Can I tow my car from one repair shop to another?
Yes, you can tow a car to another repair shop after the current shop releases it and the receiving shop agrees to accept it. Ask what must be resolved before release, including an invoice, paperwork, or a claimed lien. Separately, confirm whether the car rolls, steers, and has four mounted wheels, because a disassembled car may need reassembly before loading.
What must happen before the car can leave
- The current shop has physical custody of the car. An authorized employee must release it before the operator can remove it from the lot.
- An unpaid invoice or claimed lien is a release issue, not a towing issue. The operator who comes out cannot decide that dispute or force a handoff.
- Shops often keep keys in a counter drawer or key box. Someone must be present to hand them over, or the operator must plan a keyless load.
- The receiving shop must accept the car and name its drop spot. Leaving it unannounced at a closed shop can require another tow.
- A no-start car can still load if it rolls, steers, and has four secure wheels. Missing wheels, hanging calipers, or a removed driveshaft can make it unmovable.
- Bay aprons, curbed islands, and parked cars can block a flatbed winch line. The pickup position matters as much as the car condition.
Equipment for a shop-to-shop move
- A flatbed carries a no-start car without leaving vehicle wheels on the road. It still needs enough straight access for the deck and winch line.
- A wheel lift can work when the car rolls, the remaining wheels may turn safely, and the operator can reach the correct axle.
- Wheel skates help move locked wheels or position a keyless car without dragging its tires across the shop lot.
- Dollies support an axle that cannot roll on the road. They do not replace missing wheels or make loose brake parts safe.
Arrange the release, condition, and destination
- Ask the current shop what invoice, paperwork, or authorization it requires for release.
- Have the technician state what is installed, what is removed, and whether the car rolls and steers.
- Get the receiving shop to accept the car and give its open hours and exact drop spot.
- Give the operator both shop contacts, the key location, and any blocked bay or narrow access.
- Keep an authorized employee on site for the pickup, or arrange a documented key and release handoff.
Release does not mean loadable
A shop may approve release while the car still has a wheel off, a loose caliper, or disconnected driveline parts. The first shop must reassemble enough of the car to support and roll it safely before pickup.
Questions about moving a car between shops
Can the first shop stop my car from being towed?
The shop can refuse the handoff while it says an invoice, authorization, or lien remains unresolved. Resolve the release with the shop before dispatch because the operator cannot settle that dispute.
Do I need the keys if the shop has them?
The keys can stay with the shop if an employee will hand them to the operator. Without that handoff, the operator must know in advance that the car needs a keyless load.
Does the new repair shop have to accept the car first?
Yes. Get acceptance, open hours, and a specific drop location before pickup so the car is not stranded at a closed or full lot.
Can a car be towed with its wheels removed?
Not as an ordinary rolling load. The first shop may need to reinstall wheels, secure brake parts, and restore enough support for safe loading.
Will a flatbed fit in every repair shop lot?
No. A flatbed needs room to align its deck and establish a winch line, which parked cars, curbs, and bay aprons can block.
Talk it through with an operator
Have the year, make and model ready, whether the vehicle rolls and steers, where it is parked, and where it needs to go.
(804) 701-6752