Suffolk County, NY Parking Rules: Towing & Impound Rights (2026)

Reach. Article I is written for tows from "privately owned, publicly accessed parking lots," and § 796-6A extends the fee ceiling to any such tow "within the County of Suffolk," pegging it to "the fees established for municipal towing purposes by the town within which the tow/seizure occurs." That cross-reference to the individual town rate only makes sense if the article operates inside the ten towns rather than on County land alone, and the chapter contains no carve-out for incorporated villages. So a private-lot tow in Islip, Babylon, Brookhaven, Huntington, Smithtown or a village inside them is governed by the County article, while the price ceiling for that tow is whatever that particular town has set for its own municipal towing. The two written exemptions in § 796-10 are the only ones: abandoned vehicles under N.Y. Vehicle and Traffic Law § 1224 or Suffolk County Administrative Code § A13-11, and vehicles towed by or on behalf of any state, local or federal law enforcement authority. A tow ordered by a town or village police department is therefore outside Chapter 796.

Before the tow. Under § 796-3A every entrance to the lot must carry a sign at least two feet high with lettering at least two inches high, stating that illegally parked vehicles will be towed, the hours the ban applies, the cost of the tow the vehicle owner will pay, the towing company's name and phone number, the location the car goes to, and the property owner's name. The property owner must also give the tow company a notarized affidavit listing the authorized company, the tow cost, the specific violations that justify a tow, the exact days and hours towing is authorized, the storage location, and a statement of whether the owner is being paid anything per vehicle seized.

At the hook. Section 796-4D requires a signed, written "seizure/tow authorization" in the driver's hand before the vehicle moves, and it must record ten items including the vehicle identification number, a notation of any existing damage, the date of birth of the tow truck operator, and the name and signature of the person who authorized the tow. Section 796-6C bans any kickback arrangement: no property owner may take, and no tow company may pay, a share of tow or storage revenue or any amount that depends on how many cars are pulled from the lot.

Getting the car back. If the tow has been completed you pay the operator, and § 796-5B(2) allows only one additional charge, storage capped at $20 per day, with no storage billed for days the car is not available for pickup or the operator is closed. Section 796-6B entitles you to a receipt showing all payments once you settle. Both sides keep a route to civil court or small claims court for money damages.

Licensing. The Office of Consumer Affairs enforces Chapter 796 under § 796-7 and its Director may issue implementing rules under § 796-8, but the County does not license tow operators. Chapter 563, Licensed Occupations, covers home improvement contractors, home appliance repair businesses, precious metal and gem exchanges, secondhand dealers, charitable solicitations, septic industry businesses, painting contractors, home furnishings sellers, sign hangers, electricians and plumbers, and no towing article appears in it.

Accident and breakdown tows. Article II, adopted 9-7-2022 by L.L. No. 35-2022, applies to towers called to accident or disablement scenes. Section 796-14 makes cleanup of debris part of the towing fee with no extra charge allowed, requires the operator to carry a shovel, broom, container and a liquid absorbing material for spilled oil, coolant or gas, and directs that damaged County property such as roadway signs, bus shelters, fencing or guardrails is removed by the Department of Public Works instead. Violations of Article II draw a fine of $100 to $500 under § 796-15.

Currency. Section 796-11 is a reverse preemption clause: the article becomes null and void the day statewide legislation with the same or substantially similar provisions takes effect, with the County Legislature able to decide by resolution whether that has happened. New York has since enacted Gen. Bus. Law § 399-v on towing from private property, so anyone relying on Article I should check whether such a resolution exists. The eCode360 text of Chapter 796, current through 2026-06-23, still prints Article I as in force.