In what cases does the traffic police have the right to evacuate a car to an impound lot: 12 legal grounds + instructions for return

Towing a car to an impound lot is one of the most unpleasant situations for a driver, which not only takes time, but also entails additional costs. According to statistics, in 2023 more than 1.2 million cars, and in 60% of cases the owners did not even suspect that they had violated the rules. Many are sure that they can be towed only for parking in the wrong place, but in fact there are many more reasons for this - from lack of license plates to driving while intoxicated.

In this article we will look at all 12 legal reasons for evacuation according to the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation (Articles 27.13 and 12.29), including little-known cases where the inspector has the right to send your car to the impound lot even without your presence. You will learn what to do if the car has already been taken away, how much it will cost, and how to minimize risks in the future. And at the end of the article there are answers to the most frequently asked questions, including controversial situations with the evacuation of electric vehicles and cars with disabled signs.

1. The main reasons for towing a car: what the law says

The right of traffic police inspectors to evacuate vehicles is regulated Article 27.13 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation and Federal Law No. 283-FZ. It is important to understand that evacuation is not a punishment, but an event to ensure proceedings in a case of an administrative offense. That is, the car is taken away not to teach the driver a lesson, but to prevent further violations or preserve evidence.

All reasons for evacuation can be divided into three large groups:

• 🚗 Violations of stopping and parking rules (the most common reason - 78% of cases)
• 🍺 Driving while intoxicated or giving the steering wheel to a drunk driver
• 📄 No documents or registration plates

There is a nuance: if the violation can be eliminated on the spot (for example, by parking the car correctly or showing documents forgotten at home), then evacuation shouldn't be. But in practice, inspectors often ignore this rule, especially in large cities where tow trucks work on schedule.

2. Top 5 parking violations for which people are most often towed

According to the Moscow Parking Space, 8 out of 10 evacuated vehicles were detained precisely for illegal parking. However, most drivers do not even suspect that their car is at risk. Let's look at the most "popular" errors:

Situations with parking in the courtyards of residential buildings. Many drivers believe that they can park their car however they want in the yard, but in reality the same rules apply as on the road. For example, if your car is blocking passage of special transport (ambulance, firefighters) or stands closer than 10 meters from garbage containers, he may be evacuated without warning.

⚠️ Attention: Additional restrictions apply in Moscow and St. Petersburg. For example, cars parked on bike paths or in paid parking zones without payment more than 10 minutes after the end of the grace period.

3. Towing for drunk driving: when a car is taken away even without a driver

If a traffic police inspector has recorded the fact of driving a car while intoxicated, evacuation required in 100% of cases. There are several nuances that not everyone knows about:

• 🍷 The car will be towed even if you didn't drive, but were in the car with the keys in the ignition and an alcohol level above 0.16 mg/l in the exhaled air.
• 🚔 If you refuse a medical examination, this is equivalent to drunk driving - evacuation is guaranteed.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 The car will be taken away even if they are in it children or passengers — they will be dropped off on the spot, and the car will be taken away.
• 📱 Video recording of drunk driving (for example, from recorders) may become grounds for evacuation if the inspector arrives on the scene within 2 hours.

Interesting fact: if you left your car with the engine running (for example, to warm it up in winter) and left, and at that time an inspector approached the car and recorded the level of alcohol in the cabin above the norm, your car may be towed as "unattended with signs of intoxication". This is a controversial practice, but it is used in some regions.

4. Evacuation for lack of documents: when is it legal and when is it not?

Many drivers are confident that a license or vehicle license forgotten at home is not a reason to evacuate. In fact, it all depends on the situation. According to Part 1 of Article 27.13 of the Code of Administrative Offenses, the car can be towed if:

1. You have not with you driver's license, registration documents or OSAGO policy.
2. you refuse present documents to the inspector.
3. Documents overdue (for example, expired rights or an invalid MTPL policy).
4. By car no license plates or they are unreadable.

However, there is an important exception: if you can eliminate the violation on the spot (for example, show the electronic MTPL policy on your phone or bring documents 10-15 minutes in advance), the evacuation must be cancelled. In practice, inspectors often ignore this rule, especially in the evening, when tow trucks work in heavy duty.

⚠️ Attention: If your car was towed for lack of documents, and you presented them at the impound lot, you have the right to demand reimbursement of the cost of evacuation and storage through the court. Judicial practice in such cases is ambiguous, but there are chances.

5. Little-known reasons for evacuation: when a car is taken “illegally”

There are a number of situations where evacuation may seem unfair, but is actually completely legal. Here are the most unobvious cases:

• 🚘 Taxi parking available unmarked (even if you are not a taxi driver).
• 🚧 Parking on the side of the road with temporary signs (for example, during repairs).
• 🚨 A car with faulty brakes or steering (if the inspector considered it dangerous for traffic).
• 📦 Transportation of oversized cargo without permission (even if it's just long boards from the store).
• 🔋 Electric car charging in the wrong place (in Moscow there are special rules for charging stations).

A particularly controversial situation is evacuation outside unpaid fines. According to the law, the car can only be taken away if the amount of debt exceeds 10,000 rubles and more than 80 days have passed since the resolution came into force. However, in practice, inspectors sometimes tow cars even with smaller debts, citing “crime prevention.”