--- title: "How to get a car towed that is illegally parked — TowingDad" canonical: https://towingdad.shop/questions/illegal-and-predatory-tows/how-to-get-a-car-towed-that-is-illegally-parked/ lang: en --- # How to get a car towed that is illegally parked? By [Nora Whitfield, J.D.](/authors/nora-whitfield/) — Consumer law attorney Last reviewed: 2026-08-17 R3 On a public street, call the police non-emergency or parking enforcement line — you cannot order a tow from public property yourself. On property you own or manage, the tow is generally yours to authorise, but only if statutory signage is in place and, in many states, only with notice to law enforcement. - Public streetPolice or parking enforcement - Your propertyYou may authorise, with signage - NoticeOften required to police ## Short version - You cannot order a tow from a public street; enforcement does that. - On your own property, statutory signage is usually a precondition. - Many states require the tow company to notify police within a set window. - Authorising a tow that does not meet the conditions can expose you to liability. **Towing and impound rules are set by state and often by city.**Rules vary by state and often by city, and they change frequently. Verify with the agency named below before acting. ## On a public street it is not your call Removal from public property is ordered by law enforcement or a parking authority, not by a resident or business. Report the vehicle to the non-emergency or parking enforcement line and let them assess it. Arranging a tow yourself from a public street can leave you, rather than the driver, holding the liability. ## On your own property, the conditions come first Signage requirements are set by statute — commonly specific wording, minimum letter height, and placement at every vehicle entrance, sometimes including the towing company's name and number. Many states also require notification to law enforcement within a defined window after removal. A tow authorised without those conditions met can be unlawful even though the vehicle was genuinely trespassing. ## Your exposure as the person who authorised it If you authorise a removal that fails a statutory condition, the vehicle owner's claim is not only against the towing company. That is the practical reason to confirm signage and notice before calling, and to use an operator who can tell you which schedule and which statute it works under. ## Blocking is treated differently from merely parked A vehicle blocking a driveway, a fire lane, a hydrant or an accessible space is usually handled faster and under different authority than one that is simply parked where it should not be. Say specifically what is being blocked when you report it, because that detail determines the priority and often the legal basis for removal. "There is a car in front of my driveway and I cannot get out" produces a different response from "someone is parked outside my house". ## Document before anything moves Photograph the vehicle in position, showing the plate and its relationship to whatever it is obstructing, with the posted signage in the same frame if you can manage it. Once the vehicle is gone the situation is unreproducible, and if the owner later disputes the removal the person who authorised it is the one asked to substantiate it. Time-stamped images taken before the tow are the whole of that substantiation. ## When it is a neighbour rather than a stranger On a public street, a legally parked vehicle outside your house is generally not removable no matter how unwelcome it is, and pursuing it as though it were tends to escalate rather than resolve. The enforceable questions are narrow: is it blocking access, is it beyond a posted time limit, is it unregistered or apparently abandoned. If none of those apply, the parking authority is not the right instrument and using it that way rarely ends the dispute. ## Common mistakes - **Calling a tow company for a vehicle on a public street** — only enforcement can order that, and you may take on the liability. - **Authorising a trespass tow without compliant signage** — the removal can be unlawful and the claim can reach you. General information, not legal advice. Towing and impound law varies by state and city and changes frequently. Consult the agency listed or a licensed attorney before acting. Sources (2)- Cornell Legal Information Institute — [49 U.S.C. § 14501 — Federal authority over intrastate transportation](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/49/14501) (accessed 2026-08-17) T1 - U.S. PIRG Education Fund — [Predatory Towing — consumer protections by state](https://pirg.org/resources/predatory-towing/) (accessed 2026-08-17) T2 ## Related questions - [How long can my car be towed without warning texas?](/questions/illegal-and-predatory-tows/how-long-can-my-car-be-towed-without-warning-texas/) - [Can my car be towed without warning in florida?](/questions/illegal-and-predatory-tows/can-my-car-be-towed-without-warning-in-florida/) - [Can my car be towed without warning washington state?](/questions/illegal-and-predatory-tows/can-my-car-be-towed-without-warning-washington-state/) - [Can my car be towed without warning california?](/questions/illegal-and-predatory-tows/can-my-car-be-towed-without-warning-california/) - [Can a illegally parked vehicle be towed away in illinois?](/questions/illegal-and-predatory-tows/can-a-illegally-parked-vehicle-be-towed-away-in-illinois/) - [Can an apartment complex tow your car without notice minnesota?](/questions/illegal-and-predatory-tows/can-an-apartment-complex-tow-your-car-without-notice-2/) - [Impound](/impound/) - [Calculators](/calculators/) - [Glossary](/glossary/) - [Your rights](/rights/) ## Also asked as - Can i tow a car illegally parked in my driveway? - Can i have an illegally parked car towed? - Can you call a towing company illegally parked car? - Can i have an illegally parked car towed in gresham? - Can tow trucks tow cars illegally parked in handicapped spot? - Can police tow a towtruck illegally parked? - Can i get a car towed for blocking me in? - Can you have someone towed for blocking your mailbox? - Can you get someone towed for blocking you in? - Can i have a car towed for blocking my mailbox? - Can a tow company tow an illegally parked car? - Can you have a car towed for blocking you in? - Can you get a car towed for blocking you in? - Can you have a car towed that is blocking? - Can you have a car towed for blocking your mailbox? - Can i tow a car blocking my mailbox? - Can cars be towed for blocking mailboxes? - Can you have a car towed for blocking your milbox?