Cars & light trucks
Towing in New York: the published maximums and your rights
The numbers live at the county or city layer in this state; the state writes the rights.
Rules checked October 2026
NYC Admin Code Title 20 + DCWP rules (city card); no statewide card verified
The state's shape
New York State sets no general statewide tow cap (a 2025 statewide cap bill died in committee). New York City publishes its own card — see the city page.
Kickbacks
Paying a property owner or agent for the privilege of towing is banned in this state (U.S. PIRG state survey, 2022). A kickback arrangement behind your tow is a claim of its own.
The protection scorecard
U.S. PIRG rated this state's towing protections across the 15 issues it surveys (2021 report, 2022 update): 3 rated good.
Who takes the complaint
NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (in the city); State Attorney General elsewhere.