A legal tow-away sign in Georgia has to name the tow company, give the address where you can get the car back, state the cost of recovery, and list the payment methods accepted. It also has to be at least 12 by 18 inches, with lettering at least 3/4 of an inch tall, posted within 50 feet of each lot entrance. Those rules come from O.C.G.A. 44-1-13, the state law on towing from private property without the driver’s say-so.
If you are standing at an empty parking space right now, the sign is the first thing to check. It is also the easiest thing to photograph.
The four things written on the sign
The statute asks for four pieces of information, and a sign that skips one is a weak foundation for the tow.
- Tow company name. The business that will actually haul the car away.
- Retrieval address. Where the car is kept, so you can find it without guessing.
- Cost of recovery. What you will owe, which should line up with the state cap discussed below.
- Accepted payment methods. So nobody is surprised at the gate.
When you read a sign, compare it with what you are later told over the phone. A sign that lists one yard and a car that ended up somewhere else is worth documenting.
Size and placement
Georgia gives measurements instead of leaving it to judgment. The sign must be at least 12” x 18”, and the letters at least 3/4”. It must be posted conspicuously within 50 feet of each entrance to the lot. If the lot has no real entrance, such as an open strip of curbside spaces, the sign has to be visible from every space.
Picture a complex with three driveways. Three signs, one at each driveway, is the starting point. A single sign near the leasing office does not cover the other two entrances.
What to photograph before you pay
You only get one chance to capture the scene as it was. Before you leave the lot, or as soon as you return to it, take these shots.
- The space where you parked, with surrounding lines and curbs visible.
- Each entrance, showing whether a sign is there and how far from the driveway.
- Any sign you do find, close enough that the small print can be read.
- A wide shot with a tape measure or your own footsteps for scale, if the sign looks undersized.
Write down the date, the time you noticed the car gone, and the name on any sign. These notes matter if you dispute the charge later.
Other rules that sit beside the sign
A sign is only one piece. Under the same law and the Georgia Department of Public Safety rules, a lawful private-property tow also depends on these points.
- The property owner or their agent has to request the tow the same day. A lot may not be watched automatically for tows. Systematic surveillance of a lot for towing purposes is unlawful, and the law carries a $1,000 fine.
- Kickbacks from a tow company to a property owner for the right to remove cars are also unlawful, with a $1,000 fine.
- The operator needs a written contract with the property owner on the state form.
- No storage fee can be charged for the first 24 hours.
- If the car has not been hooked or loaded yet and you come back with a key and drive away, no fee is charged.
Price ceilings the sign should not exceed
For a car at or under 10,000 pounds gross vehicle weight, DPS Maximum Rate Tariff No. 5 (effective June 17, 2024) caps the tow fee at $228 and storage at $33 per day. Additional fees after 72 hours go up to $65, and notification charges total no more than $91. These are ceilings, not what any given operator charges. The state publishes the tariff on its Department of Public Safety page. For the full picture on caps, see our guide on whether towing fees are regulated in Georgia.
What a missing or wrong sign means for you
A missing or defective sign does not turn the tow into a free pass automatically, and this page cannot tell you how a court or agency would rule on your facts. What it does is give you a documented reason to ask questions. Contact the operator, ask for the property owner’s contract and permit information, and keep your photos. If you want to read the statute itself, it is on Justia’s Georgia Code. For a longer walk through a disputed tow, read illegal private property tow in Georgia.
Remember that none of this applies to a police-ordered impound from a public street. That is a separate process, and the City of Atlanta has its own cap under its code.
Frequently asked questions
How big must a tow-away sign be in Georgia?
At least 12 inches by 18 inches, with lettering no smaller than 3/4 of an inch.
Does the sign need to be at every entrance?
It must be within 50 feet of each lot entrance. Where the lot has no entrance, it must be visible from every parking space.
Can an apartment complex tow my guest without calling the tow company first?
Georgia bars automatic or systematic surveillance for tow purposes. The tow is supposed to follow a same-day request tied to a specific vehicle.
Can I still be charged if I come back while the truck is hooking up?
If the vehicle has not been hooked or loaded and you arrive with the key and remove it right away, the state tariff says no fee is charged.
If you need a tow or roadside help in metro Atlanta, the line at (858) 925-5546 takes calls 24/7.