If you’ve got a car sitting in the driveway that hasn’t moved in months, you’ve probably assumed getting rid of it will cost you something. Most people do. Skip bins cost money, tip fees cost money, and tow trucks definitely cost money, so it’s fair to expect a bill at the end of this too.
The answer depends almost entirely on one question, and it isn’t “do I need a tow truck?”
It’s this: are you moving a car you want to keep, or getting rid of a car you don’t?
Those are two different transactions with two different price tags. Here’s how each one works.
The short answer: removal should cost you nothing, towing usually does
Having an unwanted car collected by a car removal or wrecking service in Brisbane should cost you $0, and you should be paid for the vehicle. Hiring a tow truck to move a car you’re keeping is a different service, and in Brisbane that typically costs between $100 and $300 for a standard local job.
One company is buying an asset from you and absorbing the tow as a cost of acquiring it. The other is selling you transport. The rest of this guide covers what each option actually costs in 2026, what Queensland law caps some of those charges at, and the handful of situations where free pickup genuinely doesn’t apply.
Free car removal and paid towing are two different transactions
Most of the confusion here comes from both services arriving in the same kind of truck.
What free car removal includes
When a licensed car buyer or wrecker collects your vehicle, they’re purchasing it. A genuine free removal covers collection from your address, loading, transport, the transfer paperwork, and payment to you before the vehicle leaves. The car doesn’t need to run, and it doesn’t need to be registered.
What you’re paying for when you hire a tow truck
A tow truck operator is providing you with transport. Your car goes from where it is to where you want it, usually a mechanic, a smash repairer or your home. Nobody is acquiring anything, so somebody has to pay for the truck, the driver and the fuel. That somebody is you, or your insurer.
Four situations people mix up
| Situation | Typical cost to you | Who pays |
|---|---|---|
| Selling an unwanted car to a removal service | $0, and you get paid | The buyer covers the tow |
| Breakdown tow to a mechanic | $100–$300 locally | You, or your roadside cover |
| Crash tow after an accident | Capped by law in regulated areas | Usually your insurer |
| Towed by council or from private property | Release fee plus daily storage | You |
The first row is the only one where the truck arriving is good news for your bank balance.
Why a car removal company can collect your car for free
This is the part that makes people suspicious, so it’s worth explaining properly.
Where the money actually comes from
⚠️ An end-of-life vehicle isn’t worthless just because it doesn’t drive. It’s a collection of recoverable value. Working parts get tested and resold. Catalytic converters, alternators, panels, wheels and electronics have a secondhand market. Whatever’s left is depolluted and sold by weight as scrap steel and aluminium.
That recovered value is what pays for the tow truck. A removal company that charged you for collection and kept the vehicle would be getting paid twice, which is why any operator asking for a pickup fee on a car they’re also buying is worth a second look. If you’re curious about how the numbers get worked out, we’ve written separately on how car wreckers work out what your car is worth.
Why Brisbane, Logan and Ipswich sit inside the free pickup zone
Distance is the whole reason towing costs money. A tow truck hired for a one-way job absorbs the trip there and back for a single fare. A removal operator running daily routes across the Brisbane metro is already covering that ground.
Our depot is at Meadowbrook, which puts most of Brisbane, all of Logan and most of Ipswich within easy reach. That’s a practical reason pickup stays free across the metro rather than a promotional one, and it’s also why free collection zones have edges. Owners on the southern side can check the cash for cars Logan page for local coverage.
What paid towing costs in Brisbane in 2026
If you’re keeping the car, here’s what you’re actually up for.
A standard local tow
Brisbane operators generally quote simple local, non-accident tows from around $99 to $165 including GST** where the vehicle is easy to access and easy to load. Across the market, a typical local job lands between **$100 and $250, with larger vehicles and longer runs pushing towards $300 or beyond.
These are market guide ranges, not fixed prices, because breakdown towing isn’t regulated in Queensland. Transport and Main Roads confirms the tow truck scheme covers crash towing, police-seized vehicles and private property towing, but explicitly does not regulate vehicle breakdown or trade towing. That means the only reliable figure is a firm quote for your specific job. For a fuller breakdown, see our guide on how much it costs to tow a car in Brisbane.
