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Towed from your apartment complex in California

To tow from private property on sign authority, the property needs a sign at every entrance, in plain view. The sign has to be at least 17 by 22 inches with letters at least 1 inch tall. It has to say public parking is prohibited and that cars will be removed at the owner's expense, and list the phone number of the local traffic law enforcement agency plus the name and phone number of every tow company with a written towing agreement for the property. It may add that a citation can also be issued. Without signs, a tow is allowed only 96 hours after a parking ticket, 24 hours after police are told about a car missing major parts, or from a single-family home lot. Free customer lots open to the public can't tow within one hour of parking, except for fire hydrants, fire lanes, blocked entrances or exits and disabled spaces, and this one-hour rule doesn't apply to residential lots. Towing from a disabled space takes its own sign of the same size, either at the space or at each entrance, saying unauthorized cars will be towed at the owner's expense and giving the reclaim address and police phone number. On top of the signs, the owner or agent has to give the tow company a written, signed authorization for each tow and be on site to confirm the violation, except at rentals of 15 or fewer units with no onsite staff where a tenant's signed request is used. Tow companies can't hold blanket authority except for fire lanes, hydrants and blocked entrances, which require a written agreement. The owner has to call police within one hour of authorizing a tow. Skipping the sign or authorization rules can make the property owner liable for double the towing and storage charges. A tow company can't pay the owner for the right to tow.

Checked Nov 15, 2026 against the California 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.

California rules that matter here

Tow-away signs

To tow from private property on sign authority, the property needs a sign at every entrance, in plain view. The sign has to be at least 17 by 22 inches with letters at least 1 inch tall. It has to say public parking is prohibited and that cars will be removed at the owner's expense, and list the phone number of the local traffic law enforcement agency plus the name and phone number of every tow company with a written towing agreement for the property. It may add that a citation can also be issued. Without signs, a tow is allowed only 96 hours after a parking ticket, 24 hours after police are told about a car missing major parts, or from a single-family home lot. Free customer lots open to the public can't tow within one hour of parking, except for fire hydrants, fire lanes, blocked entrances or exits and disabled spaces, and this one-hour rule doesn't apply to residential lots. Towing from a disabled space takes its own sign of the same size, either at the space or at each entrance, saying unauthorized cars will be towed at the owner's expense and giving the reclaim address and police phone number. On top of the signs, the owner or agent has to give the tow company a written, signed authorization for each tow and be on site to confirm the violation, except at rentals of 15 or fewer units with no onsite staff where a tenant's signed request is used. Tow companies can't hold blanket authority except for fire lanes, hydrants and blocked entrances, which require a written agreement. The owner has to call police within one hour of authorizing a tow. Skipping the sign or authorization rules can make the property owner liable for double the towing and storage charges. A tow company can't pay the owner for the right to tow.1111214

Notice

For a private-property tow, the property owner has to tell local police within one hour of authorizing it. The tow company has to report it to police within 60 minutes of leaving the property or 15 minutes after reaching the lot, whichever comes first, and missing a 30-minute report makes it liable for three times the charges. The tower also has to send the registered and legal owners a written notice right away saying why the car was towed, where it is, the mileage and the time it was removed. For police tows, the agency has to mail or hand-deliver a notice to the owners within 48 hours, not counting weekends and holidays, telling you how to ask for a hearing.156

Drop fee release

If you get back to your car before it has left the property, the tow company has to release it on the spot, and refusing is a misdemeanor. If the car was already hooked up or lifted, they can charge up to half their regular towing charge. Then you need to move the car right away.17

Personal belongings

Before paying anything, you can get your personal belongings out free during normal business hours, which are Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. except state holidays. The lot has no lien on items inside the car. For police-towed cars, the lot can charge a gate fee to return items after hours, capped at half its hourly tow rate.27

