By Texas Tows Inc.
24 hour towing in Dallas means a truck can pick up your car at any hour, but the place you want it dropped off may be closed. Before you call, decide where the car can safely go and who can receive it. Our towing service runs around the clock, so this guide covers the part that is up to you.
Quick Summary
- A tow truck that runs at night does not mean the repair shop, dealership or garage is open. Confirm the destination before the truck is dispatched.
- Ask the business receiving the car, not the tow company, whether it accepts vehicles after hours, where to leave the car and what it allows for keys.
- Have a backup destination ready, such as your own driveway or garage.
- Keep your own records: photos, times, names and the messages you receive.
What does 24 hour towing in Dallas cover after business hours?
It means you can reach a tow company at any hour. Texas Tows lists its hours on its contact page as 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, including all holidays. Whichever company you call, the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) says tow truck companies, tow trucks and tow truck operators must be licensed by TDLR.
What changes after hours is not the truck. It is the destination. A shop that is closed may not have anyone to accept your car, and a locked gate can turn a simple drop-off into a second problem. This guide is about avoiding that. For how long a tow usually takes, see our guide on how long a tow takes in Dallas. For what affects the price, see what towing costs in Dallas.
Where can the car go when the shop is closed?
Your realistic options are a place you control, a place someone else has agreed to in advance, or the shop or dealership only if it has confirmed it accepts the car. Pick one before the truck loads, because on our towing service page the driver confirms the tow destination and pricing with you before touching your car.
- Your home or garage. The simplest choice when you or someone you trust can be there. Nobody else has to say yes.
- A friend's, a relative's or an employer's property. Fine if the owner has agreed to it and told you where the car should be left.
- The repair shop or dealership. Only after the business has told you it accepts vehicles outside open hours. A lot that looks open is not an invitation.
Each business sets its own approach to after-hours drop-offs, and it can differ from one location to the next.
What should you confirm with a shop or dealership before dispatch?
Confirm that the business accepts a vehicle when it is closed, and get the answer in writing, even if it is only a text or an email. A voicemail greeting or a "we usually do" is not a confirmation. This guide names no particular Dallas shop, because policies differ and change.
Ask the shop or dealership:
- Do you accept a vehicle when the shop is closed, and where on the property should it be left?
- Who logs the car in, and what is the best phone number to reach that person?
- What do you need from me to match the car to a repair order, such as my name, phone number and vehicle details?
- What do you allow for keys, if anything?
- What happens if the lot is full or the gate is locked when the truck arrives?
If the answer to the first question is no, you still have the home-or-garage option above, or you can wait until the business opens and schedule the tow for then.
How should you handle keys and the handoff?
Only leave keys where the receiving business has told you to, in writing, before the truck is on its way. The tow company moves the car. The shop or dealership decides what happens to the keys once the car is there.
Do not assume that a key can be dropped in a slot, left with the driver or tucked into the car for someone to find. Some businesses allow arrangements like that, some do not, and a key left in the wrong place is a separate problem from the tow. We cannot speak for any other business's key policy.
If you cannot be at the drop-off, ask the dispatcher what is possible for your situation and get the receiving business's instructions in writing first. Do not rely on an unattended drop-off until both sides have said yes.
What should you tell the dispatcher?
Give the dispatcher both ends of the trip. According to our towing service page, the dispatcher confirms your address and gives you an ETA when you call, and the driver confirms the destination and pricing before touching your car. The more accurate your details are, the fewer surprises there will be at the curb.
Have these ready:
- The pickup address and the nearest cross street.
- The destination address, and whether the business is open or closed.
- Year, make and model, and whether the car rolls and steers.
- Whether it is all-wheel drive or four-wheel drive, if you know. Tell the dispatcher if the vehicle is AWD or 4WD; the proper equipment depends on the vehicle and its manufacturer's instructions. You can read more on our flatbed towing page.
- Who will meet the truck at each end, and their phone numbers.
- Any instructions you received from the receiving business, quoted as written.
When the driver arrives, say the destination out loud once more. It takes a few seconds and catches a mix-up before the car is moved.
What if the drop-off cannot happen?
Decide on a fallback before the truck arrives. Your own driveway or garage is the simplest one. If the receiving business changes its answer, call the dispatcher with the new destination before the truck reaches you, so the driver is not working it out at the roadside.
Two questions to ask when the plan changes:
- Does a different destination change the quoted price? Ask the dispatcher. This guide does not quote prices.
- Can the driver still reach the new location? Give the full address instead of a business name alone.
If you are somewhere unsafe, safety comes first. Get clear of traffic and call. You can settle the destination while the truck is on its way, since the driver confirms it with you before moving the car.
What records should you keep?
Keep enough that anyone can reconstruct what happened. A short list is enough:
- Photos of the car on all sides before it is loaded, and again where it ends up.
- The time you called, the name of the person you spoke with and the destination you agreed on.
- The receiving business's written confirmation, kept in your messages.
- A photo of where the car was left, showing the surroundings so the location is clear.
- Your receipt or invoice.
Our flatbed towing page describes a pre-tow inspection and a delivery inspection. Ask for them, and take your own photos as well. They also give you a clean record if anything is questioned later.
Frequently asked questions
Does Texas Tows tow cars at night?
Yes. Texas Tows lists its hours as 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, including holidays. Call (817) 512-1024 at any hour and give the dispatcher your pickup address and destination.
Can I leave my car at a closed repair shop?
That depends on the shop, not the tow company. Ask the shop in advance whether it accepts vehicles after hours, where the car should be left and what it allows for keys. Do not assume it will, and get the answer in writing.
Can I be away while the car is delivered?
Whether an unattended drop-off is possible depends on the receiving business and on what the dispatcher confirms for your job. Ask before dispatch, and do not rely on it until both have agreed.
How much does an after-hours tow cost?
This guide does not quote prices. Ask the dispatcher when you call. Our towing service page says the driver confirms pricing before touching your car, and our towing cost guide explains what affects it.
How long will the tow take?
Timing depends on where you are, traffic, the type of vehicle and the job, and this guide makes no promise of a time. Our guide on how long a tow takes in Dallas explains the factors.
Need an after-hours tow?
Call Texas Tows at (817) 512-1024, 24/7, to confirm your pickup and destination. You can also send a request through the Request Service form on our contact page.
Sources
- Texas Tows contact page: hours, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, including holidays; Request Service form fields.
- Texas Tows towing service page: what to expect when you call, including the dispatcher confirming your address and giving an ETA and the driver confirming the destination and pricing before touching the car.
- Texas Tows flatbed towing page: the driver's pre-tow inspection and delivery inspection.
- TDLR: Tow Trucks, Operators and Vehicle Storage Facilities: tow truck companies, tow trucks and tow truck operators must be licensed by TDLR.
This guide is general information. It does not replace instructions from the receiving business or the dispatcher.
