Seminole County Towing Information
For information on vehicle towing in Seminole County, please refer to the Seminole County Code of Ordinances, Chapter 45 – Business Regulation, Part 4 – Seminole County Towing Ordinance, as outlined below.
To file a complaint with the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, please use this complaint form.
(a) The maximum rates for towing or immobilization of a vehicle, for the storage of a towed vehicle or for the rendition of other services involving the use of a wrecker or other customary towing services when the point of origin of the tow or such services is within Seminole County are as follows.
(1) Class A Vehicles (gross vehicle weight less than or equal to 10,000 pounds or vehicle carrying a vessel 15 feet or less in length)
| Trespass Tow (flat rate) | $125.00 |
| Non Consensual Tow | $150.00 |
| Non Consensual Tow, per mile | $6.00 |
| Non Consensual Tow, bona fide waiting or extra labor time beyond initial 30 minutes at scene, per full extra 15 minute block | $25.00 |
| Trespass or Non Consensual Tow daily storage per day | $30.00 |
| Immobilization (includes placement and removal of device) | $22.00 |
(2) Class B Vehicles (gross vehicle weight 10,001 pounds or more but less than 19,500 pounds or vehicle carrying a vessel more than 15 feet but less than or equal to 22 feet in length)
| Trespass Tow (flat rate) | Two times (2x) the rate in (a)(1) |
| Non Consensual Tow | Two times (2x) the rate in (a)(1) |
| Non Consensual Tow, per mile | $7.00 |
| Non Consensual Tow, bona fide waiting or extra labor time beyond initial 30 minutes at scene, per full extra 15 minute block | Two times (2x) the rate in (a)(1) |
| Trespass or Non Consensual Tow daily storage per day | Two times (2x) the rate in (a)(1) |
| Immobilization (includes placement and removal of device) | $22.00 |
(3) Class C Vehicles (gross vehicle weight 19,500 or more pounds but less than 25,000 pounds or vehicle carrying a vessel more than 22 feet in length)
| Trespass Tow (flat rate) | Three times (3x) the rate in (a)(1) |
| Non Consensual Tow | Three times (3x) the rate in (a)(1) |
| Non Consensual Tow, per mile | $9.00 |
| Non Consensual Tow, bona fide waiting or extra labor time beyond initial 30 minutes at scene, per full extra 15 minute block | Three times (3x) the rate in (a)(1) |
| Trespass or Non Consensual Tow daily storage per day | Three times (3x) the rate in (a)(1) |
| Immobilization (includes placement and removal of device) | $22.00 |
(4) Class D Vehicles (gross vehicle weight 25,000 or more pounds)
| Trespass Tow (flat rate) | Four times (4x) the rate in (a)(1) |
| Non Consensual Tow | Four times (4x) the rate in (a)(1) |
| Non Consensual Tow, per mile | $9.00 |
| Non Consensual Tow, bona fide waiting or extra labor time beyond initial 30 minutes at scene, per full extra 15 minute block | Four times (4x) the rate in (a)(1) |
| Trespass or Non Consensual Tow daily storage per day | Four times (4x) the rate in (a)(1) |
| Immobilization (includes placement and removal of device) | $22.00 |
(b) Except to the extent allowed by law, the practice of placing a boot or immobilization device on a vehicle is prohibited. When placement of a boot or immobilization device is allowed by law, booting or immobilization must comply with the provisions of this ordinance and the provisions of any applicable statute pursuant to which the vehicle is immobilized. This Part does not apply to impoundment or immobilization of vehicles pursuant to Section 316.193, Florida Statutes (2021), concerning penalties for driving under the influence, as this statute may be amended from time to time.
(c) Any towing service initiating an immobilization of a vehicle within the boundaries of Seminole County, at a minimum, shall clearly post on the immobilized vehicle the following information:
- An immobilization device has been affixed to the wheel of the vehicle;
- No attempt should be made to move the vehicle or damage to the vehicle may result;
- Contact information, including the name of the tow company that affixed the immobilization device, the address and telephone contact information of the tow company, and notification of a fee, not exceeding $22.00, for removal of the immobilization device.
(d) The maximum rates established in paragraph (a) above must be a flat fee which must be all-inclusive and, by way of illustration, no additional charges may be imposed for:
- Access fees to allow the owner or the owner's representative to remove personal property or examine the vehicle;
- Fuel surcharge fees;
- Release fees during normal business hours (Monday—Friday, 8:00 a.m.—6:00 p.m.)
(e) An after-hours (Monday—Friday, 6:00 p.m.—8:00 a.m., Saturday and Sunday and National Holidays) release fee not to exceed $50.00 may be charged.
(f) Each towing service shall staff or monitor its telephone at all times and immediately advise any vehicle owner or authorized representative who calls by telephone all documents and items needed to retrieve such vehicle and the total amount owed for such service. Vehicle tags are considered personal property and must be released to owners at no additional charge.
(g) It is unlawful for a towing service to make or assess additional charges or fees for any special equipment or services, including but not limited to, double hook up, vehicle entry when locked, dropping transmission linkage, axle or drive shaft removal, dollies, trailer or flat bed, lifts, slim jims, go jacks, removing bumpers, or airing up brakes.
(h) It is unlawful for a towing service to make or assess other fees of whatever kind for services rendered during the first twenty-four (24) hours that the vehicle is in the possession of the towing service in the case of trespass tows, or the first six hours in the case of non consensual tows, in both cases beginning from the time the vehicle is delivered to the storage facility.
- Storage fees as set forth above may be assessed after the initial non-fee periods based on 24 hour increments and not on calendar days.
- An administrative fee of $60.00 plus the cost of lien mailings and processing may be charged after the first twenty-four (24) hours of storage so long as the towing service has actually complied with the requirements of Section 713.78, Florida Statutes (2021), as this statute may be amended from time to time. The administrative fee plus the costs of lien mailings and processing must not exceed twenty-five percent (25%) of the maximum towing rate when the vehicle or vessel is towed from public property.
- A "cover fee" in the amount of $15.00 may be assessed when the towing service reasonably finds it necessary to install and maintain tarpaulin coverage on any stored vehicle in order to protect the interior accessories or upholstery of such vehicle from damage by inclement weather.
(i) Law enforcement officials making calls to towing services to arrange for towing are encouraged to make such requests in a manner that will minimize costs to consumers and to ensure that inordinate waiting times do not occur while towing service personnel are waiting to perform their services at a scene at which such services are necessary.
(j) A towing service shall not tow or immobilize a vehicle if there is a natural living person occupying the vehicle.
(k) The Board of County Commissioners may change the maximum fees set forth herein from time to time by a duly adopted resolution.
(Ord. No. 2000-19, § 3, 3-28-2000; Ord. No. 2005-25, § 1, 5-31-05; Ord. No. 2006-56, § 1, 8-22-06; Ord. No. 2012-32, § 1, 11-13-2012; Ord. No. 2021-34, § 2, 8-10-2021)