Sarasota County, FL Business Licensing & Operations: Towing Companies (2026)
Key Facts
- Storage distance limit
- 15 miles (30 if no closer lot)
- Sheriff notification deadline
- within 15 minutes of the tow
- Fee if owner arrives before hook-up
- $0, vehicle released free
- Fee if owner arrives after hook-up
- capped at half the posted rate
- Rebates to property owners
- prohibited outright
- Notice-failure penalty
- first-degree misdemeanor
Summary
Sarasota County's nonconsensual towing ordinance controls every non-consent tow off private property in the unincorporated county. A tow company must notify the Sheriff's Office Teletype Section within 15 minutes of a tow, store the vehicle within 15 miles, and honor an owner's right to reclaim the car free if they arrive before hook-up, or for half the posted rate if they arrive after hook-up but before the truck leaves. Rebates to property owners for towing privileges are banned outright.
(1)Any towed or removed vehicle must be stored at a site within 15 miles of the point of removal. If no towing business providing such service is located within the area of towing limitations, the following limitations apply: any towed or removed vehicle must be stored at a site within 30 miles of the point of removal...(3)The Tow Truck Owner or designee shall, within 15 minutes of completion of such towing or removal, notify by telephone the... Sheriff's Office Teletype Section of such towing or removal, the storage site, the date and time the vehicle was towed or removed, and the make, model, color, and license plate number of the vehicle...Violation of this paragraph is a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in F.S. § 775.082 or 775.083.(4)If the registered owner...arrives at the scene prior to initiation of hook-up...the owner shall be allowed to remove the vehicle without interference and with no fee or payment required.(5)If the registered owner...arrives at the scene after hook-up...that person shall be allowed to remove the vehicle without interference upon the payment of a reasonable service fee of not more than one-half of the posted rate for such towing service...(6)The rebate or payment of money or any other valuable consideration from the Tow Truck Owner or designee to the owners or operators of the premises from which the vehicles are towed or removed, for the privilege of removing or towing those vehicles, is prohibited.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 98).
Full Breakdown
Section 122-77 of the Sarasota County Code governs the towing or removal of any vehicle from private property without the consent of the registered owner. A towed vehicle must be stored at a site within 15 miles of the point of removal, or within 30 miles if no closer towing business offers storage. , and must post a phone number for after-hours access; a call to reopen must be answered within 30 minutes. The Tow Truck Owner or designee must notify the Sheriff's Office Teletype Section (or the municipal police department inside a city) by telephone within 15 minutes of completing the tow, reporting the storage site, the date and time, and the vehicle's make, model, color and plate number.
If the owner reaches the scene before the vehicle is hooked to the truck, the owner may drive away free of charge. If the owner arrives after hook-up but before the vehicle leaves the site, the truck must be unhooked and the owner may take the vehicle for a service fee capped at half the posted towing rate, paid within 30 minutes of arrival. Property owners who authorize the towing cannot be paid a rebate or kickback for the privilege. Before any non-consent tow (other than from a single-family residence), the property must display a "tow-away zone" sign in at least two-inch reflective letters near every driveway, in place at least 24 hours beforehand.
Businesses with 20 or fewer spaces may instead post a shorter reserved-parking notice. Tow companies must also file current rate sheets with local law enforcement and post them at the storage site.
Violations & Fines
Failing to notify the Sheriff's Office Teletype Section within 15 minutes of a tow, or failing to file and post required rate schedules, is a first-degree misdemeanor under F.S. § 775.082 and § 775.083, punishable by up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine. Sarasota County Code Enforcement and the Sheriff's Office both enforce the ordinance, and the County may pursue code enforcement citations or equitable relief and recover its attorney's fees in any such action.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a tow company take my car if I show up as it's being hooked up in Sarasota County?
How far away can Sarasota County store my nonconsensually towed vehicle?
Does the tow company have to tell anyone I've been towed?
Can my landlord get paid for authorizing a tow off my apartment lot?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sarasota County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Sarasota County to another location·View the Florida business licensing & operations overview
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