Key Towing Laws in California
CVC 22658 - Private Property Towing
A tow from private property needs one of four legal grounds, such as compliant signs at all entrances, and the written authorization of the property owner or lessee before the tow starts.
CVC 22658(i) - Rate Limit
After a private-property tow, a towing or storage charge is excessive if it exceeds the greater of the local law-enforcement towing-agreement rate or the rate CHP approved for that operator. An operator that charges an excessive rate is liable to the owner for 4 times the amount charged (CVC 22658(j)).
CVC 22658(g)-(h) - Release Before the Car Leaves
If you get back before your car is removed from the property, the towing company must release it immediately on request. If the car is already hooked up to the tow truck, the company may charge no more than half of its regular towing charge (CVC 22658(h)).
CVC 22651.07 - Belongings and Itemized Invoice
Before you pay any towing or storage fee, the facility must give you an itemized invoice of actual charges. You also have the right to get your personal property at no charge during normal business hours (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., except state holidays), to inspect the car without paying a fee, and to retrieve it during the first 72 hours of storage without paying a lien fee.
CVC 22658(k) - Credit Cards
The storage facility must accept a valid bank credit card or cash and post a notice that all valid credit cards and cash are accepted. Refusing a valid credit card is a misdemeanor and makes the facility liable for 4 times the towing and storage charges.
Notification & Signage Requirements
Police Notification
The towing company must notify local law enforcement within 60 minutes after the car is removed from the property and in transit, or within 15 minutes after it arrives at the storage facility, whichever is less; missing this deadline is a misdemeanor (CVC 22658(m)). If the operator knows or can find the owner's name and address, it must immediately give the registered and legal owner written notice of the removal, the grounds, and where the car was taken (CVC 22658(b)).
Signage Requirements
When a tow relies on posted signs, a sign at least 17 by 22 inches, with lettering at least 1 inch high, must be in plain view at all entrances. It must prohibit public parking, say vehicles will be removed at the owner's expense, and list the phone number of the local traffic law enforcement agency and the name and phone number of each towing company that has a towing agreement with the property (CVC 22658(a)(1)). Posted signs are one of four legal grounds for a private-property tow (CVC 22658(a)).
Towed from a private lot or apartment complex in California? See the private property towing rules.
Your Rights in California
- Right to have your car released if you return before it leaves the property; if it is already hooked up, the company may charge no more than half its regular towing charge (CVC 22658(g)-(h))
- Right to pay towing and storage charges with cash or a valid bank credit card (CVC 22658(k))
- Right to get your personal belongings at no charge during normal business hours (CVC 22651.07(c))
- Right to an itemized invoice of actual charges before you pay (CVC 22651.07(b))
- Right to a poststorage hearing if police or another public agency had your car stored, requested within 10 days of the date on the notice; this hearing does not apply to private-property tows (CVC 22852)
- Right to immediate written notice of the removal, the grounds, and where the car was taken, when the operator knows or can find the owner (CVC 22658(b))
- Right to a storage facility that is open during normal business hours and releases cars after hours, with any after-hours gate fee capped at half the hourly tow rate (CVC 22658(n))
How to File a Complaint in California
Complaint Agency
If you believe you were unfairly towed or overcharged, file a complaint with:
your local police or sheriff's office, or the local prosecutor
Steps to File a Complaint:
- Document everything: take photos of signage, your parking location, vehicle condition, and all receipts.
- Note the date, time, tow company name, driver name, and truck number if available.
- To file a formal complaint, contact your local police or sheriff's office, or the local prosecutor.
- Consider filing in small claims court if you believe you are owed money for an illegal or improper tow.
Official Sources & Legal References
The fees and rules on this page are drawn from these primary sources - official statutes, administrative codes, and state regulator schedules. We link them so you can verify every figure yourself.
- California Vehicle Code section 22658 (leginfo.legislature.ca.gov, official CA Legislature)
leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
- California Vehicle Code section 22651.07 (Towing and Storage Fees and Access Notice)
leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
- California Vehicle Code section 22852 (poststorage hearing for public-agency tows)
leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
- California Vehicle Code section 22524.5 (AB 987, Chapter 345, Statutes of 2025; effective Jan 1, 2026)
leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
Complaints go to your local police or sheriff's office, or the local prosecutor.
Last reviewed by Daniel Richardson against California's official state statutes and regulator schedules.
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