Searching for a car in an impound lot by license plate number: official and alternative methods

Why a car might end up in an impound lot and how to check it

Towing a car is a stressful situation for any driver. Most often, cars are sent to the impound lot for parking violation (on the lawn, in a yard with a prohibitory sign, in a place for the disabled), lack of documents (insurance, rights, STS) or administrative detention (alcohol intoxication, driving without license plates). Less commonly, the cause is participation in an accident or suspicion of theft.

The first thing to do is calm down and don't panic. In 90% of cases, the car was not stolen, but simply towed for legal reasons. The main thing is to quickly find where your car is and understand how to return it. It's better to start your search with official sources, since they provide the most accurate information without the risk of running into scammers.

If you are not sure that the car was towed (and not stolen), check first history of fines on the website traffic police or through the service "Traffic police fines". The presence of a recent fine for illegal parking or other traffic violation indirectly confirms that the car was taken to a special parking lot.

Method 1: Search through the official website of the traffic police

The most reliable and fastest way is to use search service for evacuated vehicles on the traffic police website. To do this:

1. Go to page car checks.
2. Enter state number (for example, A123BC 77) or VIN.
3. Enter captcha and click "Request Review".
4. If the car is towed, the system will show address of the impound lot, contact phone number and evacuation order number.

Important: the service only works for evacuated vehicles no more than 30 days ago. If more time has passed, the data may have been archived - in this case, you will have to call the traffic police on duty in your region.

Method 2: Call the traffic police or MADI duty station

If online search doesn't help, the next step is call the duty department. Phone numbers vary by region:

• 📞 Moscow and Moscow region: +7 (495) 547-00-05 (MADI) or 112 (single emergency number).
• 📞 St. Petersburg: +7 (812) 576-50-50 (GKU “Administrator of Parking Spaces”).
• 📞 Regions of Russia: check the number of the local traffic police station on the website traffic police contacts.

When calling, be prepared to say:

• 🚗 Vehicle registration number (required).
• 📄 Make and model (for example, Toyota Camry 2018).
• 📍 Approximate location where the car was parked (street, area).

⚠️ Attention: Never report by phone series and number of STS or PTS - this data can be used by scammers. The license plate number and make of the car is enough.

Method 3: Online services and mobile applications

In addition to official sources, there are several verified third-party services, which aggregate data on evacuated vehicles:

Service	Link	Features	Paid?
Autocode	avtocod.ru	Shows the history of fines and tows by license plate number or VIN	Partially (free check once a day)
Traffic police fines	fines.gu	Displays latest fines and possible evacuation	Free
Yandex.Fines	fines.yandex.ru	Integration with the traffic police, notifications of fines	Free
Public services	gosuslugi.ru	Checking fines and evacuation through your personal account	Free

The advantage of these services is user-friendly interface and the ability to check directly from your smartphone. However, they may lag behind official data by 1-2 days, so if the car is towed today, it is better to call the traffic police first.

How to check evacuation via Yandex.Maps?

At some impound lots, Yandex.Maps displays photos of parked cars. Try manually scrolling through panoramas of parking lots in your area - sometimes this helps to visually confirm the presence of a car.

Method 4: Contact the MFC or local cultural park (for Moscow)

If online methods do not work, you can contact in person:

• 🏛️ MFC (“My Documents”) — provide information about evacuated vehicles upon request. Need to take it with you passport and STS (or PTS). The service is free, but may take 1-2 days.
• 🚗 Parks of Culture (Moscow) — in some areas of the capital, evacuated vehicles are temporarily placed in parks (for example, in Gorky Park or Sokolniki). You can clarify this by calling MADI.

In the regions, similar functions can be performed municipal parking lots or improvement services. Addresses and telephone numbers can be found on the local administration website.

Owner's passport or power of attorney (if you are not the owner)

STS (vehicle registration certificate)

PTS (if proof of ownership is required)

Receipt for payment of fine and evacuation/storage services

OSAGO policy (current)

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Method 5: Search through social networks and local forums

If the official methods do not work, you can try alternative sources:

• 📌 VKontakte groups — in every city there are communities like “Tow Truck [city name]”, where users share information about recent evacuations. Examples:
  • Tow truck Moscow
  • Tow truck St. Petersburg
• 🗣️ Forums (Drive2, Drom.ru) — on thematic platforms, recent evacuations are often discussed, indicating the brands and numbers of cars.
• 📱 Telegram chats — channels like “Tow Truck [city]” or “Auto News [region].”

Be careful: there is a lot on social networks scammers, who, under the guise of help, can offer to “speed up the search” for money. Never transfer money to strangers - all information about evacuation is provided by official services free of charge.

⚠️ Attention: If you receive a message like “Your car is in the impound lot, pay 5,000 rubles to the card for return” - this is a 100% scam. Official fines are paid only through Public services, bank or terminals.

What to do if the car is found: return procedure

When you have found where the car is located, you need to:

1. Pay the fine (if there is one) - through Public services (with a 50% discount in the first 20 days) or bank.
2. Pay for towing and storage services — tariffs depend on the region. For example, in Moscow:
   • Evacuation: ~5000–7000 ₽.
   • Storage: ~1000 ₽/day.

Present documents at the impound lot:

• Passport.
• STS (or PTS).
• Payment receipts.
• OSAGO policy.

If the car has been towed by mistake (for example, the parking sign was covered with branches), you can appeal the fine through traffic police or court. To do this you need:

• Take photographs of the parking area (from all angles).
• Record witness statements (if any).
• Write a complaint within 10 days from the moment of the fine.

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If you do not pick up your car from the impound lot within 30 days, it may be considered ownerless and sold at auction. It will be extremely difficult to return the car after this!

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about evacuation and impound lots

How much time is given to pay the fine for evacuation?

Standard term - 70 days (60 days to pay + 10 days to appeal). However, the impound lot has the right to hold the car until all fees (evacuation + storage) are paid in full.

Can a car be towed without warning?

Yes, by law no warning required, if the car interferes with traffic, is parked in a space for disabled people or violates other critical rules (Article 27.13 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation).

What should you do if the impound lot asks for documents that you don’t have with you?

You can:

• Ask a relative to bring documents.
• Order a duplicate STS via Public services (urgent).
• Issue a power of attorney for the person who will pick up the car (no notary required, a handwritten one is sufficient).

Can I return the car at night or on weekends?

Most impound lots are open around the clock, but payment desks may be closed. Check the schedule by calling the specific parking lot. In Moscow, for example, payments are accepted even at night.

What happens if you don’t pick up your car from the impound lot?

Via 30 days The car may be declared ownerless and transferred for sale. In addition, storage fees are charged daily (in Moscow - up to 30,000 ₽/month).