Abandoned Vehicle on Your Property? Texas Removal Guide

A car has been sitting in your apartment parking lot, shopping center, or HOA common area for days — maybe weeks. The owner is unknown or unreachable. Tenants are complaining. You want it gone.

But here's the catch: if you tow it wrong, you're the one who gets sued. Texas courts are full of wrongful-tow complaints that cost property owners thousands because a tow was done without proper signage, notice, or a licensed operator.

This guide walks through how to remove an unauthorized vehicle from your property legally, what Texas law actually requires, and how to protect yourself from liability.

Quick answer

1. Check your signage. Every entrance needs a conspicuous sign per Texas Transportation Code §683 — stating unauthorized vehicles will be towed at owner's expense, with the tow company's name and phone number.
2. Document the vehicle in place. Photos, date, location — before anything else.
3. Call a TDLR-licensed, permitted tow operator. Not every tow company qualifies for non-consent tows from private property.
4. Authorize the tow in writing. Most operators have a standard authorization form; keep a copy.
5. Verify the operator keeps full documentation — photos, tow ticket, signage verification — in case the vehicle owner disputes.

The rest of this guide unpacks each step.

What Texas law says about private property towing

Texas Transportation Code §683 and §685 govern private property (non-consent) towing. The core rules:

• Signage required — each entrance to the property must have a sign meeting specific size, visibility, and content requirements (tow company name, phone, and the statement that unauthorized parking will be towed at owner's expense).
• Licensed operator required — the tow must be performed by a TDLR-licensed tow company with a current permit.
• Authorization required — the property owner or authorized agent must explicitly request each tow in writing (a standing agreement with the tow company is fine, but the individual tow still needs authorization).
• Immediate opportunity to recover — the Texas code requires that the tow ticket list the storage facility's address and operating hours, so the vehicle owner can retrieve it without unreasonable delay.

"Abandoned vehicle" has a narrower legal meaning in Texas and mostly applies to public roadways under §683.012. On private property, you don't need the vehicle to qualify as legally "abandoned" — you just need it to be unauthorized and your signage + process to be correct.

Step 1 — Signage check

Before anything else, walk every entrance. Signs must:

• Be in a conspicuous spot at each vehicle entrance
• Be legible from 50 feet in daylight
• State: "Unauthorized vehicles will be towed at owner's expense"
• Include your chosen tow company's name and current phone number
• Be at least a certain size (check current TDLR rules — minimums change)

If signage is missing, wrong, or out of date, a tow from your property is not legal. Fix signage first, tow second.

Step 2 — Document the vehicle in place

Before the tow truck arrives:

• Photos of the vehicle from multiple angles
• Date and time noted
• Description: make, model, color, license plate, any visible damage
• Location: parking space number, GPS pin, or lot reference
• Proof the vehicle is unauthorized (not on the resident list, no permit displayed, parked in a space not assigned to them)

This documentation is your defense if the vehicle owner later claims you towed illegally.

Step 3 — Call a TDLR-licensed operator

Only a licensed, permitted tow operator can legally perform a non-consent tow in Texas. Before you set up an agreement, verify:

• TDLR license — searchable at tdlr.texas.gov
• County tow permit — in Harris County, that's an HCSO permit
• Insurance — general liability plus on-hook and garage keepers
• Storage facility — a licensed Vehicle Storage Facility (VSF), not just a parking lot

Smith Towing & Recovery is TDLR-licensed, HCSO-permitted, and operates a TDLR-licensed VSF in Crosby. See our private property towing service page for details on setting up a property agreement.

Step 4 — Authorize the tow

Most tow operators have a standing property agreement (covers all future tows under the same conditions) plus a per-tow authorization ticket. Both forms matter if there's a dispute.

Keep signed copies on file for at least two years — statute of limitations for wrongful-tow claims in Texas.

Step 5 — Verify full documentation after the tow

A reputable operator will send or hold for you:

• Tow ticket with date, time, and origin and destination addresses
• Photo of the vehicle before tow
• Photo of posted signage at the property
• Photo of the vehicle on the flatbed or hook
• Storage facility receipt showing the vehicle arrived

If an operator won't provide this, find another operator. These records are what stand between you and a lawsuit.

Common mistakes that cost property owners

"I'll have it towed right now — it's been there long enough." Skipping signage or authorization makes you personally liable. "Long enough" isn't a legal standard on private property.

"Any tow company can handle this." Unlicensed operators expose you to TDLR fines and wrongful-tow judgments. Verify before you sign.

"Tenants can request a tow." Usually no — only the property owner or an authorized agent (management company, HOA board, designated representative) can authorize a non-consent tow.

"If it has expired plates, it's fair game." Expired plates don't override the signage and authorization requirements. It's still a non-consent tow with the same legal procedure.

"Verbal authorization is enough." In a dispute, it isn't. Every tow needs a paper trail. Get it in writing, every time.

Who we work with

Smith Towing & Recovery handles private property removals across Crosby, Baytown, Kingwood, Humble, Atascocita, Deer Park, Highlands, Huffman, Mont Belvieu, and greater Houston. Property types we regularly service:

• Apartment complexes — resident/visitor parking enforcement, fire lane tows, recurring violator management
• HOAs and subdivisions — community rule enforcement, common area and amenity lot clearing
• Retail and shopping centers — customer-only parking, loading dock access, after-hours overnight removal
• Office complexes — assigned spot enforcement, visitor management, abandoned employee vehicles
• Industrial facilities — yard clearing, refinery and plant gate access, long-term unauthorized storage

Each property type has different signage standards, notice rules, and documentation needs. We set up a compliant agreement for each property before any tow happens, so you're covered from day one.

Setting up a property agreement

If you manage property in our service area and want tow enforcement set up correctly:

1. Call (832) 360-7122 — we'll schedule a walkthrough
2. We verify signage, photograph current state, and note any upgrades needed
3. You sign a standing property agreement (no cost to you — vehicle owners pay the tow fee)
4. We issue you a dedicated dispatch line for tow requests
5. Every tow gets full documentation forwarded to you

Most agreements go live within a week. No monthly fee, no contract term — just a compliant setup ready when you need it.

See also: private property towing, vehicle storage, repossession services.