Towing rules for property managers in Georgia

Printable checklist

• ☐ Placement: At each designated entrance, clearly visible from every parking space; 6 feet above grade if no designated entrance
• ☐ Sign size: at least 12 inches by 18 inches
• ☐ A sign at each entrance
• ☐ The tow and storage charges
• ☐ A warning that unauthorized vehicles will be towed
• ☐ The towing company's name
• ☐ The towing company's phone number
• ☐ Release the car if the owner returns before it leaves the property

What the sign law says

Applies to: Private lots other than residential property with four or fewer units

Signs must be posted at each designated entrance and be at least 12 by 18 inches, clearly visible from every parking space. If a lot has no designated entrance, signs must be 6 feet above grade. The sign must warn that unauthorized vehicles will be towed at the owner's expense and list the tow company's name, address and phone, towing and daily storage fees, hours, and accepted payment methods.

DPS Rule 570-38-7-.14; DPS NCT FAQ Q13 (opens in a new tab)

"Hours" on the sign is not specified as enforcement hours, so hours-of-enforcement is not marked. Signs must be up at least 24 hours before a tow. Dimensions are given as 'X by Y inches' without naming which is width and which is height; they are listed in the stated order. Additional quoted text comes from: O.C.G.A. 44-1-13(a.1); DPS Rule 570-38-7-.14; DPS NCT FAQ Q13 <https://gamccd.net/NctFaq.aspx>.

Tow-away signs

• Signs must be posted at each designated entrance and be at least 12 by 18 inches, clearly visible from every parking space. If a lot has no designated entrance, signs must be 6 feet above grade. DPS Rule 570-38-7-.14; DPS NCT FAQ Q13 (opens in a new tab)
• The sign must warn that unauthorized vehicles will be towed at the owner's expense and list the tow company's name, address and phone, towing and daily storage fees, hours, and accepted payment methods. Payment cannot be listed as cash only. O.C.G.A. 44-1-13(a.1); DPS Rule 570-38-7-.14; DPS NCT FAQ Q13 (opens in a new tab)
• Signs must be up for at least 24 hours before a vehicle can be towed from the lot. DPS NCT FAQ Q11 (opens in a new tab)
• The posting rules do not apply to private residential property with four or fewer residential units. O.C.G.A. 44-1-13(a.1); Tariff No. 5 (opens in a new tab)

If you get back before the tow leaves

• If your car has not been hooked or loaded and you show up with the key, the company may not tow it or charge a fee. If it is already hooked or loaded but has not left the property, the fee is capped at $130 for vehicles under 20,000 lb (GVWR) and $195 above that. DPS Rule 570-38-7-.16; Tariff No. 5 Sec. 2.C.1 (opens in a new tab)

Where your car is kept

• Georgia sets no mile limit. The company's secure lot (fenced at least 6 feet, lit, locked or enclosed) must be in the same county as its tow office unless DPS approves otherwise. DPS Rule 570-38-7-.21; DPS NCT FAQ Q4 (opens in a new tab)
• There is no statewide lookup for towed cars. Check the signs on the lot and call the local police non-emergency line, and DPS publishes a list of permitted nonconsensual tow companies. Georgia Consumer Protection Division towing page (opens in a new tab)

Sources

• https://gamccd.net/NctFaq.aspx (opens in a new tab)
• https://dps.georgia.gov/document/document/new-maximum-rate-tariff-no-5-nonconsensual-towing/download (opens in a new tab)
• https://consumer.georgia.gov/consumer-topics/towing (opens in a new tab)