PG County Towing Codes

• Sec. 26-142.04. – Complaint by property owner; penalty.

  (a)  Any property owner or property owner’s agent may, when a vehicle is parked without authorization upon his private property without his consent, make a complaint to a licensed towing company in Prince George’s County stating that he requests that said vehicle be removed from his property. Said complaint shall be on a tow slip required by Section 26-142.05 and shall contain a statement made by the property owner or property owner’s agent that the vehicle which they seek to have removed was parked on the property without consent, that all required signage was in place, except in the case of a single family dwelling, and was clearly visible. A property owner or property owner’s agent who knowingly makes a false statement on the form is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to a fine not exceeding One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) or imprisonment not to exceed six (6) months, or both.

  (b)  The tow truck operator that is to tow any vehicle under the provisions of this section may not sign the required form as an agent of the property owner, except as provided for in Section 26-142.05(c).

  (c)  It shall be unlawful for a tow truck operator to possess blank forms that have been pre-signed by a property owner or property owner’s agent.

  (d)  It shall be unlawful for a property owner or property owner’s agent to authorize a tow for an expired tags registration for an operable vehicle if the tags have be expired for less than thirty (30) days, unless there is evidence that the vehicle has been abandoned.   (CB-27-1987; CB-40-2009)

•  Sec. 26-142.05. – Tow slip.

  (a)  The towing company shall present to the property owner or property owner’s agent a tow slip, approved by the Director as to form and content, which shall consist of one (1) original and two (2) copies. The towing company and the property owner or the property owner’s agent shall cause said tow slip to be completed by filling in all pertinent data. Before towing or removing the subject vehicle, the towing company shall cause the property owner or property owner’s agent to sign said tow slip in the place provided. The tow truck operator shall keep the signed tow slip with them while towing the vehicle to the approved tow storage facility, at which time it will be placed with the licensee’s daily tow log.

  (b)  The tow slip shall provide, as a minimum, spaces for filling in pertinent data as make and model of the vehicle, vehicle identification number, date and time of towing, license plate number, location towed from, name of complaining party, specific reason for the towing of the unauthorized vehicle, name and phone number of towing company, the tow company’s license number, and location where vehicle will be stored.

  (c)  If the property owner has a written contract with the licensed towing company, the property owner or property owner’s agent shall not be required to either sign a complaint or tow slip prior to the towing or removal of an unauthorized vehicle from his property in the following instances:

  (1)  If the towing occurs during the hours of 9:00 P.M. and 6:00 A.M.; or

  (2) If the vehicle is directly blocking a clearly marked fire lane, no parking zone, a handicapped parking space or access to the property or a building on the property.

  (d) Prior to the towing or removal of an unauthorized vehicle pursuant to this Section, the towing company shall photograph the vehicle in a manner that clearly documents the unauthorized parking of the vehicle. A copy of the photograph shall be kept with the vehicle while being transported and at the location where the vehicle is stored. The photograph shall be available for inspection by any interested party for a period of at least one (1) year. A copy of the photograph shall be provided to the vehicle owner upon request.

  (e) A receipt shall be provided upon release of the vehicle. The receipt shall specify the name, address and phone number of the towing company, the make, model and Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) of the vehicle, the license plate number, the tow company’s license number, the time at which the vehicle was towed, the location from which the vehicle was towed, the reason for the towing, the location where the vehicle was towed and any other location at which the vehicle was stored. The receipt shall also include information on the legal right of the vehicle owner to request a hearing pursuant to Section 26-142.10 of this Code.

  (f) Each towing company shall provide to the property owner a written list of all vehicles towed for which a signed towing slip was not obtained within twenty-four (24) hours of the tow. The list shall specifically identify each vehicle, including make, model, Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), and license plate number. The property owner shall be responsible for keeping this list for at least ninety (90) days.   (CB-27-1987; CB-101-2001; CB-82-2004; CB-41-2005; CB-40-2009)

•  Sec. 26-142.06. – Towing of vehicle.

   (a) After completion of the requirements of Section 26-142.05 of this Division, the towing company may proceed to tow the subject vehicle to an impoundment facility maintained by the County Police or by an authorized towing company.

  (b) A towing company may not tow a vehicle defined as abandoned pursuant to Section 26-162 of this Code until forty-eight (48) hours after notice of such proposed towing has been securely attached to and conspicuously displayed on the vehicle.

  (c) Immediately prior to the attachment of the subject vehicle, the authorized towing company shall notify the County Police, by phone or computer, of the date and time of the towing, the location of the tow, the make and model of the vehicle, the license plate number and the reason for the tow. Within one (1) hour after removing the subject vehicle from the property, the authorized towing company shall verify to the County Police, by phone, fax or computer, the above information and shall provide the vehicle identification number of the vehicle. The Director is authorized, pursuant to this section, to issue regulations to implement this provision.

  (d) A towing company that undertakes the towing or removal of a vehicle from private property may not employ individuals, commonly referred to as “spotters”, whose primary task is to report the presence of unauthorized parked vehicles for the purposes of towing or removal.

  (e) A towing company shall not pay or offer to pay a property owner or a property owner’s agent, and a property owner or his agent shall not solicit or accept payment or services of any kind for authorizing the towing of a vehicle from any private property.

  (f) A person who violates this Section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to a fine not exceeding One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) or imprisonment not to exceed six (6) months, or both.     (CB-27-1987; CB-41-2005; CB-35-2007; CB-40-2009)

Reference:  DIVISION 10. – TOWING AND IMPOUNDMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES FROM PRIVATE PROPERTY.