Towed From A Private Lot
Transp. § 21-10A-04 — authorization with a photograph, the police told within 1 hour, and a cap
In Maryland, the owner or operator of a parking lot may not have a vehicle towed unless signs at least 24 inches high and 30 inches wide, clearly visible to drivers entering or parking, state where the vehicle will be towed, the towing company's name, the maximum charge, and a telephone number for arranging its return, and that State law requires the vehicle to be available for reclamation from 6 a.m. to midnight, 7 days per week.
Before the tow: authorization and a photograph. The tower has the parking lot owner's authorization before towing, including the name of the person authorizing it, a statement that the tow is at the owner's request, and photographic evidence of the violation. The tower may not pay spotters to report parked vehicles, and may not pay the lot's owner, agent or employee.
- The police in the jurisdiction are notified within 1 hour after the tow.
- The owner, the insurer of record and any secured party are notified by certified and first-class mail within 7 days, not counting days the towing business is closed.
- The vehicle goes no more than 15 miles from the lot, unless a local jurisdiction sets a different distance, and never outside the State.
Released before it leaves, and reclaimable until midnight. Before a vehicle is removed from the lot, the tower releases it on request if it can be driven under its own power, whether or not it has been lifted off the ground, for a drop fee no more than 50% of a full tow. Once stored, the owner has an immediate and continuous opportunity to retake it, at a minimum from 6 a.m. to midnight, 7 days per week.
The cap. Unless local law sets otherwise, charges are limited to twice the political subdivision's public safety impound towing fees, and where no limit is set, $250 for towing and recovery and $30 per day for storage. The storage facility accepts cash or at least two major credit cards, and makes the vehicle available for inspection and for retrieving personal property not attached to it.
| The assumption | What the law actually does |
|---|---|
| The assumptionA lot can tow without any proof | What the law actually doesThe authorization includes photographic evidence of the violation |
| The assumptionBelongings stay locked in the car until the bill is paid | What the law actually doesThe vehicle is made available to retrieve personal property not attached to it |
Local ordinances, fee schedules and police ordered impounds are not all on this page. Whether a particular tow was lawful is a question for a licensed Maryland attorney.
Sources for this section (4)
- Md. Code, Transp. § 21-10A-04 — Towing from parking lots: charges, notice and authorization
- Md. Code, Transp. § 21-10A-02 — Towing from parking lots: required signs
- Md. Code, Transp. § 21-10A-03 — Towing from parking lots: distance to storage
- Md. Code, Transp. § 21-10A-05 — Towing from parking lots: release, drop fee and payment
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Maryland attorney.