A long tow out of Atlanta costs whatever the operator quotes for that car and that route. No Georgia rule sets a per-mile price for a tow you ask for, and the figures people repeat online are one company’s habits. What you can control is how clearly you describe the job and how firmly you ask for one total before the truck leaves.

Why no published rate applies

Georgia does publish ceilings for some tows, and that is where confusion starts. The City of Atlanta caps a police-ordered tow at $125 under Atlanta Code § 162-227. The state’s Maximum Rate Tariff No. 5 caps tows from private lots when the owner did not consent. The tariff states it covers the removal and storage of trespassing vehicles towed without the owner’s authorization.

The tariff is authorized by O.C.G.A. § 44-1-13 and Georgia’s non-consensual towing rule, and both are about private-lot removals. A long haul that you requested is neither. You are hiring a service, so the price is a private agreement. I also could not confirm a per-mile rate in the tariff itself, so numbers you may have seen for non-consensual tows are not something to apply to your trip.

How operators usually build a price

Operators do not all do it the same way, which is why comparing “per mile” numbers can mislead. Common patterns are:

  • A hook-up charge plus a mileage charge. The first stretch may be folded into the hook-up.
  • A single flat total for the whole route. This is easier to compare.
  • A different line for extras. Fuel, tolls, a second driver, or a wait at the drop-off can sit outside the base.

So the useful question is not “what is your per-mile rate” but “what is the total, delivered, for this car from this address to that one, and what is inside it.”

What changes the number

  1. The car. Size, weight, whether the wheels turn and the car steers, and whether it is low or damaged.
  2. The route. Interstates are quicker than back roads, but a route through busy Downtown Connector traffic or a closure can cost more time.
  3. The drop. A named shop with open hours differs from a house at 2 a.m. If no one is there to receive the car, say so.
  4. The truck. A long drive with a car that cannot roll is usually a flatbed job. Our page on long-distance towing and the one on flatbed towing explain the equipment choice.
  5. The time. Night and holiday hours may cost more.

Heavier jobs are separate. A box truck or tractor-trailer falls under heavy-duty towing, and a camper or trailer is its own category under RV towing. Do not expect a car quote to cover them.

A worked example, without invented prices

Say your SUV fails on I-75 near Stockbridge and you want it at a dealer in Chattanooga. Before you agree to anything, collect these answers:

  • The exact pickup and the dealer’s address, plus the dealer’s receiving hours.
  • Whether the SUV is all-wheel drive, which affects how it can be towed. Check the owner’s manual.
  • Whether it rolls, steers and brakes.
  • Whether any damage means a flatbed is the only safe option.

Then ask the operator for a written total or a clear spoken one, and what happens if the drop-off is closed when the truck arrives. If they will not quote before rolling, you are free to call another operator.

The service area stretches past the city. The Atlanta service area page lists the metro towns we cover, and cities like Stockbridge and Marietta sit on the long-haul corridors.

Storage is a separate clock

If the car will sit at a lot before it moves on, storage is a different charge from the tow. Ask whether the drop point will take the car right away. The lot storage ceilings in the state tariff apply only to non-consensual private-lot tows, so do not assume them for a car you drove to a shop.

Check before you go

  • Ask for the total in writing, by text or email if you can.
  • Confirm fuel, tolls and after-hours time are inside it.
  • Confirm the truck type.
  • Ask what the operator does if you cannot be there at delivery.
  • Keep the receipt and photograph the car before and after loading.

For a rough planning figure on a local move, our tow cost calculator is an estimate, not a quote. The final price still comes from the operator.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to tow a car 100 miles from Atlanta?

There is no set price. The operator quotes a total for your car and route, so describe the job and ask what the total includes.

I found none for a tow you request. The state’s caps apply to non-consensual private-property tows, and the city cap applies to police tows.

Can the tow go out of state?

That depends on the operator. Give the drop address and ask whether they will run it before you commit.

Does the quote include tolls and fuel?

Not always. Ask directly, and ask whether after-hours time is already in the total.

For a tow or roadside call in metro Atlanta, the line is (858) 925-5546.