Crash towing: Queensland’s regulated maximum
If your car has to be towed from a crash inside a regulated area, the law caps what you can be charged. Under the Tow Truck Regulation 2024, the maximum regulated fee for crash towing is:
- $447.90 for the first 50 kilometres
- $8.90 for each kilometre beyond 50 kilometres
Both figures include GST and are current as at 1 July 2026, when maximum charges rose 3.4% under the government’s indexation policy. That maximum covers one hour of working time at the scene, transport of the vehicle to the agreed destination, and 72 hours of storage in the holding yard. Call-out fees, travel-to-site fees and fees for letting you view your own vehicle during business hours can’t be charged on top.
Worth knowing: a lot of Australian websites are still publishing older crash-tow figures. If a number you’ve read somewhere doesn’t match the one above, check the TMR tow truck scheme page directly, because that’s the source of truth. Brisbane, Logan, Ipswich, the Gold Coast and the old Caboolture and Redland shires all fall inside regulated areas. Don’t use the crash-tow cap as a benchmark for an ordinary breakdown tow, though. They’re separate categories with separate rules.
Towed from private property or a shopping centre car park
In regulated areas, the maximum charges are $310.05 to release your vehicle from the holding yard, $186.05 for an on-site release if you get there before the truck leaves, and $31.00 per day for storage. A property owner and a motorist can’t both be charged for the same tow.
What pushes a towing quote up
💡Distance is the biggest single factor, followed by access. A car in an open driveway is a straightforward job. A non-runner in an underground car park with low clearance, a vehicle with seized or missing wheels, a car with no keys, or a job at 2am on a Sunday all add time, equipment or both.
When “free car removal” isn’t actually free
Every car removal website in Brisbane says pickup is 100% free with no exceptions. That’s mostly true, and it’s also not quite the full picture. Being straight about the edge cases is more useful than pretending they don’t exist.
Free collection can become complicated when:
- The vehicle can’t be reached by a tilt tray. Low-clearance basement car parks, locked gates with no key, a car boxed in by other vehicles, or one that’s sunk into soft ground behind the shed.
- The car won’t roll at all. Seized brakes, missing wheels or a stripped shell in a tight spot may need extra equipment.
- You’re outside the free pickup zone. Far regional Queensland or interstate is a transport job, not a local collection.
- Ownership can’t be established. This is the most common genuine blocker. If you can’t show you’re entitled to sell the vehicle, no licensed operator can legally take it, regardless of how long it’s been in your yard.
- The car isn’t what was described. A quote for a complete 2015 Corolla can reasonably change if the truck arrives to find a shell with no engine, wheels or catalytic converter.
None of these are automatic refusals. Most are solvable if they’re known in advance. Cars with no keys, no rego or no plates are collected every week in Brisbane at no cost.
How to lock your quote in
The quote you’re given over the phone is only as good as the information behind it. Before you agree to anything, tell the operator the make, model and year, the exact suburb, whether the car rolls, whether you have keys, any major missing components, where it’s parked and how a truck would reach it. Then ask two questions:
- Is towing included in the price you’ve quoted, or deducted from it afterwards?
- Is the figure you’ve quoted the amount I’ll actually receive?
Get the answer in writing by text or email. Do that and the price shouldn’t move. Skip it and you’ve given an operator room to renegotiate in your driveway, which is exactly the scenario people searching this question are worried about. If your car is in Brisbane and you’d like a firm number before you commit to anything, you can get a quote for free car removal in Brisbane with those details and see how it compares to the towing figures above.
The costs Brisbane owners forget to count
The question isn’t only “what does removal cost.” It’s “what is this car costing me right now.”
Rego and CTP on a car that hasn’t moved
A registered car you don’t drive is a standing expense. Queensland registration for a four-cylinder passenger car runs to several hundred dollars a year before CTP, and CTP adds several hundred more. If the car hasn’t left the driveway since last summer, that’s money spent on nothing.
Cancelling your rego and what you get back
You can cancel registration and claim a refund on the unused portion of your rego and CTP. A registration cancellation refund administration fee of $22.00 applies as at 1 July 2026 and comes out of the refund. Number plates generally have to be surrendered, with exceptions for personalised plates and for plates that are lost, stolen, destroyed or already handed in. We’ve covered the detail on handing in your number plates separately.
