Guide
Towed from an apartment or a lot in Orlando
Florida's s. 715.07 sets the rules for towing from private property, and Orange County adds caps. The short version: there must be signs, the police must be told within 30 minutes, the car must be within 10 miles, and you get it back within an hour of asking.
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What the law requires
Section 715.07 lists conditions a towing company has to meet to tow a car from private property without the owner's consent. The ones you can check:
- A sign at each driveway or curb cut, within 10 feet of the road, saying unauthorized vehicles will be towed at the owner's expense, with the words "tow-away zone" and the towing company's name and phone number. It has to be up at least 24 hours before a tow.
- A storage lot within 10 miles of where the car was, in a county of 500,000 people or more. Orange County is.
- A report to the police, or the sheriff outside city limits, within 30 minutes after the tow, with where the car was taken.
- Rates filed with the local police agency and posted at the storage lot.
- A detailed receipt with the company's legal name, whether you ask for one or not.
Small businesses with 20 or fewer spaces can use a "Reserved parking for customers only" sign instead, and a single-family home's driveway needs no sign at all.
If you catch the truck
If you get there while your car is being towed, the company has to stop and give it back for no more than half its posted rate. In unincorporated Orange County that drop fee is capped at $67.50, and the county says the driver has to give you at least 15 minutes to pay it.
What it can cost in Orange County
| Charge | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Trespass tow, most cars under 10,000 lb | $135 flat Unincorporated Orange County maximum | Orange County, checked Oct 2026 |
| Storage after the first 24 hours | $32 a day Billed in 24-hour blocks, not calendar days | Orange County, checked Oct 2026 |
| Drop fee (you catch them before the tow) | $67.50 Half the tow rate | Orange County, checked Oct 2026; s. 715.07 |
The county also says the company has to take cash, a money order, a cashier's check, and major debit or credit cards, with no fee for paying by card, and has to pick up the phone at any hour. Cities inside the county can set their own rate caps, so inside Orlando or Winter Park ask which schedule the company filed.
What Orlando drivers keep running into
The towing threads on the Orlando subreddit come back to the same few situations. Restaurant lots in the Mills 50 area where a driver watches which way you walk. A shop lot that changed management and started towing everyone. A reserved apartment space someone else took. And the car you can't get back until Monday.
The last one has a clear answer. Under s. 715.07 the storage lot has to be open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on any day the company is towing, and post a number for after hours. A company that tows on Saturday can't make you wait for Monday. The drop fee is the other thing people learn too late: if you reach the car before it leaves, the driver has to stop for half the posted rate.
Who towed it
Read the sign at the entrance. If it's missing or unreadable, write that down and take a photo, because the sign rules are part of what makes the tow lawful. The leasing office or the business will also know who has the towing contract. Getting the car back.
Questions people in Orlando ask
My apartment towed me for an expired tag. Is that allowed?
It depends on your lease and the property's posted rules. Many complexes tow for expired tags or missing permits if the lease says so. Read the parking section of your lease, and check that the signs met the s. 715.07 rules.
Can they tow me while I'm sitting in the car?
If you are there, the law treats it as the owner showing up: the company has to release the car for no more than half its posted rate.