Can a tow company take my car more than 10 miles away?

Use the free tool — Tow & Impound Dispute FL

The 10-mile rule for private-property tows

Florida law limits how far a private-property tow company can take your car. Fla. Stat. 715.07 requires the towing company to be within 10 miles of the pickup location. This is one of the things Tow & Impound Dispute FL checks against what you describe.

Other rules that apply to your tow

Signs must be posted at the property.
The towing company must be within 10 miles.
The lot must release your car within 24 hours.
Rates must be posted.
The lot must accept cash or card.
Your county sets a maximum rate the lot can charge.

Tow & Impound Dispute FL compares what you describe — the signs, the distance, the hours, the charges, how you paid — against these requirements to flag whether your tow looks compliant. It cannot see the actual signs or your receipt, so this is not a legal determination.

If the tow went farther than 10 miles

If the lot that towed your car is more than 10 miles from where it was parked, that may not meet Fla. Stat. 715.07. This is one of several things that can make a tow non-compliant, along with missing signs, no posted rates, or refusing card payment. Confirm the actual distance and check with a professional or your county before assuming this alone settles the dispute.

Getting your car back today

If your car is still held, pay the bill — by card if possible — and pursue a refund afterward. Storage fees keep growing every day the car sits. This applies whether or not the distance looks wrong. Police tows and accident tows follow different statutes (Fla. Stat. 316.193 and 323.002), and the rules described here do not apply to those.

If it wasn't legal: refund and demand letter

If the tow doesn't look compliant, Tow & Impound Dispute FL can help generate a refund or demand letter based on what you described, addressed to the tow company and the property owner who authorized the tow. It does not file complaints for you and cannot verify your county's exact rate schedule — check that schedule and confirm next steps with a professional or the relevant agency.

What to do next

Tow & Impound Dispute FL is free. Describe your tow — the signs, the distance, the hours, every charge, how you paid — and it reads your own details against Fla. Stat. 715.07, 713.78, and county rate rules to show whether the distance and the rest of the tow look compliant, and to help draft your letter if not. This is informational only, not legal advice.

Use the free tool

Tow & Impound Dispute FL is an informational tool based on Florida Statutes 715.07, 713.78 and county towing ordinances as of 2025–26. It is not legal advice, does not file complaints, and cannot verify rates for your county — check the county's published schedule. Law-enforcement and accident tows are governed by other statutes. It is not affiliated with any tow company, property owner or agency.