Recovering a Towed Vehicle
Vehicles which have been towed by the Dayton Police Department may be recovered by the registered owner at the Auto Recovery Unit, located on the ground floor of the Safety Building, 335 W. 3rd St. in downtown Dayton.
To speak with someone about a towed vehicle, contact the Auto Recovery Unit by calling (937) 333-1058 or (937) 333-1038 during the week or (937) 333-1096 on weekends and holidays.
The Auto Recovery Unit hours are:
- Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.
- Saturday, Sunday and holidays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day
To obtain a vehicle release, the registered owner is required to show:
- A clear title, or certificate of memorandum title
o A bill of sale may be used if the vehicle was purchased within the past 30 days
- If the vehicle is leased, the lease agreement or a current registration is
acceptable in lieu of a title
- Photo identification
If the registered owner is out of town or is unable show up in person, vehicles may be released to the owner’s designee, as long as they provide the following:
- A notarized statement signed by the owner, authorizing the Dayton Police Department to release the vehicle to the designee
- A copy of the title or memorandum title
- Photo identification (of the designee)
- If the owner is out of town, they will need to fax the notarized statement to the Auto Recovery Unit at (937) 333-1001, prior to the arrival of the designee
If a registered owner is deceased, the vehicle may be released after the title has been transferred to a different owner. For information transferring a title, please visit the BMV’s website www.bmv.ohio.gov/bmv.asp for “BMV Form 3705”.
Auto Recovery Unit FAQ’s
Q) I don’t want to get my vehicle out of tow but I would like to retrieve personal items, how can I
do this?
A) If there is not a detective hold on your vehicle you may sign your title over
to the tow company and they will allow you to retrieve your personal items.
You may not remove any item from the vehicle that is attached to the
to the vehicle or is part of the vehicle.
Q) I don’t have any identification with a photo. How can I get my vehicle released?
A) Contact Auto Recovery by phone and they will try to assist you.
Q) I have a court hold on my vehicle, how can I get this removed?
A) Call the court at (937) 333-4312.
Q) How do I find out how much my outstanding parking tickets are?
A) Call the court’s Parking Information Department at (937) 333-4303.