• A tow truck may be called if you park in the wrong place.truck image by Goran Bogicevic from Fotolia.com
  
  Florida state law regulates when and how tow trucks can tow illegally parked vehicles. The laws explain where a car can be stored, what signs are required and how quickly the car must be released. Violators of towing regulations can be charged with a misdemeanor or felony, depending on the offense.
  
  

Warning

• A business owner can call a tow truck driver to remove cars parked illegally on his property. However, the business must have a sign in the parking area that warns of this consequence. The words "Tow-Away Zone" must appear on the sign, and it must state that unauthorized vehicles can be towed at the vehicle owner's expense. The sign must include the name and phone number of the towing company so the owner of the towed vehicle will know how to retrieve the car.
  
  

Pay Or Else

• If the owner of the illegally parked car arrives while the driver is preparing to tow the vehicle, the owner must be given a chance to pay on the spot to have the car released. The amount must be no more than half of the normal towing fee. If the owner doesn't have the money and can't get it within a reasonable time, the driver can go ahead and tow the vehicle.
  
  

Hours

• The business where the vehicle is stored must be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., or longer, on day the car is towed. The law requires a sign at the business with a phone number to call if the business is closed so the car owner can call to get the vehicle. A representative of the business must arrive within an hour of receiving an after-hours phone call.
  
  

Tow Location

• Where the vehicle can be towed depends on the size of the county and the number of towing business locations. If the county has a population of 500,000 or more, the towed vehicle must be stored within 10 miles of where it was picked up. In smaller counties, the car must be towed to within 15 miles. In counties without towing companies in that range, those limits increase to 20 miles in counties over 500,000 and 30 miles in smaller counties.
  
  

Fees

• The towing company must have a set schedule of fees, which must be filed with the local law enforcement agency and posted at the business. The driver must have a copy of his contract with the local business showing he was hired to tow vehicles from that business.