Hearing to contest the tow

If police or another public agency had your car stored, you can ask for a post-storage hearing in person, in writing or by phone within 10 days of the date printed on the storage notice. The agency has to hold it within 48 hours of your request, not counting weekends and holidays, and it pays the tow and storage if it can't show good grounds. The law doesn't say business days, so count calendar days to be safe. Private-property tows get no agency hearing. Your remedy there is a lawsuit, usually in small claims court.245

Payment

Every storage lot has to accept cash, a valid bank credit card in the name of the person paying, or a check from your insurer. Store-issued credit cards don't count. Lots holding private-property tows have to post a sign saying credit cards and cash are accepted. A lot that refuses a valid card can owe four times the charges. Debit cards and personal checks are not on the required list.123

Related

California cities: Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco, Fresno

Think the tow or the bill was wrong?

Ask the lot for an itemized receipt, compare it to the legal limits in California, 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. California Vehicle Code § 22658, removal from private property (official text, Amended by Stats. 2022, ch. 206 (AB 2174), effective Jan. 1, 2023). leginfo blocks automated reads, so it was read from an Internet Archive copy dated 2026-05-13 and matched word for word against the California.Public.Law mirror (Cal. Veh. Code § 22658), California Legislative Information (leginfo.legislature.ca.gov). Checked Nov 15, 2026.
  2. California Vehicle Code § 22651.07, towing and storage fees and access notice (official text, Amended by Stats. 2018, ch. 434 (AB 2392), effective Jan. 1, 2019). leginfo blocks automated reads, so it was read from an Internet Archive copy dated 2026-09-30 and matched word for word against the California.Public.Law mirror (Cal. Veh. Code § 22651.07), California Legislative Information (leginfo.legislature.ca.gov). Checked Nov 15, 2026.
  3. California Vehicle Code § 22651.1, credit card or cash payment (official text, Amended by Stats. 2009, ch. 322 (AB 515), effective Jan. 1, 2010). leginfo blocks automated reads, so it was read from an Internet Archive copy dated 2026-01-10 and matched word for word against the California.Public.Law mirror (Cal. Veh. Code § 22651.1), California Legislative Information (leginfo.legislature.ca.gov). Checked Nov 15, 2026.
  4. California Vehicle Code § 22650, removal as a seizure and agency hearings (official text, Amended by Stats. 2018, ch. 592 (AB 2876), effective Jan. 1, 2019). leginfo blocks automated reads, so it was read from an Internet Archive copy dated 2026-09-30 and matched word for word against the California.Public.Law mirror (Cal. Veh. Code § 22650), California Legislative Information (leginfo.legislature.ca.gov). Checked Nov 15, 2026.
  5. California Vehicle Code § 22852, post-storage hearing (official text, Amended by Stats. 2004, ch. 650, effective Jan. 1, 2005). leginfo blocks automated reads, so it was read from an Internet Archive copy dated 2026-09-30 and matched word for word against the California.Public.Law mirror (Cal. Veh. Code § 22852), California Legislative Information (leginfo.legislature.ca.gov). Checked Nov 15, 2026.
  6. California Vehicle Code § 22853, notice when owner is unknown (official text, Repealed and added by Stats. 1983, ch. 913). leginfo blocks automated reads, so it was read from an Internet Archive copy dated 2025-05-20 and matched word for word against the California.Public.Law mirror (Cal. Veh. Code § 22853), California Legislative Information (leginfo.legislature.ca.gov). Checked Nov 15, 2026.
  7. California Vehicle Code § 22851, garage lien and personal property (official text, Amended by Stats. 2001, ch. 127, effective July 30, 2001). leginfo blocks automated reads, so it was read from an Internet Archive copy dated 2026-04-26 and matched word for word against the California.Public.Law mirror (Cal. Veh. Code § 22851), California Legislative Information (leginfo.legislature.ca.gov). Checked Nov 15, 2026.