One important warning. If your car has been written off and an insurer has assessed it, the insurer may take ownership of the registration as part of the claim. If that happens, you may not be entitled to any refund at all. Check with your insurer before you lodge a cancellation, not after.
Driving it there yourself versus having it towed
Some owners assume that if the car is unregistered, moving it is going to be a paperwork problem either way. It isn’t, provided you don’t drive it.
If a tow truck moves it, no permit is needed. Transport and Main Roads states that a tow truck is permitted to tow an unregistered vehicle under section 11 of the Transport Operations (Road Use Management—Vehicle Registration) Regulation 2021, and that no unregistered vehicle permit is required for that tow. The operator handles the plate arrangements, either by transferring the tow truck’s rear plate to the towed vehicle or using an accessory plate issued for the purpose.
If you drive it yourself, it’s a different story. Driving an unregistered vehicle on Queensland roads generally requires an unregistered vehicle permit from TMR, and the vehicle has to be in a safe condition to drive. Between the permit fee and compulsory CTP cover for the travel period, a one-day permit for a standard passenger car generally lands somewhere in the vicinity of $70 to $95. Permits run from one to seven days and must cover the most direct route. Check current fees on the Queensland Government registration costs page, and read our comparison of an unregistered vehicle permit versus towing if you’re weighing it up.
So the maths is straightforward. Having it towed as part of a sale costs nothing. Driving it there legally costs $70 to $95 and requires the car to be safe and drivable. Driving it there illegally risks a fine well in excess of either.
What Brisbane City Council can do
Leaving the car where it is isn’t free either, particularly if it’s on the street. Brisbane City Council treats abandoned, unregistered, hazardous or dilapidated vehicles as “unmanaged vehicles” under the Health, Safety and Amenity Local Law 2021. Under that local law, it’s an offence to park an unregistered vehicle on a road, and the owner or last known registered owner may be fined.
Council can also tow and impound the vehicle. At that point you’re paying a release fee, plus storage, plus any fine. Council’s own guidance suggests contacting a car removal service if you want to get rid of an old vehicle, which is a reasonable indication of how they’d prefer this to end.
Will insurance or roadside assistance cover the tow?
After a crash, towing is usually handled through your insurer, and the regulated maximum applies inside regulated areas. You have the right to decide who tows your vehicle and where it goes. Don’t sign a blank or incomplete towing authority form, and read it before you sign.
After a breakdown, it’s generally on you unless you hold roadside assistance. Check what you’ve actually got before paying an operator directly, because entitlements vary a lot between products. RACQ’s towing entitlements range from around 20 km to 100 km depending on the plan, and the entry-level tier doesn’t include towing at all.
Roadside cover also won’t help with the situation most readers of this article are in. It excludes unregistered vehicles and vehicles on a day registration permit, and it requires the vehicle to be accessible from a constructed road or driveway. It’s breakdown cover, not a disposal service. A car that’s been dead in the yard for two years isn’t a breakdown.
Free pickup or paid tow? A quick decision guide
| Your situation | Best option | Expected cost |
|---|---|---|
| Car is dead in the driveway, you’re not repairing it | Free removal | $0, plus you get paid |
| Broken down, car is worth fixing | Paid tow to your mechanic | $100–$300 |
| Crash damage, insurer involved | Insurer-arranged tow | Usually covered, capped by law |
| Unregistered in the yard for years | Free removal | $0, plus you get paid |
| Flood or hail damaged after a storm | Free removal | $0, plus you get paid |
| Repair quote exceeds the car’s value | Free removal | $0, plus you get paid |
The dividing line is straightforward. If you intend to keep the car, pay for a tow. If you don’t, don’t.
One caution on the middle rows. When a car is borderline, don’t compare the tow fee against free removal in isolation. Compare tow plus diagnosis plus repair plus any certificate costs against what the car is worth repaired, and against what someone will pay for it as-is. Sometimes repairing still wins. On an older vehicle with several faults, it usually doesn’t, and money spent making it presentable is rarely money you get back.
What you need before a free pickup
Details to give when you request a quote: make, model and year, suburb, whether it runs, whether it rolls, whether you have keys, rego status, any major missing parts, and how a truck would access it.
Do you need a safety certificate?
This depends on whether the car is still registered, and it’s the part people most often get wrong.
