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Towing rules for property managers in Florida
Before you have a car towed from your property in Florida, check these rules. They are a summary of state law; your city or county may add more.
Printable checklist
- Placement: At each driveway entrance within 10 feet of the road; lots without curbs need at least one sign per 25 feet of frontage
- Letters at least 4 inches tall
- A sign at each entrance
- A warning that unauthorized vehicles will be towed
- The towing company's name
- The towing company's phone number
- Tow company reports the tow to police within 30 minutes
- Release the car if the owner returns before it leaves the property
- Never require the owner to sign a damage waiver
What the sign law says
Applies to: Most private lots (not single-family homes; small businesses with 20 or fewer spaces may use a shorter "customers only" sign)
On most private lots, a tow-away sign must stand at each driveway entrance, within 10 feet of the road. Lots without curbs need at least one sign for every 25 feet of frontage. The sign must say unauthorized vehicles will be towed at the owner's expense, show the words "tow-away zone" in letters at least 4 inches tall, and list the tow company's name and current phone number. It must be posted at least 24 hours before a tow.
Fla. Stat. 715.07(2)(a)5 (opens in a new tab)
The 4-inch letter height applies to the words "tow-away zone". Must be posted at least 24 hours before a tow.
Tow-away signs
- On most private lots, a tow-away sign must stand at each driveway entrance, within 10 feet of the road. Lots without curbs need at least one sign for every 25 feet of frontage. Fla. Stat. 715.07(2)(a)5 (opens in a new tab)
- The sign must say unauthorized vehicles will be towed at the owner's expense, show the words "tow-away zone" in letters at least 4 inches tall, and list the tow company's name and current phone number. It must be posted at least 24 hours before a tow. Fla. Stat. 715.07(2)(a)5 (opens in a new tab)
- Signs are not required at a single-family home, or if you were told in person that the spot was reserved and you could be towed. Small businesses with 20 or fewer spaces may use a shorter "customers only" sign. Fla. Stat. 715.07(2)(a)5 (opens in a new tab)
If you get back before the tow leaves
- If you return while your car is being hooked up or towed, the driver must stop and give the car back. The fee for this can be no more than half the company's posted towing rate, and you must get a signed, itemized receipt. Fla. Stat. 715.07(2)(a)3 (opens in a new tab)
Where your car can be taken
- The storage lot must be within 10 miles of where you were towed in counties with 500,000 or more people, and within 15 miles in smaller counties. If no tow company offers storage that close, the limits rise to 20 and 30 miles. Fla. Stat. 715.07(2)(a)1 (opens in a new tab)
- The tow company must report the tow to city police, or the sheriff outside city limits, within 30 minutes. The report includes where the car is stored. Calling the police non-emergency line is the fastest way to find a private tow. Fla. Stat. 715.07(2)(a)2 (opens in a new tab)