ParkingPass records every tow your patrol vendor makes, so you can see who authorized it, why, and when. Read this before a tow happens, so you know how authorization works at your community and where to find the record.

• For what to do after a tow, see Handling a tow.

• For a tow someone challenges, see Handling a tow dispute.

How it works

Where tows fit

ParkingPass supports four enforcement actions, from lowest to highest severity:

• Warning: Notice that a rule was broken, with no further action.

• Citation: A formal violation, usually with a fee.

• Boot: The vehicle is immobilized until the resident contacts the patrol vendor.

• Tow: The vehicle is removed from your community.

Your patrol vendor chooses the action based on the violation type, the vehicle's history, your parking policy, and the vendor's escalation rules. Tows usually follow earlier warnings or citations, a vehicle blocking a fire lane or accessible spot, or an unregistered vehicle at a community with strict enforcement.

How a tow is authorized

The authorization path depends on where your community is and how the tow was requested.

• Most states: Your patrol vendor decides to tow when a violation meets the criteria in your approved parking policy. ParkingPass logs the action, and you don't need to approve it in real time.

• Colorado: State law requires real-time authorization. The vendor submits a request through ParkingPass, an authorized community representative approves or denies it, and the tow only proceeds on approval. See Colorado real-time tow authorization.

• Assigned parking: A resident who finds an unauthorized vehicle in their assigned spot can request a tow from their resident portal. The vendor confirms the request before towing. See Submitting an assigned parking tow request.

What gets recorded

When a tow happens, the patrol vendor creates a violation record with:

• Ticket #: A unique identifier for the violation.

• License plate and vehicle details: year, make, model, and color.

• Violation reason: The rule that was broken, such as "Expired Guest Vehicle" or "Non-Resident/Unregistered Vehicle."

• Final Action: Set to Tow.

• Date and time of the action.

• Patroller: The person who took the action.

• Photos, if the vendor captured them.

• Status: Usually Active when the record is created.

Where to find it

Go to Reports → Patrol → Violations, and filter Violation Type to Tow. Set the date range to see tows for a specific period, such as this month.

What you can do with it

• Spot process problems. A single tow isn't a pattern, but repeats usually point to a fixable cause:

  • The same vehicle towed more than once: The resident may not be getting the message, or an expired permit or lapsed guest pass wasn't caught.

  • Several tows in one location: Signage or zoning may need attention. See Using patrol analytics to improve your parking program.

  • Tows of correctly registered residents: Your resident records and patrol authorization may not match. Email support@parkingpass.com.

  • Tows right after Do-Not-Tow entries expire: Review your DNT list more often. See Managing the Do-Not-Tow (DNT) list.

  • A sudden spike: Check whether your vendor changed something, like a new patroller or escalation rule, or whether your community had a recent event, like move-in season or bad weather.

• Review tows with your patrol vendor. Walk through significant enforcement actions monthly or quarterly using the Patrol Analytics report. Share dispute outcomes so the vendor can avoid repeat mistakes.

• Keep your vendor's after-hours contact handy. Tows can happen at any hour.

Important notes

• ParkingPass doesn't tow vehicles. It logs the action. The patrol vendor or its contracted tow operator does the towing and handles vehicle recovery and fees.

• Tow records stay in the Violations report indefinitely. Archived records are hidden from the default view, and you can show them again with the Exclude Archived filter.

• Most jurisdictions have tow signage requirements, such as size, visibility, language, and contact information. Your patrol vendor or local counsel can confirm what your community needs.

• Tows draw strong reactions. Handling them calmly and consistently is what makes your parking program defensible.