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Getting your car back from the tow truck in Málaga

The municipal tow truck is SMASSA's traffic support service, which works with the Local Police 24 hours a day and takes vehicles to its two pounds: La Princesa and San Juan de la Cruz.

Who: The owner of the towed vehicle or whoever was driving, with the vehicle papers.

Our English summary of the official information, which is in Spanish (official name: Recuperar el coche si se lo ha llevado la grúa en Málaga).

Checked against the official pages on 15 October 2026.

Our English translation; the official pages and forms are in Spanish.

Cost
Set by SMASSA's vehicle removal charge bylaw. The City Council's March 2025 proposal was €82.64 (excluding VAT) to tow a car, €24.79 for a motorbike and €12.39 per day in the pound for a car; we have not found its final approval published.

What you need

  • DNI, NIE or passport
  • Vehicle papers (registration certificate)
  • Payment for the tow and the days in the pound

Step by step, in person

  1. 1Call 952 33 10 44 to find out which pound has your vehicle
  2. 2Go to the pound they tell you: vehicles towed in Carretera de Cádiz and Churriana go to La Princesa; those from the Centro district, to San Juan de la Cruz
  3. 3Pay for the tow and the storage and collect the vehicle
Traffic support service, municipal tow truck (SMASSA)

Where

  • La Princesa municipal pound (municipal car park, calle Velasco)

    Calle Velasco, barriada de La Princesa, Málaga

    952 331 044

  • San Juan de la Cruz municipal pound (municipal car park)

    Calle Compositor Lehmberg Ruiz, 18, Málaga

    952 331 044

If you arrive before the tow truck has left, only the unhooking fee is charged (2025 proposal: €61.98 excluding VAT for a car). The parking fine is separate and is paid to GESTRISAM.

Official sources

This guide summarises these official pages (in Spanish; the page titles are theirs). Amounts and deadlines are those they publish; if they change, the official page prevails.

Frequently asked questions

What documents do I need for “Getting your car back from the tow truck in Málaga”?

According to the official information: DNI, NIE or passport; Vehicle papers (registration certificate) and Payment for the tow and the days in the pound.

How much does “Getting your car back from the tow truck in Málaga” cost?

According to the official page: Set by SMASSA's vehicle removal charge bylaw. The City Council's March 2025 proposal was €82.64 (excluding VAT) to tow a car, €24.79 for a motorbike and €12.39 per day in the pound for a car; we have not found its final approval published.

Where is it done?

It is done in person; it is handled by SMASSA (municipal car park and services company). Online, on its official website or e-office. In person: La Princesa municipal pound (municipal car park, calle Velasco) (Calle Velasco, barriada de La Princesa, Málaga); San Juan de la Cruz municipal pound (municipal car park) (Calle Compositor Lehmberg Ruiz, 18, Málaga).

Who can do it?

According to the official information: The owner of the towed vehicle or whoever was driving, with the vehicle papers.

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