Towed Car HelpHome / Property managers / Louisiana
Towing rules for property managers in Louisiana
Before you have a car towed from your property in Louisiana, check these rules. They are a summary of state law; your city or county may add more.
Printable checklist
- Placement: Where drivers enter and leave the property; tow-zone areas or spaces must also be marked
- Letters at least 2 inches tall
- A sign at each entrance
- The towing company's name
- The towing company's phone number
- Tow company reports the tow to police within 24 hours
What the sign law says
Applies to: Property owners who have cars towed; company details required when the owner has a contract with a tow company
A property owner who has cars towed must post warning signs where drivers enter and leave the property. When the owner has a contract with a tow company, the sign must show the tow company's name, address and phone number in letters at least 2 inches tall.
La. R.S. 32:1736(C) (opens in a new tab)
The text calls them "warning signs" without stating the wording, so tow-away-warning is not marked. The 2-inch letter height is for the tow company details.
Signs, tags and the tow contract
- A property owner who has cars towed must post warning signs where drivers enter and leave the property. If only certain areas or spaces are tow zones, those areas or spaces must also be marked, with signs in each area or markings on each space. La. R.S. 32:1736(C) (opens in a new tab)
- When the owner has a contract with a tow company, the sign must show the tow company's name, address and phone number in letters at least 2 inches tall. The tow company must also make sure the lot is properly marked before it removes any car. La. R.S. 32:1736(C) (opens in a new tab)
- A private-lot tow must either be approved by local law enforcement, or the car must first be tagged with a visible sticker showing the date, time, tow company and the property owner's signed name. A tag is not needed if the lot has a signed tow contract and proper signs, or if the owner signed the bill before the tow. La. R.S. 32:1736(B), (C) (opens in a new tab)
- The lot owner and the tow company must have a dated, signed written contract that states the parking rules and reasons for towing, plus start and end dates. Copies must be kept at both businesses and in the tow truck. La. R.S. 32:1736(C) (opens in a new tab)