If you own or manage a private parking lot in Houston and you need an unauthorized vehicle removed, the path is a private-property tow under Texas Occupations Code Ch. 2308. You hire a TDLR-licensed Private Property (PP) operator. The signage rule under §2308.301 controls whether the tow will hold up at a hearing.
Who can authorize the tow
The property owner or the property owner’s authorized agent (property manager, leasing office, HOA board, security director) can authorize the tow. The operator must be told who is authorizing before the operator arrives.
For a residential driveway: the homeowner. For a commercial lot: the property owner or the property manager. For an apartment or condo lot: the property manager or the HOA board. For an HOA lot: the HOA board or its designated agent.
What signs the lot needs
Under §2308.301, every compliant sign on the lot must be:
- At least 18 inches wide by 24 inches tall
- Mounted between 5 and 8 feet above the ground
- Visible to a driver entering the lot
- Placed at each driveway or curb cut (or every 25 feet along a wider entrance)
- Weather-resistant and permanently mounted
The sign content must include:
- The international tow-away symbol
- Who may park and who may not (plain language)
- The days and hours of enforcement
- A 24-hour phone number with area code that the driver can call
If any sign is missing or fails a check, the tow can be challenged at the hearing. The operator verifies the signs before towing.
What to do before the operator arrives
- Walk the lot and confirm every entrance has a compliant sign
- Photograph the signs (with a timestamp)
- Identify the unauthorized vehicle and its plate number
- Make sure the parking rules in the lease or HOA doc match what the sign says
- Notify the operator of the authorization chain (who is calling and who owns the lot)
The operator arrives, photographs the signs (for the operator’s records), photographs the vehicle (for the operator’s records), then hooks and removes the vehicle.
What the operator charges
For a private-property tow in the Houston metro, the operator’s fee is typically a quote (consent tow from your perspective as the hiring party). The fee covers the operator’s trip, the hookup, and the tow to a licensed VSF. Storage at the VSF runs $22.85 per day for vehicles up to 25 ft, plus a TDLR-capped impoundment fee of up to $20 and notification fee of up to $50.
You (the property owner) pay the operator’s fee. The vehicle’s owner pays the storage and VSF fees when they pick up the car.
What about vehicles with valid permits or leases
If the vehicle has a valid parking permit or is on the lease as an authorized tenant or guest, you cannot tow it under the private-property tow rule. The signage does not override the lease or permit.
If you believe the permit is fraudulent or the vehicle does not belong to an authorized party, contact HPD non-emergency at (713) 884-3131 for guidance. The private-property tow path is not the right tool for a permit dispute.
What about vehicles on a public street
If the vehicle is on a public street, the private-property tow path does not apply. Public street obstruction is the city’s job. Contact 311 (Houston’s non-emergency city services) or HPD non-emergency.
A car parked on a public street with expired registration or inspection is not grounds for a tow by you (the property owner). That is a citation, not a tow.
What about an occupied vehicle
If a person is in the vehicle, do not engage. Call HPD non-emergency at (713) 884-3131. Police can de-escalate and determine whether the situation is criminal (trespass, harassment) or civil (private-property tow).
What to do if the signs are not compliant
If you need to start towing but the signs are not yet compliant:
- Install the signs first
- Wait the appropriate mounting time (the operator or sign installer can advise)
- Document the sign installation with photos and timestamps
- Then call the operator
A tow without compliant signs will likely be dismissed at the hearing, and you will not recover your fee.
How to find a TDLR-licensed PP operator
Quick Tow Houston can dispatch a TDLR-licensed PP operator across the metro at (281) 916-1288. You can also verify any operator’s license at the TDLR license search.
When the operator arrives, ask for the operator’s TDLR license number and write it on your authorization form. The operator should photograph your signs before towing.
What if the tow is challenged at a hearing
If the vehicle owner requests a hearing under Occ. Code §§2308.452, 2308.456, you (the property owner) usually have to appear and show:
- Photos of the compliant signs on the date of the tow
- The property’s authorization chain (your lease, HOA doc, or ownership record)
- The operator’s TDLR license number
- The vehicle’s plate number and the date and time of the tow
If you have those, the tow usually stands. If you do not, the hearing officer may dismiss the tow.
For the full property owner procedure, see our private-property owner’s guide. For a tenant or apartment resident’s options, see our parking spot guide.
Frequently asked questions
Can I tow a car from my own driveway in Houston without signs? No. Without compliant signs under §2308.301, the tow is challengeable and you likely will not recover your fee.
Who can authorize a private-property tow? The property owner or the owner’s authorized agent (property manager, leasing office, HOA board, security director).
Do I need to be present when the operator tows? Not always, but the operator will document the signs and the vehicle. If you can be present or have an authorized agent present, the chain of authorization is clearer at a hearing.
What if the vehicle has a permit? If the permit is valid, you cannot tow under the §2308.301 path. Contact HPD non-emergency for a permit dispute.
What if the vehicle is on a public street? Public street obstruction is the city’s job. Contact 311 or HPD non-emergency.
What if the operator’s TDLR license is not visible? Do not proceed. Ask the operator for the license number and verify it on the TDLR license search.