Almaty Enhances Payment Procedures for Towing and Vehicle Storage

In Almaty, a proposal has been made to establish a unified payment procedure for the towing and temporary storage of vehicles at municipal special parking lots. The relevant draft resolution is under consideration by the city council.

According to Yerzhan Dikhanbayev, the head of Almaty's traffic management and public transport department, the proposed changes apply to vehicles that are detained and towed under circumstances outlined in the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

"It's important to understand that this doesn't apply to all vehicle tows. The proposed procedure is only implemented when a vehicle is detained and moved to a special parking facility as per administrative offense legislation," stated Yerzhan Dikhanbayev.

This approach is already established in Almaty's Traffic Management Rules, which define towing as the compulsory removal of a vehicle detained under the Administrative Code to a specific site or parking facility.

The project suggests establishing a fixed cost for towing—3 MCI (Monthly Calculation Index) regardless of the vehicle category. This approach will make the fee structure uniform and transparent for vehicle owners.

For temporary vehicle storage, a separate procedure is proposed, allowing vehicle owners to either avoid or reduce additional expenses.

Previously, on July 30, 2026, the Almaty city council approved Traffic Management Rules to govern the delivery and storage of detained vehicles as per administrative offenses, in areas not covered by traffic regulations.

It was noted that if the owner retrieves their vehicle from the special parking lot by 6 PM on the day of towing, no storage fee is charged. Thus, if the vehicle is collected in a timely manner, the owner only pays for the towing.

If the vehicle remains in the special parking lot past 6 PM, the storage cost is calculated based on the vehicle's category. For the first day, a reduced rate is proposed compared to subsequent storage days.

For passenger cars, a charge of 2.5 MCI for the first day and 5 MCI for each additional day is suggested. Fees for other vehicle categories are also differentiated based on their type and characteristics.

The project development is connected to legislative changes. In 2025, the "Law on Road Traffic" of the Republic of Kazakhstan granted city councils in Astana and Almaty the authority to determine fees for the delivery and temporary storage of detained vehicles at municipally owned special sites and parking facilities.

The proposed project implements these powers and creates a unified city mechanism for the payment of towing and storage of detained vehicles.

When determining the fees, expenses related to the operation and maintenance of tow trucks, special parking lot operations, round-the-clock security, municipal services, and necessary infrastructure were considered. The current rules require tow trucks and personnel to be available 24/7, and special parking facilities to be equipped with a checkpoint, video surveillance, lighting, fencing, and round-the-clock security.

The project has undergone the necessary legislative review processes and received positive feedback.

It is expected that the adoption of the project will establish a clear and consistent method for calculating the cost of towing and storing detained vehicles.

reported by KZhKH24 citing the Almaty City Akimat website.

Photo: gov.kz