Georgia Towing Laws: Your Rights When Your Car Is Towed

Primary law: O.C.G.A. § 44-1-13 (removal of trespassing vehicles); O.C.G.A. § 40-11-1 et seq. (abandoned vehicles) · Last verified July 2026. General information, not legal advice.

Georgia regulates trespass towing from private property under O.C.G.A. § 44-1-13, backed by real statewide rate regulation: the Department of Public Safety sets maximum reasonable rates for nonconsensual towing, storage, and notification, and cities may impose lower caps by ordinance. Before towing, most lots must post conspicuous signs - approved by the local police department in commercial parking areas - warning that unauthorized vehicles will be removed at the owner's expense and stating where the car can be recovered, what it will cost, and what forms of payment are accepted. Residential properties with four or fewer units are exempt from the posting requirement.

Georgia bans kickbacks outright: it is unlawful, punishable by a $1,000 fine, for a towing firm to pay a property owner any fee or emolument, directly or indirectly, for the right to remove vehicles. No storage fees may be charged for the first 24 hours after removal, and DPS rate maximums cap what you can be billed. Violators face civil penalties up to $2,500, and drivers can sue for damages with a presumed minimum of $100 and treble damages for intentional violations. Sale of unclaimed vehicles runs through the Abandoned Motor Vehicle Act's magistrate-court lien foreclosure process rather than a simple waiting period.

If your car is towed from a Georgia lot, call the local police non-emergency line to confirm the tow and find the storage yard. Check the required signage: it must state the recovery location, cost, and payment forms, so photograph it along with your invoice. Remember no storage fees are allowed for the first 24 hours - check your bill for this. Compare all charges against the DPS maximum rate schedule (or your city's lower cap). If the tow or the bill violates § 44-1-13, send a written demand citing the treble-damages provision, file in magistrate court, and report the company to the Georgia Department of Public Safety.

Georgia towing rules at a glance

How to get your car back in Georgia

1. Call the local police non-emergency line to confirm the tow and locate the storage yard.
2. Photograph the lot's required signage - it must list recovery location, cost, and payment forms - and note anything missing.
3. Bring ID and proof of ownership and demand an itemized invoice; verify no storage fee was charged for the first 24 hours.
4. Compare the bill to the DPS maximum rate schedule or your city's lower cap before paying; pay under protest if it exceeds them.
5. Pursue violations in magistrate court (minimum $100 presumed damages, treble for intentional violations) and report the tower to the Georgia Department of Public Safety.

Where to complain about an illegal tow

Georgia Department of Public Safety (nonconsensual towing regulation) handles towing complaints in Georgia. Keep your receipt, photos of any signage (or lack of it), and notes on dates and times — they decide most fee disputes.

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