Calvin W. Goings, Department Director
700 Fifth Ave., 52nd Floor | P.O. Box 94689 | Seattle, WA 98124-4689 | seattle.gov/fas
Department:
City of Seattle
Department of Finance and Administrative Services
Rule No:
Private Impounds-01-2020
Supersedes:
Clerk File 321237
Publication:
3/23/2020
Effective:
4/16/2020
Subject:
Maximum Private Impound Fees
Code and Section Reference(s):
SMC 6.214.220
SMC 6.214.360 (rulemaking authority)
Approved:
Division Director
Business Unit Officer
Calvin W. Goings, Department Director
April 13, 2020
Date
Date
Date April 13, 2020
April 14, 2020
2
City of Seattle Tow Company Rules
Seattle Municipal Code (SMC) Chapter 6.214.220 requires the City of Seattle to adjust certain
maximum private impound fees during the first quarter of each year.
1. The maximum towing service, uncompleted tow, storage and after-hours release fees shall be
as specified in SMC 6.214.220 and shall be adjusted by the Director of the Department of
Finance and Administrative Services (FAS) or his or her designee (the Department Director) for
inflation, by rule, during the first quarter of each calendar year as follows:
(a) Towing service fee and uncompleted tow fee. These fees shall be adjusted annually based
upon the preceding year's percentage change in the annual Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton
Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers (CPI-U) Transportation, or a successor index
hereto, as determined by the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
(b) Storage fee. This fee shall be adjusted annually based upon the preceding year's percentage
change in the annual Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton Consumer Price Index for all Urban
Consumers (CPI-U) Transportation, or a successor index hereto, as determined by the U.S.
Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, provided that any such adjustment in the
storage rate shall not result in a storage rate that exceeds the maximum daily storage rate
allowed under Revised Code of Washington (RCW) 46.55.118(1)(b).
2. After-hours release fee. This fee may be adjusted by the Department Director upon written
findings that reasons to do so exist. The Department Director shall consider the number and
frequency of after-hours releases, the effect of the fee on consumers, the costs to tow
companies and any other factors related to after-hours releases.
3. The current maximum private impound fees are shown in the following table:
Fee Type 2019 Maximum Fee Consumer Price Index,
Seattle Area
(February 2020)
2020 Maximum Fee
Towing service1 (first
hour)
$209.47 2.5% $214.70
Towing service (each
subsequent hour per
15-minute period)
$37.37
($149.49 per hour)
2.5% $38.31
($153.22 per hour)
1 The towing service fee is a flat hourly rate that includes winching, dolly service, drive line removal, installation of
chains on the tow truck, installation of portable lights, vehicle hookup for towing or transporting, tire replacement and
standby times [SMC 6.214.220.A.2]. This fee is the only basis for computing charges for private impound towing
services other than uncompleted tow, storage and after-hours release fees [SMC 6.214.220.A.1].
3
Fee Type 2019 Maximum Fee Consumer Price Index,
Seattle Area
(February 2020)
2020 Maximum Fee
Storage (per 12-hour
period)
(e.g., 1 min to 12
hours = maximum
fee; 12 hours, 1 min
to 24 hours = 2 x
maximum fee)
$31.20
2.5% $31.98
Uncompleted tow fee
(per 15-minute
period; time
computed from time
of dispatch of tow
vehicle to time of
release)
$52.37 2.5% $53.68
After-hours release
(for a vehicle release
outside of normal
business hours)
$100.00 Not applied $100.00