Car Recovery
Across the UK
Without Membership
Need to move a car that can't be driven? Tell us where it is, where it needs to go and what's happened. Snap contacts independent recovery operators and sends you one quote before you decide. No membership needed.
Asking for a quote does not book the job.
Send a request 24/7; requests are handled round the clock. Or call 078 3333 9309, Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm.
- Urgent or planned moves
- Your choice of drop-off
- No membership needed
If anyone is hurt, there's a fire, or you're in danger, call 999 first. Snap is not an emergency service. On a motorway, get to the left, get out on the side away from traffic if it's safe, and get behind the barrier. If you can't get out safely, stay in the car with your seatbelt and hazard lights on, and call 999.
What's happened?
- The car won't start. Check whether it's the battery before you ask for a tow.
- The battery's flat. See whether a jump start is the right job.
- I've put the wrong fuel in. Don't start the engine. Read what to do first.
- I've had an accident. Check everyone is safe, then speak to your insurer.
- It's broken down. Tell us what the car is doing and where it is.
- It needs moving. It won't roll, it's stuck in a car park, or it has to get to a garage or home.
Car recovery services arranged through Snap
An independent recovery operator carries out the work, and you choose where the car goes.
Towing and recovery
For a car that can't be driven, from the roadside, a car park, your drive or a garage, to the destination you choose. Local moves and longer-distance recovery, today or planned.
Breakdown assistance
For a car that has stopped and you're not sure what it needs. Describe what it's doing, and the job is quoted as a jump start or a recovery.
Accident recovery
For a car that can't be driven after a collision. Speak to your insurer first. If you're arranging the recovery yourself, it's quoted for the damage, access and journey.
Jump start
For a car with a flat battery, parked where an operator can reach it. A jump start may restart a car with a discharged battery.
Car at home or waiting for a garage?
Request a quote for a planned move. A car that has failed its MOT, sat on the drive for months, or needs to reach a garage for a booked repair doesn't have to move today. In the quote form, choose "On or by a specific date" and pick the day, or tell us you're flexible. The drop-off can be a garage or a home in another town.
Tell us the preferred destination and check it can accept the car. If it can't take the car straight away, confirm any waiting, storage or onward move before booking.
Request a quote for a planned moveHow booking car recovery works
- Tell us about the job. Where the car is, where it needs to go, and whether it starts, rolls and steers. Mention a car park level, a height restriction, and whether you have the keys.
- Snap gets you one quote. We assess the job, check prices and availability with suitable independent operators covering the area, and send you one quote. It shows the total for the job, with our booking fee and the operator's charge set out separately. If it doesn't suit you, ask and we'll look again.
- You decide. Nothing is booked until you accept. Once you do, you pay the booking fee, an operator is assigned, and you get their details and an estimated arrival time by SMS or WhatsApp.
The quote is built on what you tell us. If the car or the pickup turns out different from your description, the price may change or the operator may not be able to do the job. Read how booking works in full.
What your quote depends on
Your quote depends on the pickup and drop-off, the car's condition, access and operator availability. You see the total for your job before you accept.
As an indicative guide, a local tow of up to 10 miles is typically £50 to £150 and a jump start typically £50 to £100. Both ranges include our booking fee. That's a guide, not a national tariff. Longer-distance recovery is quoted for the route and the vehicle. Read what a recovery costs to see what moves the figure.
Paying for a job booked through Snap
- Once you accept your quote, you pay Snap's booking fee by bank transfer, using the details on your tracking page.
- You get a receipt for your booking fee.
- You pay the operator's charge to the operator when the job is done.
- We don't take card payments on this website and we don't ask for your card details.
- Cancel within 15 minutes of confirming, or before an operator is assigned, whichever comes first, and the booking fee is refunded in full.
Read how paying works and how cancelling works.
Car recovery in cities across the UK
These cities have their own pages, with pickup and access details for each area: London, Birmingham, Manchester, Nottingham, Leicester, Bristol, Sheffield, Leeds and Coventry. Wherever the car is in the UK, you can send a request. See other areas.
Car breakdown and recovery questions
Do I need breakdown cover or a membership?
No. There's nothing to join, so you can ask for a quote after the car has broken down and pay for that one job. If you have cover through a bank account, an insurer or a warranty, check what it includes first. If it will get the car where it needs to go, use it.
Who carries out the recovery?
An independent recovery operator, not Snap. When operators join, they confirm their licensing and insurance, and we check their motor, public liability and goods in transit insurance and cover for your car while they have it. That check happens when they join rather than job by job, so ask to see their ID and insurance details when they arrive.
What happens if the operator cancels?
We try to find another operator straight away. If we can't, your booking fee is refunded in full. If a replacement operator costs more, you're shown the new price first. You can accept it, decline it and get the booking fee refunded in full, or accept it and ask our team for a refund of the difference by phone, WhatsApp or email.
Can I request car recovery at night or at the weekend?
Yes. Requests are handled 24/7, round the clock, and we check operator availability before you get your quote. Availability isn't guaranteed, and it can be harder to find an operator overnight, at busy times or in remote areas. The phone line is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm; outside those hours, send your request online or on WhatsApp.
Get a quote for your car recovery
Tell us where the car is, where it needs to go and what's happened.
Request my recovery quoteAsking for a quote does not book the job.
Send a request 24/7; requests are handled round the clock. Or call 078 3333 9309, Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm.