Vermont DUI Vehicle Impound: Getting Your Car Back

What Happens to Your Vehicle During a DUI Stop

When you're arrested for DUI in Vermont, the arresting officer arranges for your vehicle to be towed from the scene. This is standard procedure — you're being taken to the station for processing and cannot legally drive, so the vehicle goes to an impound lot operated by the towing company that has a contract with the responding agency.

The tow is typically a standard municipal impoundment rather than an evidentiary hold. An evidentiary hold (where the vehicle is impounded as part of a criminal investigation) is rare in a straightforward first-offense DUI case and usually only applies if the vehicle is involved in a crash requiring accident reconstruction, or if officers have reason to search the vehicle as part of a broader investigation.

For a standard impound, the vehicle is transported to the contracted towing company's lot and held until you arrange for its release.

Retrieving Your Vehicle

Getting your car back is one of the very first things to handle after the arrest — ideally within the first 24 to 48 hours. Impound lots charge daily storage fees on top of the initial towing fee, and costs accumulate quickly.

Typical costs:

• Towing fee: $75 to $200, depending on the towing company and distance
• Daily storage: $25 to $75 per day, starting from the day the vehicle arrives at the lot

After just a week, combined fees can easily exceed $300 to $500. After a month of inaction, some lots will begin the process of placing a mechanic's lien on the vehicle, which can ultimately result in the vehicle being auctioned.

What you need to retrieve your car:

• Valid identification
• Proof of ownership (registration or title)
• Payment for towing and storage fees (cash or card — verify with the specific lot)
• A release authorization from the arresting agency (some departments require you to contact them first to confirm the vehicle is cleared for release)

The driving problem: Here's the catch — after a DUI arrest, you may still be legally able to drive during the first 10 days following the Notice of Intention to Suspend (Form 200-00240). The civil suspension doesn't take effect until Day 11 (if you don't request a hearing) or is stayed while the hearing is pending (if you do request one within seven days). So in most cases, you can legally drive to the impound lot and drive your car home within the first 10 days.

However, check your Conditions of Release carefully if you've already appeared for arraignment. Some judges include a condition prohibiting driving without a valid license, which could interact with your suspension status. When in doubt, have someone else drive the vehicle home.

If Someone Else Owns the Vehicle

If the impounded vehicle belongs to someone else — a family member, a friend, or a leasing company — the registered owner can retrieve the vehicle independently. They'll need to bring their own identification, the vehicle registration, and payment for the fees. The vehicle owner is not required to wait for the driver to authorize the release.

For leased vehicles, the leasing company may have specific procedures. Contact them promptly — some lease agreements require you to notify them of any impoundment, and failure to do so can be treated as a lease violation.

Insurance Complications

Your auto insurance policy typically covers the vehicle itself during the impoundment, but you should notify your insurer promptly. Some policies have exclusions or coverage limitations when the vehicle is in police custody, though this is uncommon for a standard DUI tow.

The more significant insurance concern comes later: the SR-22 filing requirement. After the civil suspension takes effect, you'll need your insurer to file an SR-22 financial responsibility certificate with the DMV — maintained continuously for three years. This requirement triggers a rate increase that typically doubles or triples your premiums. But that's a separate process from the immediate impound situation.

Don't Let Impound Fees Compound the Problem

The vehicle impound is often the very first financial hit of a DUI, and it's one of the easiest to minimize. Every day you delay retrieval adds $25 to $75 to a bill that's already just the beginning of a long cost chain — fines, surcharges, IDRP fees, interlock costs, and elevated insurance premiums that can total thousands of dollars over the following months.

The Vermont First-Offense DUI Guide covers the full timeline of costs from the moment of arrest through final reinstatement, including a cost worksheet that helps you budget for each expense as it comes due across both the civil and criminal tracks.

See more Vermont guides →