Livonia, MI Business Licensing & Operations: Towing Companies (2026)
Key Facts
- Tow fee cap (surface lot)
- $110
- Tow fee cap (freeway)
- $130
- Storage fee cap
- $20 per day
- Booting/stickering
- prohibited, misdemeanor
- Refund forum
- 16th District Court
- Who can order the tow
- property owner/occupant/agent only
Summary
Livonia caps what any towing company can charge to tow a car off private property without the owner's permission: the same rates set for police-ordered impound tows in Section 10.21.010. A tow company that overcharges commits a misdemeanor, and the vehicle owner can petition the 16th District Court for a refund.
A.It is unlawful for any person to park any motor vehicle on any private property without the express or implied consent, authorization or approval of the owner, holder, occupant, lessee, agent or trustee of such property. Complaint for the violation of this section shall be made by the owner, holder, occupant, lessee, agent or trustee of said property, and the police department of the city shall enforce this section.B.No person may charge a fee in excess of the limitations imposed by Section 10.21.010 of this Code of Ordinances for the removal of any vehicle towed in or from the city in consequence of its having been parked on private property without permission as set forth in subsection A. of this section. A violation of this subsection shall be deemed to be a misdemeanor.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 64 | Zoning: Supplement 3).
Full Breakdown
020 regulates non-consent towing from private property. It is unlawful for anyone to park on private property without the express or implied consent of the owner, holder, occupant, lessee, agent or trustee, and only that property controller, not the tow company, can file the complaint that triggers a tow; the police department enforces the section. 010: $110 to tow a car or small truck from a surface lot, $130 from a freeway, $150 plus $5 per mile (one-hour minimum) for a medium truck, and $250 plus $10 per mile (one-hour minimum) for a large truck or semi, plus a storage fee capped at $20 per day and a $75-per-hour extra-labor fee where needed.
Charging above those caps is a misdemeanor. 252f. Subsection D separately bars booting a vehicle, or covering its windshield or front side windows with a sign, poster or nonreflective film, as a consequence of an unauthorized-parking violation; that too is a misdemeanor. Together the sections mean a Livonia tow company can lawfully remove a car from private property only at the property controller's request, and only at the capped rate.
Violations & Fines
Overcharging a private-property tow beyond the Section 10.21.010 rate caps, or booting or window-stickering a vehicle instead of towing it, is a misdemeanor under Section 10.48.020, separate from the general Section 1.12.010 penalty of up to a $500 fine and 90 days in jail. A towed owner can also recover an excess fee by petitioning the 16th District Court under MCL 257.252d-f.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a tow company boot my car instead of towing it in Livonia?
How much can a private-property tow legally cost in Livonia?
My car was towed from a Livonia parking lot. Can I get my money back?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Livonia
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