Having a Car Towed From Private Property in Washington

RCW 46.55.010 sets the waiting time by type of property.

The law’s definition stops at four units, so an apartment complex with more units is not “residential property” under this statute. Treat that lot as needing proper posting, or ask the tow company how it handles your property before you rely on the immediate rule.

Residential property is exempt from posting signs under RCW 46.55.070, but you still need written authorization for each tow.

For a business lot or a larger complex, posting is what allows an immediate tow. That same statute sets the rules, so ask a registered tow company to check your signs before you depend on them.

RCW 46.55.080 requires signed authorization at the time and place of the tow, and the tow operator cannot sign it as your agent. The statute also requires a statement about liability. Read it before you sign, because it is about you.

Ask the tow company:

• Are you a registered tow operator? Can I see your authorization form?
• Will you charge me anything, now or later?
• What does the liability statement make me responsible for if the tow turns out to be improper?
• Who has to be here to sign? Can my property manager sign?
• Where will the car go, and what can I tell the owner if they come looking?

If you rent the property, talk to your landlord or manager before you call anyone. Make sure the person who signs has the authority to do so.

A tow is a serious step for the other person. It is worth a few minutes to make sure you are right.

• Check whether the car belongs to a guest, a tenant or a neighbor. A knock on the door can settle it for free.
• If it belongs to a tenant, read our guide for landlords first.
• Take dated photos of where it is parked, and of any signs.
• Do not block the car in, damage it or move it yourself.

It matters because an owner can challenge the tow. Under RCW 46.55.120, a court that finds an impound improper can leave the owner paying no fees and enter judgment against the person who authorized it for those fees, the filing fee and damages for loss of use. If you have doubts about the tow, ask an attorney before you sign.

1. The tow company reports it

   The operator must notify law enforcement immediately, with written or fax notice within 24 hours, under RCW 46.55.100. It must also send notice by first-class mail within 24 hours, under RCW 46.55.110.

2. The owner can reclaim it

   The owner can redeem the car, and may get personal belongings from it, under RCW 46.55.090 and RCW 46.55.120.

3. Auction if nobody comes

   A car that counts as abandoned and is not redeemed within fifteen days of the mailed notice of custody and sale goes to auction. The owner, not you, is presumed liable for the costs under RCW 46.55.105.

If the car has clearly been dumped and is falling apart, the tow is not your only route. The state’s junk vehicle process lets a landowner dispose of a certified junk vehicle after notice, and it ends with a document a licensed hauler can work from. It takes more steps and more than 15 days of waiting. Our abandoned car guide compares the two.

A tow does not make you the seller. You cannot sell a car just because it is on your land, and neither can we buy it from you on that basis. We need a Title, an Affidavit in Lieu of Title, or a Junk Vehicle Affidavit, and our license page explains why a hauler has to care about that.