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Towed from your apartment complex in Arizona

Signs must be readable from anywhere in the lot and at each entrance. They must list the parking rules, what happens to cars that break them, the maximum cost including storage, and a phone number and address to find the car.

Checked Nov 15, 2026 against the Arizona statute and regulator pages.

What to do now

  1. Call the property office or check the tow-away sign at the lot entrance. It must name the tow company and its phone number in most states.
  2. Call the tow company to confirm they have the car, the address of the storage lot and the total due.
  3. Photograph the signs, your permit or sticker and where you were parked before anything changes.
  4. Get your car out quickly. Storage is charged by the day.
  5. Ask for an itemized receipt and compare it to your state limits.
  6. If the tow broke your lease or the state rules, write to the property manager and request a hearing if your state offers one.

Arizona rules that matter here

Tow-away signs

Signs must be readable from anywhere in the lot and at each entrance. They must list the parking rules, what happens to cars that break them, the maximum cost including storage, and a phone number and address to find the car.1

Notice

A company that tows from private property without police direction must phone the local police within one hour, or it loses its right to charge for the tow and storage. After a police impound, the agency must send notice to the owner within three business days.34

Drop fee release

State law has no drop-fee rule for private-property tows. Cities and counties that set tow rates can add one, so check the local ordinance.12

Personal belongings

For tows after a crash, you can remove personal items from the car free during business hours. There is no general state rule for other tows, but in Tucson a private-lot tower must let you get your ID, and other property once you prove ownership, at no charge.511

Hearing to contest the tow

After a police impound you can request a poststorage hearing within 10 days of the date on the notice. The hearing is held within five business days, and if the impound was not justified the agency pays the tow and storage costs.46

Payment

For tows after a crash, the tower must accept cash, credit card, debit card, insurance company check, or money order. Lots holding state trooper tows must take cash, credit or debit cards, money orders, and cashier checks, and Tucson requires cash, credit, and debit for private-lot tows. The 150 dollar police administrative charge in Phoenix is cash, cashier check, or money order only.591112

Related

Arizona cities: Phoenix

Think the tow or the bill was wrong?

Ask the lot for an itemized receipt, compare it to the legal limits in Arizona, and request a hearing before the deadline. Our step-by-step guide and calculator are free.

Questions

Can my apartment tow my car without warning?

In many states yes, if proper tow-away signs are posted at each entrance. Some states and leases require a warning sticker first for things like expired tags. Check your state rules and your lease.

Who do I call if my car was towed from my apartment?

Start with the tow company named on the posted sign or the property office. In Houston and Harris County you can also search FindMyTowedCar. Police usually get a report of private tows within a few hours.

Sources

Last checked Nov 15, 2026. Fees and rules change: confirm with the lot or agency before you go. Spot an error? Tell us.

  1. Authority to set rates for private towing carrier, notice of parking violations (A.R.S. 9-499.05), Arizona Legislature. Checked Nov 15, 2026.
  2. County authority to set rates for private towing carrier (A.R.S. 11-251.04), Arizona Legislature. Checked Nov 15, 2026.
  3. Towed vehicles, notification to law enforcement (A.R.S. 28-4836), Arizona Legislature. Checked Nov 15, 2026.
  4. Hearings, notice of immobilization or storage (A.R.S. 28-3514), Arizona Legislature. Checked Nov 15, 2026.
  5. Owners, insurance companies, release, fees (accident tows) (A.R.S. 28-4847), Arizona Legislature. Checked Nov 15, 2026.
  6. Removal and immobilization or impoundment of vehicle (A.R.S. 28-3511), Arizona Legislature. Checked Nov 15, 2026.
  7. Removal or impoundment of vehicle, release, storage charges (A.R.S. 28-3512(H)), Arizona Legislature. Checked Nov 15, 2026.
  8. Administrative charges (A.R.S. 28-3513), Arizona Legislature. Checked Nov 15, 2026.
  9. Tow Service Program, Arizona Department of Public Safety. Checked Nov 15, 2026.
  10. Maximum Allowable DPS Contract Rate Schedule, Metro Area (Exhibit A, June 30, 2022), Arizona Department of Public Safety. Checked Nov 15, 2026.
  11. Private Property Towing Ordinance FAQ (Internet Archive copy of February 12, 2026, live page blocks automated reads), City of Tucson. Checked Nov 15, 2026.
  12. ARS 28-3511 Vehicle Impoundment FAQ, City of Phoenix Police Department. Checked Nov 15, 2026.