Will AAA Tow an Unregistered Car? What AAA Clubs Say

Short answer: it depends on which AAA club you call, and registration is only one of several rules that decide whether a truck is sent. AAA is a federation of regional clubs, and each one publishes its own terms. As of October 2026 the club documents quoted below word the registration rule differently, and some of the most common refusals have nothing to do with registration at all. This guide shows what each document says, how tow limits compare, and what to do if the answer is no.

AAA’s Official Policy on Towing Unregistered Vehicles

There is no single national rule. Four AAA documents show how much the wording varies:

AAA document	What it says about registration	Other limits worth knowing
AAA Club Alliance, Rules of the Road page	Does not state a registration condition. An eligible vehicle is a four-wheel motor-driven passenger vehicle, and it must be disabled (broken down and unable to be driven).	One tow per disablement. AAA may decline vehicles judged unsafe, including modified ones, and reserves the right to deny coverage.
Auto Club Group member handbook page	Roadside assistance is provided on an eligible and properly licensed and registered vehicle you are driving or riding in at the time of disablement.	Covers the vehicle you are in when it is disabled; towing is within the limits of your plan.
AAA Texas Member Guide (6/24)	Vehicles are eligible provided they qualify for highway registration and are not loaded or altered in a way that creates a hazard.	Convenience tows tied to a purchase, sale, auction or relocation are excluded, as is towing a vehicle purchased in an inoperable condition.
AAA Washington Terms and Conditions	RVs and trailers must have current registration, and AAA Washington will not tow RVs or trailers with temporary registrations or trip permits.	Vehicles purchased or otherwise obtained in an inoperable condition are not covered. Non-emergency tows are excluded.

In practice, some clubs tie service to a registered or registrable vehicle, one spells the rule out only for RVs and trailers, and the national page names no registration test. AAA Washington warns that manufacturing a disablement to get around its policy can mean denied coverage and cancelled membership. Describe the car and its situation accurately when you call.

If your question is about distance instead, see how far AAA will tow a car. If the car is running and you only want it moved, does your car have to be broken for AAA to tow it covers that rule.

Why AAA Says No Even When Registration Is Current

Registration is the rule people expect, but the refusals that show up most often in club terms are about what kind of tow is being requested. These come straight from the documents above:

• Purchased in an inoperable condition. AAA Washington and AAA Texas both list this as not covered. A project car bought as a non-runner is the standard example.
• Convenience tows. AAA Texas says towing for a purchase, sale, renovation, auction, car show, charitable donation or relocation is not roadside assistance. AAA Washington lists tows of convenience, tows from dealerships and to or from auction houses, tow yards, storage and impound lots as not covered.
• Home-to-home moves. AAA Washington says towing from one residence to another is evaluated for eligibility, as are vehicles inoperable for an extended period.
• Highways with their own service. AAA Club Alliance notes some toll roads and limited access highways provide their own roadside assistance and will not let AAA respond. Ask them to tow you off the road, then call AAA, and keep an itemized receipt for a reimbursement request.

A non-runner that has sat unregistered in a driveway can trip two of these rules at once, so ask the dispatcher which category your tow falls into.

Membership Levels and Towing Benefits

Registration rules are the same across plan levels, but distance is not. The two club documents with published numbers differ even at the Classic level:

Plan level	AAA Washington (Terms and Conditions)	AAA Texas (Member Guide, 6/24)
Classic	Up to 5 miles of towing	Up to 7 driving miles to a destination you choose; free to the provider’s own facility at any distance
Plus	Up to 100 miles	Up to 100 driving miles
Premier	Up to 200 miles	One tow per household per membership year up to 200 driving miles; other tows up to 100 driving miles

AAA Washington charges a fee after four road service events in a membership year, and AAA Texas says Plus and Premier raise tow distance but add no extra service calls. A higher plan does not override an eligibility rule, because those sit in the eligible-vehicle terms.

Equipment matters too. AAA Washington says its providers use towing equipment as prescribed by the vehicle maker, and a member who requests other equipment, a flatbed for example, pays any additional fees at the time of service. Check the towing section of your owner’s manual first. More on distance: how far Triple A tows a car.

Do You Need to Be Present When AAA Tows Your Car?

Yes. AAA Club Alliance says you need to be with the vehicle at the time of disablement and service, and you must show your driver’s license when the representative arrives. AAA Washington says members must be present at the time of disablement and when service arrives, and that the member accompanies the vehicle to the tow destination. AAA Texas says no service is provided if a membership card and a matching valid photo ID are not shown to the driver, and a member must be present when a vehicle is delivered to a closed repair facility.

So the answer to whether AAA will tow a car when you are not with it is no, per these documents. If someone else must hand over the keys, ask the club what it will accept in advance. After business hours, AAA Washington says the member or a representative must secure the vehicle at the tow destination, and storage fees are the member’s responsibility.

Can You Use AAA to Tow a Car You Don’t Own?

Membership follows the person, not the car. AAA Club Alliance puts it this way: roadside assistance covers you, as a member, in any car you are driving or riding in, and benefits cannot be used by any other person. AAA Washington says the same, and adds that service is designed for you whether you are the driver or a passenger of an eligible disabled vehicle. So if you are riding in a friend’s car when it stops running, your membership can apply, subject to the vehicle eligibility rules above.

