Do tow trucks take credit cards? Most do. Miller’s Towing & Recovery takes credit cards and debit cards. But not every tow company does, and some add a card fee. The safest move is to ask how you can pay, and what the total will be, before the truck is sent.
If you searched this from the shoulder of Kellogg with a dead car, call us at 316-351-4754 and ask. If you have a few minutes, this guide covers cards, cash, tap to pay, insurance and motor clubs. It also covers the Kansas rules on card fees and what happens if you cannot pay at the tow yard.
Do Tow Trucks Take Credit Cards? The Short Answer
Here is how each payment type usually works with a tow company, and the one question to ask about each.
| Payment type | How common | Ask this first |
|---|---|---|
| Credit card | Taken by most companies | Is there a card fee? |
| Debit card | Taken by most companies | Can the driver run it at the roadside? |
| Cash | Taken almost everywhere | Will I get a written receipt? |
| Apple Pay or Google Pay | Depends on the card reader | Does your reader take tap to pay? |
| Personal check | Often not taken | Do you take checks at all? |
| Insurance or motor club | Only when the call goes through them | Do I pay first and get paid back? |
So do tow trucks take credit cards? Usually yes, and cash works too. Everything else depends on the company.
7 Things to Know Before You Pay a Tow Truck
1. Ask about payment on the first call
When you call for a tow, ask three things: the total price, what could change it, and how you can pay. A cash only answer at 2 a.m. on I-135 means hunting for an ATM while your car sits on the shoulder. It is better to know before you agree to the tow.
2. Many drivers can run a card at the roadside
Phone and tablet card readers are the reason most tow trucks take credit cards on the spot. Some companies take the card number over the phone through dispatch instead. Either way, the name on the card and a photo ID may be checked, so have both ready.
3. Kansas allows a credit card fee, but only with notice
Until 2025, Kansas businesses could not add a fee for paying with a credit card. That changed on January 1, 2025. The Sedgwick County District Attorney’s consumer protection office explains that K.S.A. 16a-2-403 now lets a business add a surcharge to a credit card sale. The business has to give clear notice before the sale, either at the entrance or at the point of sale.
The same release says Kansas law sets no top limit, but federal rules cap the surcharge at 4%. So a tow company in Wichita can charge a card fee if it tells you first. If nobody mentioned a fee and one shows up on the bill, ask about it before you sign.
4. A debit card cannot carry a surcharge
The District Attorney’s office also points out that a surcharge on a debit card is not allowed anywhere in the country under the federal Durbin Amendment. If a card fee is posted, paying with debit or cash avoids it.
5. Insurance pays only when the call goes through your insurer
Roadside coverage does not work like a card you hand the driver. If you call your insurer’s roadside number, they send a provider and handle the bill up to your limit. Progressive, for example, covers a tow within 15 miles or to the closest qualified repair shop.
If you call a tow company yourself, expect to pay the driver. Then send the receipt to your insurer and ask if your policy pays you back. Motor clubs like AAA work the same way. The club pays for the miles your membership covers, and you pay the driver for any miles past that.
6. A tow yard can hold the car until the bill is paid
Kansas gives a tow company a lien on a vehicle for its towing and storage charges. Under K.S.A. 8-1103, the company can keep the vehicle until those charges are paid. That is why the payment question matters most at a tow yard. If the office does not take your type of payment, the car stays and storage keeps adding up.
7. Always get an itemized receipt
Ask for a receipt that lists the hook up fee, the mileage, any storage, and any card fee as separate lines. You need it for an insurance claim. You also need it if you ever question the bill. Our guide on how to dispute a towing bill in Wichita shows what to do with it.
Paying at the Roadside vs. Paying at the Tow Yard
These are two different situations, and the payment rules can differ.
At the roadside. You called the truck and agreed on a price. You pay the driver when the car is loaded or when it is dropped off. Even when tow trucks take credit cards at the roadside, a weak cell signal can slow down the card reader. Have a backup plan.
At the tow yard. Your car was towed after a crash, by police, or from private property. You go to the yard office to get it out. Bring your current registration and a valid photo ID, which the Wichita Police Records Bureau lists as required for release. Call the yard before you drive over and ask what payment they take and what the total is today. Our step by step guide to getting your car out of impound in Wichita covers the rest.
What If You Cannot Pay the Tow Bill?
Do not ignore it. Storage is charged by the day, and the bill grows while you wait. Here are your options.
- Check your coverage. Look at your auto policy, your credit card benefits and any motor club membership. One of them may pay part of the tow.
- Shorten the tow. If you have not been towed yet, ask for a price to the closest safe spot, like your driveway, not a shop across town. Fewer miles means a smaller bill.
- Ask about the city payment plan. In Wichita, KSN reported that city rules include a payment plan for people who qualify. You have to apply within five days of the tow. The city’s own page describes the plan for police impounds, so ask if your tow is covered.
- Get your must have items. Kansas law lets you get personal medical supplies from a towed car on request. See getting your belongings out of a towed car.
- Know the clock. An unpaid car can be sold at auction after the notice steps in state law. We lay out the timeline in how long a tow company can keep your car in Kansas.
Does Paying by Credit Card Protect You?
It can. It helps you that tow trucks take credit cards, because a credit card gives you a way to question a billing error. The Federal Trade Commission says to write to the card issuer so the letter arrives within 60 days after the first bill with the error was sent. The issuer has to acknowledge the dispute within 30 days and resolve it within 90 days.
A billing error means things like a wrong amount, a math mistake or a charge you did not approve. It does not mean you thought the price was too high. Start with the tow company first. Most problems get fixed with one phone call and the itemized receipt in hand.
More Payment Questions
Do all tow trucks take credit cards?
No. Most do, but some small operators and some impound offices are cash only. Ask on the first call. In Wichita, Miller’s takes credit cards and debit cards.
Do tow trucks take cash?
Almost always. Ask for a written receipt with the company name, the date, the amount and what it was for. Without one, you have no proof for an insurance claim.
Do tow trucks take Apple Pay?
Only if the card reader takes tap to pay. Many newer readers do, but there is no rule that says a tow company must. Ask dispatch, and carry the plastic card as a backup.
Do tow trucks take debit cards?
Most that take credit cards also take debit cards. Check your daily debit limit first. A tow plus several days of storage can be more than some banks allow in one day.
Need a Tow Today?
Yes, our tow trucks take credit cards and debit cards. Call Miller’s Towing & Recovery at 316-351-4754 for towing in Wichita, KS, day or night. Ask about any other payment method when you call. You get the price before we hook up, so there are no surprises when it is time to pay.