towed your vehicle.

  • If your vehicle is seized as evidence, APD cannot release the vehicle until authorized by the prosecuting agency or the retention time is up. In the meantime, make sure to keep your address up-to-date with the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV). When one of those two conditions is met, APD will try to contact you by phone to alert you of the release to set up a day and time to claim your vehicle. If they cannot reach you by phone, they will send a letter to the address on record with the DMV. If the letter does not reach you before the vehicle is towed from APD's impound lot to the tow company lot you will be held responsible for the cost of the tow and the amount of time it's in the tow company's possession.