Sarasota County, FL Parking Rules: Abandoned Vehicles (2026)
Key Facts
- Storage radius
- 15 miles (county under 500,000 population)
- Signage
- "tow-away zone," 4-in letters, posted 24 hrs
- Law enforcement notice
- within 30 minutes of the tow
- Redemption fee cap
- half posted rate if owner returns
- Penalties
- 1st-degree misdemeanor or 3rd-degree felony, by violation
- Exempt
- government-owned property, emergency vehicles
Summary
Florida law, not a Sarasota County ordinance, governs how an abandoned or unauthorized vehicle gets towed from private property. Section 715.07 lets an owner or lessee have it removed without liability, but only if they post the required tow-away signage, and it requires the tow company to notify law enforcement, store the vehicle within a set radius, and stop if the owner returns.
(2) The owner or lessee of real property, or any person authorized by the owner or lessee, which person may be the designated representative of the condominium association if the real property is a condominium, may cause any vehicle or vessel parked on such property without her or his permission to be removed by a person regularly engaged in the business of towing vehicles or vessels, without liability for the costs of removal, transportation, or storage or damages caused by such removal, transportation, or storage, under any of the following circumstances: (a) The towing or removal of any vehicle or vessel from private property without the consent of the registered owner or other legally authorized person in control of that vehicle or vessel is subject to substantial compliance with the following conditions and restrictions: 1.a. Any towed or removed vehicle or vessel must be stored at a site within a 10-mile radius of the point of removal in any county of 500,000 population or more, and within a 15-mile radius of the point of removal in any county of fewer than 500,000 population.
Full Breakdown
Florida Statutes Section 715.07 lets a private property owner or lessee, or someone they authorize, have an unwanted or abandoned vehicle towed from their land without consent, and without liability for the towing or storage costs, as long as they follow the statute's procedure. Except for property that's obviously part of a single-family residence, the owner must post a permanently installed sign at each driveway or curb cut within 10 feet of the road, reading "tow-away zone" in letters at least 4 inches high on a contrasting, light-reflective background, giving the towing company's name and phone number, and up for at least 24 hours before any vehicle is towed, under Section 715.07(2)(a)5.
Because Sarasota County's population is under 500,000, a towed vehicle must be stored within 15 miles of where it was taken, at a site open 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on any day the tow company operates, with a posted phone number when closed and a one-hour return window after a redemption call, under Section 715.07(2)(a)1.a. The tow company must notify the Sheriff's Office, or municipal police inside a city, within 30 minutes of the tow with the vehicle's description, location, and time removed, under Section 715.07(2)(a)2.
If the owner or driver shows up while the vehicle is still being hooked up, the operator must stop and return it for no more than half the posted towing rate, under Section 715.07(2)(a)3. A local government may layer stricter rules on top of the statute, including regulating the rates towing companies can charge for vehicles removed from private property, under Section 715.07(2)(b). The statute doesn't reach law enforcement, firefighting, rescue, or ambulance vehicles, or property owned by a government entity, under Section 715.07(3).
Violations & Fines
A towing company that skips the 30-minute law-enforcement notification or fails to keep its posted rate schedule on file commits a first-degree misdemeanor. Violating the storage-radius rule, refusing to stop and return a vehicle to a returning owner, paying for the right to tow from a location, or failing to release a redeemed vehicle within an hour is a third-degree felony under Section 715.07(5). A property owner who improperly orders a tow is civilly liable to the vehicle's owner for removal, transportation, and storage costs, damages, attorney's fees, and court costs under Section 715.07(4).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a Sarasota County property owner have my car towed without telling me first?
How far away can my car be towed and where do I get it back?
What if I catch the tow truck hooking up my car before it leaves?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sarasota County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Sarasota County to another location·View the Florida parking rules overview
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