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Palm Desert raises standard vehicle impound fee to $275 and DUI-related impound fee to $1,190
Summary
The council adopted a resolution updating vehicle-impound cost recovery fees to reflect sheriff contract costs: standard impounds increase from $165 to $275; DUI-related impounds increase from $705 to $1,190. The resolution includes an annual adjustment tied to sheriff-contract increases and a refund provision for acquitted individuals.
The Palm Desert City Council adopted a resolution Thursday to update vehicle-impound cost recovery fees to reflect current sheriff contract rates and administrative overhead. The city raised the standard impound fee from $165 to $275 and the DUI-related impound fee from $705 to $1,190.
Daniel Hurtado, public-safety analyst, said the last fee update occurred in 2014 and that fees needed adjustment because of rising costs under the FY 2024–25 contract with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department. Hurtado said staff calculated the proposed amounts using estimated staff time (1.5 hours for standard impounds and about 5 hours for DUI impounds) multiplied by the sheriff’s hourly contract rate of $229.55 plus city administrative overhead.
“Applying the fiscal year 24–25 contract rate of $229.55 per hour plus city administrative overhead results in these proposed amounts,” Hurtado told the council. The resolution also adds an automatic annual adjustment tied to the actual percentage increase in the sheriff’s contract and allows individuals acquitted of charges to request a refund within 30 days.
No members of the public spoke on the item. The council voted 5-0 to adopt the resolution, which staff said would become effective April 10, 2025.
Councilmembers praised the refund provision as an equitable feature for residents.