  8. California Vehicle Code § 22850.3, release on proof of registration (official text, Amended by Stats. 1994, ch. 1220, effective Sept. 30, 1994). leginfo blocks automated reads, so it was read from an Internet Archive copy dated 2025-05-08 and matched word for word against the California.Public.Law mirror (Cal. Veh. Code § 22850.3), California Legislative Information (leginfo.legislature.ca.gov). Checked Nov 15, 2026.
  9. California Vehicle Code § 22850.5, local release procedures and administrative charges (official text, Amended by Stats. 2015, ch. 740 (AB 281), effective Jan. 1, 2016). leginfo blocks automated reads, so it was read from an Internet Archive copy dated 2026-09-18 and matched word for word against the California.Public.Law mirror (Cal. Veh. Code § 22850.5), California Legislative Information (leginfo.legislature.ca.gov). Checked Nov 15, 2026.
  10. California Vehicle Code § 22524.5, reasonable towing and storage fees after accidents and stolen recoveries (official text, Amended by Stats. 2025, ch. 345 (AB 987), effective Jan. 1, 2026). leginfo blocks automated reads, so it was read from an Internet Archive copy dated 2026-09-30 and matched word for word against the California.Public.Law mirror (Cal. Veh. Code § 22524.5), California Legislative Information (leginfo.legislature.ca.gov). Checked Nov 15, 2026.
  11. California Vehicle Code § 22953, one-hour rule for free public lots (official text, Amended by Stats. 2006, ch. 609, effective Jan. 1, 2007). leginfo blocks automated reads, so it was read from an Internet Archive copy dated 2025-06-01 and matched word for word against the California.Public.Law mirror (Cal. Veh. Code § 22953), California Legislative Information (leginfo.legislature.ca.gov). Checked Nov 15, 2026.
  12. California Vehicle Code § 22511.8, disabled parking spaces and tow-away signs (official text, Amended by Stats. 2009, ch. 200 (SB 734), effective Jan. 1, 2010). leginfo blocks automated reads, so it was read from an Internet Archive copy dated 2025-10-14 and matched word for word against the California.Public.Law mirror (Cal. Veh. Code § 22511.8), California Legislative Information (leginfo.legislature.ca.gov). Checked Nov 15, 2026.
  13. California Civil Code § 3068.1, towing and storage lien (official text, Amended by Stats. 2010, ch. 566 (AB 519), effective Jan. 1, 2011). leginfo blocks automated reads, so it was read from an Internet Archive copy dated 2025-07-14 and matched word for word against the California.Public.Law mirror (Cal. Civ. Code § 3068.1), California Legislative Information (leginfo.legislature.ca.gov). Checked Nov 15, 2026.
  14. California Civil Code § 3070, improper towing to create a lien (official text, Amended by Stats. 1994, ch. 799, effective Jan. 1, 1995). leginfo blocks automated reads, so it was read from an Internet Archive copy dated 2025-08-22 and matched word for word against the California.Public.Law mirror (Cal. Civ. Code § 3070), California Legislative Information (leginfo.legislature.ca.gov). Checked Nov 15, 2026.
  15. California Civil Code § 3071, lien sale of vehicles worth over $4,000 (official text, Amended by Stats. 2001, ch. 127, effective July 30, 2001). leginfo blocks automated reads, so it was read from an Internet Archive copy dated 2025-04-02 and matched word for word against the California.Public.Law mirror (Cal. Civ. Code § 3071), California Legislative Information (leginfo.legislature.ca.gov). Checked Nov 15, 2026.
  16. California Civil Code § 3072, lien sale of vehicles worth $4,000 or less (official text, Amended by Stats. 2001, ch. 127, effective July 30, 2001). leginfo blocks automated reads, so it was read from an Internet Archive copy dated 2025-04-05 and matched word for word against the California.Public.Law mirror (Cal. Civ. Code § 3072), California Legislative Information (leginfo.legislature.ca.gov). Checked Nov 15, 2026.
  17. SFMTA Towed Vehicles, summary of fees, San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. Checked Nov 14, 2026.
  18. Sacramento Police Department, Towed Vehicles, City of Sacramento. Checked Nov 14, 2026.
  19. Daly City Police, Vehicle Releases, City of Daly City. Checked Nov 14, 2026.