Towed from your apartment complex in Georgia

The state tow fees can be charged only if the property is posted, and no car can be towed unless compliant signs were up at the time of the tow and for at least 24 hours before it. Put a sign within 50 feet of each entrance to the parking area, or as close as terrain allows. If there is no set entrance, signs have to be clearly visible from every parking space. Signs have to be at least 12 by 18 inches, with lettering at least 3/4 inch tall and the words Private Parking in bold letters at least 1 1/2 inches tall. Mount them at least 4 feet above grade at entrances, or 6 feet above grade where there is no entrance, with nothing blocking the view. Each sign has to include a warning that unauthorized vehicles will be towed, the towing company's name, address and phone number, where towed cars can be picked up, the towing fees and daily storage fees, hours of operation and accepted payment methods. Tow signs have to be separate from all other signs and contain nothing else. A sign listing minimum fees means those are the actual rates for the smallest vehicles, even if the tariff goes up later. If more than one tow company is used, the signs have to list all of them. Take the signs down within 15 days after the towing contract ends, authorization is withdrawn or the tow company's permit lapses. Owners of residential property with four or fewer units don't have to post signs. Booting needs its own signs at each entrance, visible at night. They have to say Immobilization Enforced and show the boot company's full legal name, the property owner's full legal name, a 24-hour number for boot removal, the maximum fee and accepted payment methods. The property owner also needs a signed contract with a DPS-permitted tow company, and has to request and sign off on each tow individually on the day it happens. The tow company can't patrol the lot or tow on its own initiative, and it can't pay the owner for towing rights, which carries a $1,000 fine. Cars left in a paid private parking lot can't be towed or booted between midnight and 9 a.m., though the lot can charge up to $25 above normal parking. In cities of 100,000 or more, a commercial lot that wants to tow after closing has to chain off its entrances at least 18 inches high and post a notice where the city police approve. If the car is towed, the most a company may charge for a private-property tow of a car in Georgia is $228, plus storage.

Checked Nov 15, 2026 against the Georgia 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.

Georgia rules that matter here

Related

• All Georgia towing laws and fee limits
• Calculate what you owe in Georgia
• Georgia Tow Drop Fee: Must They Release Your Car?
• Apartment complex: rules in every state
• How to fight a tow

Questions