Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners has standards of service and consumer protection requirements regarding towing and wrecker companies in Hillsborough County.
- First things first: look for a towing sign and call the number on the sign to see if your car was towed from private property.
- If you can’t find a towing sign, contact the local law enforcement non-emergency line. They can also help determine whether your vehicle has been towed.
- Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office Non-Emergency: (813) 247-8200
- City of Tampa Police Non-Emergency: (813) 231-6130
- City of Temple Terrace Police Non-Emergency: (813) 989-7110
- City of Plant City Police Non-Emergency: (813) 757-9200
Need more information?
对于一个全面的列表和额外的有用的正ormation check out ourWhat To Do If Your Car is Towedpage.
Want to file a complaint?
Find information on how to file a complaint, as well as a link to an online form.
Towing process - policies and procedures
Towing companies must follow proper policies and procedures before, during, and after the towing process.
- Before the tow
Towing companies MUST follow these rules before the towing process begins:
- Maintain business certificates, licenses, and permits, as per County ordinance
- Have specific authorization from the property owner to tow your car via a signed authorization (this is known as a trespass tow)
- Maintain signs with specific language, and in specific locations, as per County ordinance
- Allow a vehicle owner to immediately remove personal property from their vehicle, at the scene of the tow or at the storage facility, during normal business hours regardless of whether payment has been made; additional fees may apply during non-business hours only
- During the tow
Towing companies MUST follow these rules during the towing process:
- Never tow a vehicle while a person or animal is occupying the vehicle
- Release a vehicle to the owner or legally authorized person in control of the vehicle upon request, even if the vehicle is connected to a tow truck, and upon payment of a drop fee. The maximum allowable drop fee is half of thetowing rate, which for most vehicles is $125, so the drop fee would be $62.50.
- Store any vehicle that is trespass towed within a ten-mile radius from the point of removal
- After the tow
Towing companies MUST follow these rules once the towing process is completed:
- Notify law enforcement within 30 minutes of arrival to their storage facility
- 监控和回答通信es 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including holidays; they must return a vehicle or vessel owner’s call within one hour
- Provide consumers with information on every document needed to retrieve the vehicle
- Provide the exact tow charges at the time of the call plus any additional charges that may accrue
- Provide the location to pay the fees to pick up the vehicle
- Charge only certain amounts, as per BOCC Resolution; all charges must be posted at the pay location
- At your request, provide a written bill. They must provide a legible, written receipt with charges when payment is complete, whether requested or not
- Allow several methods of payment – cash, money order, cashier’s check, or debit (not credit)
- Allow the vehicle to be retrieved within one hour of the request
- Allow a vehicle owner the right to inspect the vehicle before accepting its return. No release or waiver of any kind releasing liability may be required of a vehicle owner in order to receive a vehicle.
- Send a notice via certified mail to the registered owner, the insurance company insuring the vehicle, and anyone claiming a lien against the vehicle’s title within seven (7) business days after the date of storage
Things to Know Before You Trespass Tow
Regulatory compliance
Under the County’s ordinance, Code Enforcement Regulatory Compliance performs the following functions:
- Receives and reviews all complaints of ordinance violations
- The department may request additional information from the complainant for purposes of processing the complaint
- Evaluates and investigates complaints received and takes action(s) deemed appropriate as provided for by the ordinance
- The department may request additional information from the complainant for purposes of processing the complaint and/or investigate potential violations regardless of the absence of a written or verbal complaint
- Makes periodic physical inspections of tow trucks to ascertain compliance with the provisions of the ordinance
- Inspects the records of certificate holders and/or owners of tow trucks at their respective place of business during regular business hours
- Enforces provisions of the ordinance
- Provides written notice, with proof of delivery, of the suspension or revocation of certificates, permits, and public vehicle driver’s licenses, specifying the grounds for the suspension or revocation
- Issues citations for violations of the ordinance
Regulatory Compliance does not give legal advice and cannot take legal action on behalf of the complainant. Any alleged violation reported to the county will result in an investigation with all records including the complaint representing a public record.
Vehicle license requirements
There are a number of specific requirements for licenses and theHillsborough County Tax Collectoris responsible for receiving, reviewing, and approving applications for business certificates, public vehicle driver’s licenses (PVDL), and vehicle permits. Questions or concerns about the licensing process can be addressed with the Tax Collector by calling (813) 635-5200.
规定
The majority of complaints received about towing companies involve vehicles that were towed from private property without the vehicle owner’s consent (also known as atrespass tow).
- The Florida Legislature repealed the state law regulating towing and wrecker companies in Hillsborough County. The Public Transportation Commission (PTC), which previously regulated these companies, is now closed.
Contact
For more information about companies offering towing and wrecking services, emailRegComp@HCFLGov.netor call(813) 272-7400 ext 36004.