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Towed from your apartment complex in New York

Outside New York City, a private parking lot with room for five or more cars must post a conspicuous notice that unauthorized cars will be towed at the owner's expense, with contact details for the lot operator and the authorized tow company. The lot may not tow without that notice.

Checked Nov 15, 2026 against the New York 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.

New York rules that matter here

Tow-away signs

Outside New York City, a private parking lot with room for five or more cars must post a conspicuous notice that unauthorized cars will be towed at the owner's expense, with contact details for the lot operator and the authorized tow company. The lot may not tow without that notice.1

Notice

A tower holding a car for the police must mail the owner a certified letter within five working days saying who has the car, what is owed and when it can be picked up. If the letter is late, storage only counts from the day it is mailed. For abandoned cars, the town or city must notify the owner and any lienholder before the car is sold. No statewide notice rule for private-lot tows was found.58

Drop fee release

No statewide drop fee rule was found. In New York City a tow company may charge no more than $62.50 to unhook a car before towing it from a private lot.34

Personal belongings

No statewide rule was found. At New York City police tow pounds you can ask for a property release to take personal items such as luggage or a car seat, but not car parts. Someone other than the owner needs a notarized letter from the owner.9

Hearing to contest the tow

No statewide tow hearing was found. If a tower sends a notice of sale to enforce its lien, you have 10 days after the notice is served to ask a court to cancel or reduce the lien. Outside New York City, a person harmed by a violation of the parking-lot notice law may sue for actual damages or $150, whichever is greater.16

Payment

No statewide payment rule was found. In New York City, DCWP-licensed tow companies must accept credit cards, and NYPD tow pounds take major credit cards, debit cards, cash, certified checks, and money orders.3910

Related

New York cities: New York

Think the tow or the bill was wrong?

Ask the lot for an itemized receipt, compare it to the legal limits in New York, 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. New York General Business Law 399-v (parking facility towing notice) (N.Y. Gen. Bus. Law § 399-v), New York State Senate. Checked Nov 14, 2026.
  2. New York Vehicle and Traffic Law 1642 (local traffic rules in cities over one million) (N.Y. Veh. & Traf. Law § 1642(a)(15), (a)(20)), New York State Senate. Checked Nov 14, 2026.
  3. Towing Services Guide (rate caps), NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection. Checked Nov 14, 2026.
  4. DCWP petition against Instant Recovery Corp. (2026), citing NYC tow rate caps (NYC Admin. Code §§ 19-169(c)(8), 19-169.1(a)), NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection. Checked Nov 14, 2026.
  5. New York Lien Law 184 (lien for towing and storing motor vehicles) (N.Y. Lien Law § 184), New York State Senate. Checked Nov 15, 2026.
  6. New York Lien Law 201-a (court proceeding to test a lien) (N.Y. Lien Law § 201-a), New York State Senate. Checked Nov 15, 2026.
  7. New York Lien Law 202 (lien sale notice and timing) (N.Y. Lien Law § 202), New York State Senate. Checked Nov 15, 2026.
  8. New York Vehicle and Traffic Law 1224 (abandoned vehicles) (N.Y. Veh. & Traf. Law § 1224), New York State Senate. Checked Nov 15, 2026.
  9. Towed vehicles, frequently asked questions, NYC Department of Finance. Checked Nov 15, 2026.
  10. Retrieve a Towed Vehicle, NYC Department of Finance. Checked Nov 15, 2026.