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Palm Beach County Towing Ordinance 2005-009 requires the real property owner or a duly authorized agent of the property owner to provide “Prior Express Instruction” to the contracted towing company before a vehicle can be removed from private property without the approval or knowledge of the vehicle/vessel owner. Normally, the approval to remove a vehicle/vessel must be done in the presence of the towtruck company/driver.

The only exception to this approval requirement is when the property owner or authorized agent sends a fax to the towtruck company using the approved form. The date and time must be electronically stamped on the fax sent to the towing company. The towing company is required to retain the original fax received from the property owner/designee.

Prior Express Instruction/authorization is the explicit request made by:

a) A police agency to recover, tow, remove or store a specific vehicle/vessel which is disabled, abandoned or parked without proper authorization or a vehicle/vessel whose owner (or authorized driver) is unable or unwilling to remove the vehicle, OR

b) The property owner or authorized agent to recover, tow, remove and store a specific vehicle/vessel parked without the permission of the property owner. Usually, the vehicle is parked inappropriately against the property owner rules. The towtruck company is required to notify the police agency of jurisdiction within 30 minutes after such a vehicle/vessel has been towed. The police agency must be given the type of tow, time/date vehicle was towed and the make, model, color and license number (if any).

When such vehicles are towed, the "Prior Express Instruction" must be made in writing and is required to include the date/time of the instruction. The tow ticket must be signed by the property owner/designee or law enforcement officer in the presence of the towtruck driver. The signee must also print his/her name on the tow ticket for easy reading.

The property owner/designee is not required to sign the tow ticket in the presence of the towtruck driver, if the "Prior Express Instruction" is forwarded to the towtruck company by fax on the form provided by Consumer Affairs. The fax must include a complete description of the vehicle to be towed and all other pertinent information. The date and time must be electronically stamped on the fax sent to the towing company. The towing company is required to retain the original fax received from the property owner/ designee.

Download approved form (only to be used by property owners/designees)