Can Your Car Be Impounded After a DUI Arrest in Bakersfield?

A DUI arrest creates an immediate practical problem that is easy to overlook:

What happens to your car?

If police arrest you during a traffic stop, you obviously cannot simply drive the vehicle home.

Depending on the circumstances, the vehicle may be left in a lawful location, released to another authorized driver, towed, or impounded.

California also allows vehicle impoundment as a potential consequence in some DUI cases. DMV California

A DUI arrest does not automatically mean you lose your car

Being arrested for DUI does not mean the government automatically takes permanent ownership of your vehicle.

An arrest and a conviction are also different events.

What happens to the vehicle immediately after the arrest can depend on where the vehicle is located, whether another person can legally take possession of it, and whether there is some independent legal basis for towing or impounding it.

Why might police have the vehicle towed?

Imagine that police arrest a driver on the side of a busy Bakersfield road.

Leaving the vehicle there may be unsafe or unlawful.

In another situation, the vehicle might be stopped in a parking lot or another location where different options are available.

The circumstances surrounding the arrest can therefore affect what happens next.

License problems can complicate the situation

A DUI arrest can trigger consequences involving the driver's license that are separate from the criminal prosecution.

California DMV explains that an officer may confiscate a driver's license and issue an order of suspension along with a temporary license. Eligible drivers generally may drive for 30 days under that temporary license unless another suspension or revocation applies. DMV California

If a driver was already suspended or otherwise prohibited from driving, additional legal issues may arise.

Impoundment can also be a consequence of a DUI conviction

Vehicle consequences are not necessarily limited to the night of the arrest.

California DMV identifies vehicle impoundment as one of the possible consequences associated with a DUI conviction, along with license consequences, fines, DUI programs, and possible ignition-interlock requirements. DMV California

The particular consequences depend on the circumstances and the driver's history.

Towing and storage can become expensive

Even when a vehicle is eventually released, towing and storage can create additional costs.

Those expenses can accumulate while the vehicle remains at a tow yard.

Drivers should therefore determine promptly:

• Where the vehicle was taken
• Which agency authorized the tow
• What documentation is required for release
• Whether someone else can retrieve the vehicle
• What towing and storage charges apply

Do not assume the vehicle will simply be returned automatically when the criminal case is resolved.

The vehicle may also contain evidence

In some DUI cases, the car itself may be relevant to the investigation.

Police may be interested in evidence such as:

• Open alcohol containers
• Prescription medications
• Cannabis or other drugs
• Receipts
• Dashcam recordings
• Damage from an accident
• Other items allegedly connected with the DUI investigation

Whether police may lawfully search or seize particular evidence depends on the circumstances.

What you should do now

If your vehicle was towed or impounded following a DUI arrest:

1. Find out where the vehicle was taken.
2. Keep all towing, impound, and police paperwork.
3. Determine what is required to retrieve the vehicle.
4. Do not drive if your license or temporary driving privilege does not allow it.
5. Speak with a DUI lawyer about both the criminal case and the immediate consequences of the arrest.

The DUI charge and the status of your vehicle are separate issues, and both may require prompt attention.

Speak with a Bakersfield DUI lawyer today

If you are facing DUI charges in Bakersfield, Martens Law Firm can review the circumstances of your arrest, explain your legal options, and help protect your rights.

📞 Call (661) 590-0385 for a free consultation.

Written by Martens Law Firm