You come back to where you parked and the car isn't there. In Kuala Lumpur, a car towed from a public road has most likely been taken by DBKL, the city council, to one of its depots. Getting it back means finding which depot, bringing the right papers and paying the fine plus towing and storage charges.
If it's a rental car, skip to the last section first.
1. Rule out theft before anything else
Look for a sign at the spot. Tow-away zones are usually signposted, and the sign often carries a number to call. Ask a guard, a shopkeeper or a parking attendant nearby whether they saw a tow truck.
If there's no sign and nobody saw anything, call the police and tell them the car is missing. They can tell you whether it was towed, and if it wasn't, a stolen car needs a police report straight away.
2. Think about where you parked
- A public road in KL: DBKL. Its enforcement department handles towing within the city.
- A private car park (a mall, an office tower, a condo): ask the building management office or the security counter first. They will know whether the car was moved and by whom.
- Anywhere, if the car has loan arrears: the bank may have repossessed it. That's a call to your bank, not to the council.
3. Find the depot
DBKL takes towed vehicles to its depots at Taman Connaught, Pantai Dalam, Lembah Pantai and Chan Sow Lin. Call DBKL with the plate number and the place and time you parked, and ask which depot has it and what documents they want. Our guide to parking in Kuala Lumpur shows where you can and can't leave a car in the city.
Go quickly. Storage is charged by the day, and a vehicle that stays unclaimed long enough can be disposed of under the law.
4. Bring the papers
Expect to show:
- The original vehicle registration card (the grant).
- The insurance cover note.
- If you aren't the registered owner: a letter from the owner authorising you to collect it, and a copy of the owner's identity card.
- If the car is part of a police case: a copy of the police report and the documents the investigating officer and the court give you.
Bring your own MyKad or passport and driving licence as well.
5. Pay
In 2026 DBKL said owners pay a fine of up to RM500, plus the towing charge and daily storage. Get a receipt for each item. If you think the tow was wrong, for example the sign wasn't visible, pay first to get the car back and dispute it in writing afterwards, with photos of the spot.
6. Check the car before you drive off
Walk round it at the depot. Photograph the bumpers, the underside at the front and the wheels, which is where a tow truck's straps and hooks go. Note anything new on the release form before you sign.
A different situation: tow trucks at an accident
If you've had an accident, the tow trucks that turn up uninvited are not the council. Don't let a truck you didn't call take the car. Call your insurer's 24-hour line, or the rental company if it's a rental. Our guide to what to do after a car accident covers this.
If it's a Grandpride rental
Call Grandpride first, on +6010 322 3223 or through the contact page. You can't collect a car without the registered owner's documents, so the depot will want the grant and may want an authorisation letter from the owner CHECK: Grandpride's process when a rental car is towed: who is the registered owner of the rental cars, who collects it, how the grant and authorisation letter are provided, and whether the renter or Grandpride pays the fine, towing and storage. Whether rental days keep counting while the car sits in a depot is CHECK: does the rental clock keep running while a towed car is in a depot.
In the busiest parts of town, a chauffeur drops you at the door and waits or circles, so there's nothing to tow. For fines that arrive later instead, read who pays traffic fines on a rental car.
