Getting Your Car Back From the NYPD: A Step-by-Step Guide

If your vehicle has been taken as evidence by the NYC Police Department (“NYPD”), you can get it back by following these steps:

1. Gather the required documents:

• Property voucher: This is a document you received when your vehicle was taken. It lists the items taken and the contact information for the auto pound where your vehicle is being stored.
• Valid identification: A driver’s license, passport, or other government-issued ID.
• Proof of ownership: This could be a vehicle registration, title, or bill of sale.
• Insurance card: This shows that you have insurance for the vehicle.

2. Get a release from the district attorney:

• If your vehicle was involved in a crime, you will need to get a release from the district attorney’s office. This document states that the vehicle is no longer needed as evidence.
• You can contact the appropriate district attorney’s office by phone, email, or in person:
• Manhattan District Attorney’s Office
• Phone: (212) 335–9863
• Email: propertyrelease@dany.nyc.gov
• In person: 100 Centre Street, Room 785, New York, NY 10013 (Monday — Friday, 9am — 5pm)
• Bronx District Attorney’s Office
• Phone: (718) 838–7000
• In person: 198 East 161st Street, Bronx, NY 10451
• Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office
• Phone: (718) 250–2000
• In person: 350 Jay Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201
• Queens District Attorney’s Office
• Phone: (718) 286–6826
• Fax: (718) 286–6845
• Email: qdapropertyreleaseunit@queensda.org
• In person: 125–01 Queens Boulevard, Kew Gardens, NY 11415
• Staten Island District Attorney’s Office
• Phone: (718) 876–6300
• In person: 130 Stuyvesant Place, Staten Island, NY 10301

3. Contact the auto pound:

• Once you have all the required documents, call the auto pound where your vehicle is being stored. They will tell you what fees you need to pay to get your vehicle back. You can pay the fees in person or by mail.
• Erie Basin Auto Pound: 718–246–2031 or 718–246–2032
• Springfield Gardens Auto Pound: 718–553–9555

4. Pick up your vehicle:

• Once you have paid the fees, you can pick up your vehicle from the auto pound.
• You will need to bring all of the required documents with you.

Additional information:

• If you have any questions, you can contact the NYPD’s Property Clerk Division at (646) 610–5920.
• You can also find more information on the NYPD website: https://www.nyc.gov/site/nypd/services/vehicles-property/return-of-vehicle.page