What does not work is requesting a tow for a car you are not with, such as a relative’s car parked at their home, or a car you are still arranging to buy. Our related guide, can you use AAA on any car, goes through the member and vehicle rules in more detail.

Legitimate Ways to Get an Unregistered Car Towed

If a club will not tow the car, the fix is to change what is being requested or who is moving it, not to leave out facts. Three honest routes:

Get a Temporary DMV Permit

A permit lets the vehicle be driven legally on a trip. It does not make a car eligible for AAA, and no club document reviewed says it does. AAA Washington says outright it will not tow RVs or trailers with temporary registrations or trip permits. Permits are still the right tool when you plan to drive the car yourself, and the rules are set by the state. Two official examples show how much they vary:

• Texas: the TxDMV Vehicle Transit Permit is for a buyer whose seller keeps the Texas plates. It is valid for 5 calendar days, only for passenger cars and light trucks, requires at least the minimum liability insurance required by Texas law, and cannot be issued to a salvage or nonrepairable vehicle. TxDMV lists no fee for it.
• Alaska: the Alaska DMV trip permit covers specific moves, such as a single trip of an unladen non-commercial vehicle by a non-circular route, valid up to 20 days with a maximum of 3 per vehicle. You apply at a local DMV office with proof of vehicle interest or ownership, and the fee is $5.

Check your own state motor vehicle agency for the permit name, fee and limits, and see do you need a moving permit for AAA towing for the AAA angle. If the problem is a lapsed registration, does a car registration expire explains renewal.

Call the Club Before You Need the Truck

The number is on the back of your card. Ask whether your club requires current registration for cars, whether your tow counts as emergency or non-emergency, and what ID must be with the car. Note who you spoke with and when, since terms change.

Alternatives to AAA for Towing Unregistered Cars

• Licensed private tow company. Each company sets its own paperwork rules, so ask what they need before the truck is dispatched, and get the price in advance. For a rough budget see how much it costs to tow a car across state lines.
• Vehicle transport service. AAA Washington lists transport to or from vehicle transport facilities and auction lots as not covered, so a specialist hauler suits a purchased project car.
• Your own insurance. Some auto policies include towing. Whether an unregistered car is covered depends on the policy, so read does car insurance cover towing and can I insure a car without registration before you assume it is.
• Reimbursement after the fact. AAA Washington says that when AAA service is not available and the request follows its guidelines, a member can hire a licensed commercial service and submit an itemized receipt within 90 days; reimbursement is up to $500 and excluded services are not eligible. AAA Texas takes receipts within 60 days for covered services. Neither helps for an excluded tow.

What to Do If AAA Will Not Tow Your Car

1. Ask the dispatcher which rule applies: registration, a non-emergency category, or an excluded location.
2. If you are stopped in a live lane or on a narrow shoulder, ask the representative for a safe place to wait. AAA Washington says to discuss that with a representative when staying with the vehicle puts you at risk.
3. Call a licensed tow company, state the car’s real condition and registration status, and ask for the total price before dispatch.
4. Keep the itemized receipt. Reimbursement depends on your club and the rules above.
5. If you will drive the car after fixing the problem, sort out registration or a permit with your state agency first. Our guide to how to get a car towed covers the general process.

Keep reading

• Does a Car Have to Be Broken for AAA to Tow It? Local Fact
• AAA Premier Towing: Your Essential, Genius Answer
• Can You Call AAA for a Car That Isn’t Yours

Frequently Asked Questions

Will AAA tow an unregistered car?

It depends on the club. AAA Texas says vehicles must qualify for highway registration, the Auto Club Group says a properly licensed and registered vehicle, and AAA Washington sets a current-registration rule for RVs and trailers. Ask your club before relying on a tow.

Will AAA tow a car I just bought?

Often not. AAA Washington and AAA Texas both exclude vehicles purchased in an inoperable condition, and AAA Texas also excludes convenience tows tied to a purchase or sale.

Will AAA accept a trip permit or temporary tag?

No club document says a permit makes a car eligible. AAA Washington states it will not tow RVs or trailers with temporary registrations or trip permits. Ask your club before paying for a permit just for a tow.

Do I have to be with the car when AAA tows it?

Yes. AAA Club Alliance says you need to be with the vehicle and show your driver’s license, and AAA Washington says members must be present when service arrives.

What if AAA refuses to tow my car?

Ask which rule applies, then call a licensed private tow company or a vehicle transport service and get the price in advance.

Conclusion

AAA clubs do not share one registration rule: some require a registered vehicle, one limits the rule to RVs and trailers, and the national page names none. The more common obstacles are non-emergency and convenience tows, cars bought as non-runners, and not being with the vehicle. Confirm with your own club, use your state’s permit only for driving, and keep a private tow company as the fallback.

This guide reflects club documents read in October 2026 and is general information, not legal advice. This guide does not cover repair prices or state registration fees; check your club and your state motor vehicle agency for current terms.