- Unregistered vehicle: no safety certificate is required to sell it. This covers most cars going to a removal service.
- Registered vehicle: Queensland no longer requires a certificate simply to advertise a registered car for sale, but you must obtain one before disposing of a registered vehicle to anyone other than a licensed dealer. The penalty for not holding a current certificate at disposal can exceed $700.
- Selling for parts: vehicles can be sold for parts without a certificate, but Queensland requires them to be de-registered before they’re sold.
- Exemptions exist, including vehicles garaged in exempt areas, transfers between spouses and some deceased estate transfers. TMR asks that you call 13 23 80 to confirm whether your situation qualifies.
An inspection currently costs around $100 for a light vehicle, before any repairs needed to pass. For most owners of an end-of-life car, cancelling the registration first is both cheaper and simpler than obtaining a certificate. Our full guide to safety certificates in Queensland walks through the detail.
Documents you need: photo ID, and proof you’re entitled to sell the vehicle, such as a registration certificate, renewal notice or purchase paperwork.
Before the truck arrives: clear out personal items, check the glovebox, boot and under the seats, take the plates off, and photograph the car and the odometer.
Afterwards: keep your copy of the paperwork, lodge the notice of disposal, and cancel your rego and CTP if the registration is still current.
The mistakes that cost people money: accepting a quote without disclosing access problems, handing over a car with no paperwork, cancelling rego on a written-off vehicle before checking with the insurer, leaving the plates on, and paying for a tow to a wrecker who would have collected it for nothing.
How free car removal works with Junk Car Removals
We buy vehicles across Brisbane, Logan, Ipswich, Caboolture and the Gold Coast in any condition, running or not, registered or not. The process is short: you give us the details, we give you a firm price, we collect the vehicle and you’re paid before it goes on the truck.
🗝️ Collection is free. There’s no towing charge, no call-out fee and no paperwork fee, because the vehicle itself is what we’re buying. We’re a licensed Queensland car buyer and recycler operating from Meadowbrook, and vehicles are depolluted and recycled properly rather than dumped.
If you’d like a number to compare against the towing costs in this guide, get a quote for free car removal in Brisbane or call 0483 333 444.
Frequently asked questions
Is car removal free in Brisbane? Yes. A licensed car removal or wrecking service should collect your vehicle at no charge and pay you for it, because the value they recover from parts and scrap covers the tow. If an operator wants a pickup fee on a car they’re also buying, get a second quote.
Do I have to pay if my car doesn’t start or has no wheels? No. Non-running vehicles are routine and don’t attract a fee. Mention it when you request the quote so the right truck is sent. Extremely difficult access, such as a low-clearance basement car park, is the only situation that occasionally complicates a job.
How much does it cost to tow a car in Brisbane? A simple local tow generally starts from around $99 to $165 including GST, with most local jobs landing between $100 and $250. Breakdown towing isn’t price-regulated in Queensland, so distance, access, vehicle condition and timing all affect the final quote.
Can an unregistered car be towed in Queensland without a permit? Yes. TMR states a tow truck may tow an unregistered vehicle without an unregistered vehicle permit. The permit requirement applies if you drive the vehicle on the road, not if a tow truck moves it.
Do I need a safety certificate to have my car removed? Only if the car is still registered. An unregistered vehicle can be sold without one. A registered vehicle needs a current certificate before disposal to anyone other than a licensed dealer, and vehicles sold for parts must be de-registered first.
Is free towing deducted from the cash offer? It shouldn’t be. Ask directly whether the quoted vehicle price is the amount you’ll receive and whether collection carries any separate charge. Get the answer in writing.
Who pays for towing after a crash in Queensland? Usually your insurer. Inside regulated areas, crash towing is capped at $447.90 for the first 50 kilometres plus $8.90 per kilometre after that, current as at 1 July 2026. You choose who tows your vehicle and where it goes.
Is pickup still free in Logan, Ipswich or Caboolture? Yes, all three sit inside our standard collection area, along with Brisbane and the Gold Coast. If you’re unsure whether your suburb is covered, ask when you request your quote.
How long does free car removal take? Same-day collection is available across most Brisbane suburbs when the vehicle is accessible and the booking is made early enough. Collection itself usually takes 20 to 30 minutes.