Handling a tow

Last updated: November 4, 2026

After a tow, confirm the record in ParkingPass, be ready for the call, and document what happened within 24 hours. The goal is a calm, consistent response you can stand behind if the tow is questioned later.

For how tows are authorized and what ParkingPass records, see How tows are authorized and recorded.

When to use this

  • Your patrol vendor towed a vehicle at your community.

  • A resident or guest calls the office about a towed vehicle.

What to do

In the first hour

  1. Confirm the tow. Go to Reports → Patrol → Violations and filter Violation Type to Tow. Check the violation reason, plate, and time.

  2. Check whether the vehicle was authorized. Compare the plate against your resident permits, active guest passes, and Do-Not-Tow list.

  3. Review the photos, if your patrol vendor captured them. Photos answer most questions about where the car was parked.

  4. Get ready for the call. If the plate matches a registered resident, expect them to contact you. Keep the violation record open.

When the call comes in

  1. Confirm the tow and direct them to the patrol vendor. The vendor handles vehicle recovery. The vendor's phone number is on your tow signage, and you can share it again.

  2. Explain why the tow happened. Give the violation reason from the record.

  3. Acknowledge how they feel without promising a refund or reversal. The dispute process decides those outcomes.

  4. Explain how to dispute it. If they think the tow was wrong, point them to your community's dispute process and the resident portal. See Handling a tow dispute.

Within 24 hours

  1. Document the conversation on the resident's profile if the caller was a resident or a resident's guest. This matters if they dispute other actions later.

  2. Add photos to the record if your vendor didn't capture them, or if you noticed other details. On the violation record, open the Action menu and choose Add Photos.

  3. Fix any process gap you found, such as an expired Do-Not-Tow entry or a missed guest pass. Otherwise it will happen again.

Common scenarios

The caller is upset about the tow

What's happening: The resident or guest has found their vehicle gone and wants to know why.

What to do: Give the violation reason from the record and the patrol vendor's phone number. Don't promise a refund or reversal.

What to say: "Your vehicle was towed for [reason]. The vendor's number is on our posted signs, and I can give it to you now. If you think the tow was wrong, you can dispute it in the resident portal."

The vehicle should have been authorized

What's happening: The plate should have been covered by a permit, guest pass, or Do-Not-Tow entry, but the authorization had expired or was missed.

What to do: Note the gap and fix it within 24 hours. If the resident disputes the tow, the record supports their case.

What to say: "I can see your authorization lapsed before the tow. I've noted it, and you can submit a dispute in the resident portal."

You want to stop a tow in progress

What's happening: The tow was authorized, but you need to cancel it.

What to do: If the tow truck hasn't arrived, contact your patrol vendor right away. Once the vehicle is hooked, cancellation depends on the vendor's policies and your state's laws. ParkingPass can mark the violation as overturned later, but it can't stop a tow in progress.

What to say: "Please hold the tow on [plate]. We're reviewing whether it should go ahead."

The resident says they were never notified

What's happening: A resident says they didn't get a notification about the tow.

What to do: ParkingPass sends notifications based on your community's settings and only when the vehicle is tied to a registered resident or active guest pass. Unregistered vehicles have no one to notify. If you're unsure of your settings, email support@parkingpass.com.

What to say: "Notifications go out only when a vehicle is registered to a resident or an active guest pass. I'm checking whether yours was."

The resident threatens legal action

What's happening: The caller says they plan to take legal action over the tow.

What to do: Document the conversation in detail, stop discussing it informally, and send it to your community's legal contact or insurer. Legal matters are handled outside ParkingPass.

What to say: "I've noted your concern, and I'm passing it to the right contact. They'll follow up with you directly."

Important notes

  • Vehicle recovery is between the vehicle owner and the patrol vendor or its tow operator. The vendor sets and collects recovery fees. ParkingPass isn't part of that transaction.

  • Your tow signage should include the patrol vendor's name and phone number. That's who residents and guests call to find their vehicle.

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

  • Repeated tows usually point to a fixable cause, like signage, an expired Do-Not-Tow entry, or a communication gap. See How tows are authorized and recorded for patterns to watch.

Related