If the police arrest a driver for a DUI/DWI criminal offense they will often have the vehicle towed and impounded at an impound lot. In some states the vehicle can be retrieved beginning 8-24 hours following the impoundment. If there is a passenger who the police determine is sober or a friend or family member of the driver who arrives before the police have the vehicle towed such a person may be allowed to drive the vehicle from the scene of the DUI/DWI arrest.

In some states the vehicle may be confiscated and held at the impound lot for 30-90 days (forfeiture), and in some states up to 180 days. Vehicle confiscation usually occurs when the defendant has previous DUI/DWI convictions and is designed to prevent the defendant from using the vehicle to commit another DUI/DWI offense.

And in some states the driver's license plates or registration may be confiscated or subject to forfeiture upon a DUI/DWI arrest, or special license plates with numbers or stickers readily identifiable by law enforcement may be issued to the driver—providing probable cause for the vehicle to be stopped and the driver questioned if a police officer observes irregular driving.

The police may search the vehicle as a search incident to a lawful arrest—which is an exception to the general requirement that the police have a search warrant to comply with the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution. And if the vehicle is towed and impounded a police officer at the impound lot may perform an inventory search of the vehicle—which is also an exception to the Fourth Amendment warrant requirement. Any contraband the police find in such searches—such as illegal drugs or stolen goods—may subject the defendant to additional criminal charges and will be admissible in evidence against the defendant.

A driver whose vehicle is towed and impounded will be required to pay towing and storage fees to retrieve the vehicle—and depending on applicable law a vehicle that remains in an impound lot for a certain number of days (usually 30-40) may be sold at a public auction and the proceeds applied to towing and storage fees, with any remaining funds being delivered to the owner of the vehicle.

In Pennsylvania, when a driver is arrested for a DUI/DWI offense, the police may tow and impound the vehicle. If a sober passenger or a sober friend or family member is present and capable of driving the vehicle safely, they may be allowed to take the vehicle from the scene, avoiding impoundment. However, if the vehicle is impounded, Pennsylvania law does not specify a uniform mandatory impoundment period for DUI/DWI offenses. The duration of impoundment can vary based on local regulations and the specifics of the case, such as prior offenses. For repeat DUI/DWI offenders, vehicle forfeiture is a possibility, which could prevent the defendant from committing further offenses. Pennsylvania also allows for the confiscation of license plates or the issuance of special plates for DUI/DWI offenders, which can signal law enforcement to be vigilant of the driver's behavior. Upon lawful arrest for DUI/DWI, the police may search the vehicle without a warrant as an incident to the arrest, and an inventory search may be conducted if the vehicle is impounded. Any illegal items found can lead to additional charges. The owner of the impounded vehicle is responsible for towing and storage fees and risks the vehicle being auctioned off if it remains unclaimed for an extended period, typically 30-40 days, with proceeds going towards the fees and any surplus returned to the owner.