Who tows your car after a crash in Victoria?

After a crash, you don't arrange a tow the same way you would for a breakdown. Victoria has separate rules for accident towing, covering who can come to the scene, what you sign and what you can be charged. This guide sets out the basics from Transport Victoria and the legislation. It's general information, not legal advice.

First, safety

If anyone is hurt or trapped, or there's fire, smoke or danger from traffic, call Triple Zero (000) before you think about the car. The tow can wait.

Accident towing is not the same as a breakdown tow

Transport Victoria draws a clear line between the two:

The law says accident towing may only be done by a licensed tow truck, and drivers who attend accident scenes must be accredited. The Accident Towing Services Act 2007 treats the area within 2 km of a road accident as the accident scene.

Who to call depends on where you are

The three areas work differently:

• Melbourne controlled area, including the Mornington Peninsula. Accident tow trucks are allocated on a roster, and may only attend a scene if they have an allocation number.
• Geelong. Trucks are approved by the Department of Transport and Planning to do accident towing in this area, and trucks from outside it can't.
• Other parts of Victoria. Tow trucks can attend without a formal allocation. Transport Victoria says to arrange the tow with an accredited company, by calling your insurer or by asking a tow truck company for a licensed truck.

Transport Victoria publishes an allocation map if you aren't sure which area you're in.

What the tow truck driver must do

Before your car is towed, the driver must:

• give you a copy of the "towing from an accident scene" leaflet
• explain your right to have the vehicle towed to a destination of your choice
• give a copy of the authority to tow to the person who signs it.

Transport Victoria is also clear that tow truck drivers, or anyone else, can't ask you for repair work at an accident scene.

Signing the authority to tow

You must sign an authority to tow before your vehicle is towed. It shows which services you're paying for, so read it before you sign. If you can't sign, a police or Department of Transport and Planning officer may sign on your behalf. A damaged vehicle that's a traffic hazard must be moved, and if your vehicle can't be driven from the scene, you're liable for the cost of the tow.

Where your car can go

As the owner or driver, you can call people to help you decide where to have the vehicle towed or repaired, and you can have it towed up to 125 km away. If you're insured, that's a good moment to call your insurer. If it goes to a depot, you can check whether it'll be stored under cover or outside, and what each option costs.

What it can cost

In a controlled area, the March 2026 determination sets charges for towing vehicles under 4 tonnes from an accident scene. They include GST.

• $279.10 base fee, covering the first 8 km
• $4.40 for each extra kilometre
• $95.20 after-hours surcharge on weeknights from 5pm to 8am, all weekend and on public holidays
• Storage from $21.40 a day for a car in a locked yard, or $31.60 a day under cover

That determination covers controlled areas, so outside them, ask the operator what they charge before you sign. You must be offered cash, credit card or debit card. If you can't pay at the time, the driver may refuse to take it to your chosen destination, and if you agree to pay later, it goes to the company's depot.

Once you've paid, the depot must release your vehicle during standard business hours, which are 8am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. Some depots outside the Melbourne and Mornington Peninsula regions are exempt from those hours, but must be contactable by mobile.

If something goes wrong

Try to sort it out with the operator first. If that doesn't work, you can lodge a complaint with the Department of Transport and Planning.

Moving the car later

Under the Act, an accident towing service runs until the vehicle is first delivered to the place named in the authority to tow. Moving it after that, say from a depot to your repairer, falls outside that definition. Your insurer will often arrange it, so check with them first.

Where RoadM8 fits

RoadM8 is a booking app for breakdown tows and moving vehicles. At a crash scene, use the official contacts above. If your car has simply broken down, see what to do on a Melbourne freeway, or find breakdown towing in Melbourne or in Geelong.