District law states that a vehicle is boot-eligible if it has two or more unsatisfied parking and/or photo enforcement tickets that are more than 60 days old. DPW boot crews search for scofflaws’ vehicles using License Plate Recognition System (LPRS) technology. DPW will tow booted vehicles from the street to the Blue Plains Impoundment and Storage Facility at 5001 Shepherd Parkway, SW. The closest Metro stop is the Anacostia Subway Station. Or, the automobile may have been relocated to our Bryant Street lot, at 2115 Bryant St., NE. The Closest metro stop is the Rhode Island Ave-Brentwood (both open weekdays between 8 am and 6 pm). Customers may call (202) 541-6083 to learn the impoundment lot where their vehicle was towed.
All fines, including those associated with multiple tag numbers under your name, as well as any boot and/or tow fees, must be paid in full before your vehicle will be released. Payments can be made online by debit or credit card (Visa and MasterCard only; cash or checks are not accepted) either at the Blue Plains Impoundment Lot or through the Department of Motor Vehicles. Consult the DMV Website for a menu of services, hours and locations for each facility.
Vehicle Auction
Impounded vehicles that remain unclaimed after 28 days following notification are sold at public auction online at www.dcgovt.govdeals.com or scrapped.
Avoid having your Vehicle booted or Impounded
Motorists should pay their tickets promptly (within 30 days, before fines double), or request adjudication (within 60 days of being ticketed). Vehicles are considered “boot eligible” if they have two or more unsatisfied tickets that are 60+ days old.
If the vehicle has been booted, attempt to satisfy all outstanding fees as soon as possible, as booted vehicles are automatically subject to impoundment, which will result in additional towing and storage fees. Carefully read all parking signs, particularly those governing meters, rush hour, street cleaning and other restrictions. (Rule of thumb: Signs with red lettering tell customers what they shouldn’t do (e.g., No Parking Anytime); signs with green lettering tell customers what they may do (e.g., Pay to Park). Many signs also have directional arrows to help customers determine where parking boundaries are.
Retrieve Impounded Vehicle
Once all fees have been satisfied, and the customer has learned where their vehicle was towed, the customer is responsible for retrieving the vehicle (DPW does not return vehicles to the owner or location from which the car was towed). If the vehicle is not retrieved within 24 hours of the day it was towed, storage fees of $20.00 per day for most vehicles will be applied. Please note: Fees must be paid online.
Customers must present their fee payment receipt, vehicle registration, and valid driver’s license. If the person retrieving the vehicle is not the owner, that person must have a notarized statement from the owner authorizing him/her to retrieve it.
Pick-up Locations:
Blue Plains Impoundment and Storage Facility at 5001 Shepherd Parkway, SW
Bryant Street Impoundment and Storage Facility, at 2115 Bryant St., NE
(both open weekdays between 8 am and 6 pm)
Customers may call (202) 541-6083 to learn the impoundment lot where their vehicle was towed.
How You Can Help
- Avoid becoming boot-eligible by either paying the ticket online or pursuing mail or in-person adjudication within 60 days of when the ticket was issued. Customers whose tags have expired may renew their registration online at the impoundment lot customer service center, print a temporary registration, and drive their vehicle off the lot (if the vehicle can be driven).
- Call the Towing Control Dispatch Center at (202) 541-6083 if you believe your vehicle has been towed. If it has been towed, DPW staff will be able to tell you where your vehicle is located.
