Clearway and tow-away zones

Signs will detail clearway times and indicate if the road is also a tow-away zone - which means if you illegally park your vehicle in these zones during restricted times, it will be towed away and impounded. You will also be fined.

The Department of Transport towing contractor is authorised to remove your illegally parked vehicle during tow-away operating hours.

If you have parked illegally in a tow-away and your car is gone when you return, check the back of the tow-away signs for the towing contractor’s contact details.

A vehicle will be towed when it is illegally parked in a signed tow-away zone during the restricted times.

The tow truck operator must complete an ‘authority to tow’ form and take multiple photos with geotagged information of the vehicle.  

If a driver returns to their vehicle being towed and the tow truck hasn't left the area to travel to the impound yard, they will have the option to pay the vehicle release fee and have their vehicle released at the nearest safe location.

Eftpos will be available to drivers should they wish to complete this transaction to enable release of their vehicle.

If the tow truck driver deems it unsafe for OHS reasons to release the vehicle on the roadside, vehicles will be towed to the impound yard for collection.

Call the number on the clearway sign - 13 48 69. Your vehicle will have been taken to an impound yard. By calling the number you can arrange to collect your vehicle.

To retrieve your car you will need to: 

• go to the impound yard 
• provide proof of identity 
• pay the associated vehicle release fee. 

You must call the number before going to the impound yard to collect your vehicle. 

If your vehicle has been towed you can collect it from an impound yard. You must call 13 48 69 to arrange collection before going to the impound yard.

The secure storage yards are located at 34 Cromwell Street, Collingwood and 1/221 Browns Road, Noble Park North. The Collingwood location is open from 7am to 9pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 1pm on Saturdays, close to tram and train lines. The Noble Park North location is open from 8am – 4pm Monday to Friday.

The City of Melbourne and the City of Port Phillip have their own towing and infringement arrangements. Please contact them directly if your vehicle is towed from one of these municipalities.  

To retrieve your vehicle, you must provide proof of identity and pay the vehicle release fee. Only in exceptional circumstances will your vehicle be released without you paying the fee. An example of exceptional circumstances would be where there was a genuine medical emergency. You would need to provide proof of this before the vehicle release fee could be waived.

If you have received a fine from the Department of Transport while parked in clear away/tow-away zones and would like more information on the process, including how to pay the infringement or how to apply for an internal review, please visit the Department of Transport website.

The City of Port Phillip and City of Melbourne currently issue their own infringements. If you receive an infringement in any of these municipalities, you will need to contact the relevant municipality directly

Only in exceptional circumstances and with supporting documentation will the Department of Transport consider refunding the vehicle release fee.

The Department of Transport considers ‘exceptional circumstances’ to be demonstrable and unpredicted situations outside a person’s control that would reasonably prevent them from ensuring their vehicle was legally parked, such as a medical emergency or a vehicle breakdown. A doctor’s appointment that has run late or over the scheduled time will not be considered a medical emergency

If you think your vehicle should not have been towed, you can write to the Department of Transport and request a review of the tow. You will need to provide details as to the time, date and location of the tow plus the reasons why you believe your car should not have been towed.

Based on the information you provide the Department of Transport will review the circumstances of the tow. The Department of Transport will not refund the release fee in circumstances where the clearway signs have been misread. If your appeal is based on medical grounds, you may be required to have your fitness to drive reviewed by the Department of Transport.

Please address correspondence to:

Email: [email protected]

Address:     Clearway Towing Administrator
                 GPO Box 2392
                 Melbourne VIC 3001

The City of Melbourne and the City of Port Phillip have their own towing arrangements. You will need to contact them directly if your vehicle is towed from one of these municipalities and you would like to request a review.

The towing contractor, Nationwide Towing & Transport, is responsible for the care of vehicles towed. If you believe that your car was damaged during towing please contact them on 13 48 69. 

If you would like to report a vehicle parked illegally in a clearway tow-away zone on an arterial road please contact the Nationwide Towing & Transport on 13 48 69.