Truck towed in NYC? Here's what to do.

1. Find out where it is

Search the city's Find Towed Vehicle page (linked from the Department of Finance towed vehicles page) with the plate number, state and plate type, or call 311. It can take up to 2 hours for a tow to show up in the system, so if you don't find it, check again later.

If it isn't listed, it may have been moved for a parade, street fair or construction (the local precinct can tell you), or it may have been stolen.

2. Work out who towed it

• NYPD tows vehicles that are parked illegally, and vehicles without valid registration or insurance.
• A City Marshal or the Sheriff tows vehicles with more than $350 in parking or camera tickets in judgment. Pay that debt by calling the Department of Finance at (646) 517-1000 or at a DOF business center.

3. Go to the right tow pound

NYPD tow pounds are in the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens. A vehicle is usually taken to the pound in the borough it was towed from.

• Towed in Manhattan north of 59th Street: Bronx tow pound.
• Towed in Manhattan south of 59th Street: Brooklyn tow pound.
• The old Manhattan pound at Pier 76 is permanently closed.
• Pounds are closed on New Year's Day, Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas.

4. Bring the right papers

For a company vehicle, the city lists a valid driver's license, company ID and the keys. The NYPD also lists the current registration and insurance card. Vehicles are released only to the registered owner or an authorized representative, so bring everything.

5. Know the costs

Any parking or camera tickets in judgment on the vehicle must be paid too. Pounds take major credit cards, cash, certified checks and money orders. You can't pay the ticket that caused the tow at the pound: pay or dispute it with the Department of Finance within 30 days of the ticket date.

Hear about a tow before your driver does

Every night at the pound costs $20, and a missing truck can cost a day of work. NYC Fleet Tickets Tracker checks each of your vehicles against the city's tow records around the clock. When one shows up as towed, your phone buzzes with the tow pound location, and your office can get an email too.

The city can take a few hours to post a tow, so the alert comes once the tow is in the city's system.

Prevent the next tow

Unpaid tickets grow. A parking ticket goes into judgment after 100 days, a camera violation after 75, and more than $350 in judgment can get a vehicle booted or towed. Seeing every open ticket per vehicle is the easiest way to keep that from happening.