Start with the sign. Florida law requires a posted notice at the spot your car was removed from, with the tow company’s name and a working phone number on it, in place at least 24 hours before any tow. Call that number first. If there’s no sign, or nobody answers, call the Orange County Sheriff’s Office non-emergency line at (407) 836-4357 and ask them to confirm whether your car was towed and who has it.
Why the Sheriff’s Office knows
Florida doesn’t run a government impound lot the way some states do. A car towed from private property (a trespass tow) or removed without your consent at an accident or breakdown scene (a nonconsensual tow) ends up at a private, county-regulated tow company’s own storage yard, not a city or county lot. But Orange County requires the tow operator to notify the Sheriff’s Office within 30 minutes of arriving at the storage yard with your car, so dispatch usually has a record even when you can’t reach the tow company directly. Phone lines at the storage facility are required to be staffed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, so a real person should answer even at 3 a.m.
What the county requires once you find the right company
Orange County’s Chapter 35 ordinance, most recently updated by Ordinance No. 2023-10, gives you more protection than most people realize.
You can inspect your car and pull out personal belongings at any time, without paying first and without signing any release or liability waiver. The company must release your car within 30 minutes of you paying the fee, with a stated pickup window of within one hour of your request. They have to tell you, before you arrive, every document you need to bring. An expired registration cannot be used to block the release, and proof of ownership isn't required from someone who's only paying to remove an immobilization device.
The yard also has to accept cash, money order, cashier’s check, and major debit or credit cards, with no card surcharge, and cash payments round in your favor, not theirs. Retrieval hours have to run at least 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on any day the company operates, and the lot itself has to meet minimum lighting and fencing standards. If your car was towed for trespassing on private property, it also can’t be stored more than 10 miles from where it was picked up.
If you’re in Kissimmee or elsewhere in Osceola County
Kissimmee Police Department maintains its own written towing and storage policy, and Osceola County’s process runs separately from Orange County’s Chapter 35 ordinance described above. If your car disappeared from a Kissimmee, St. Cloud, or Poinciana parking lot, start the same way: call the number on the posted sign first. If you can’t reach the company or there’s no sign, contact Osceola County Sheriff’s Office directly through their published non-emergency line to confirm where your car was taken. Don’t assume Orange County’s specific dollar caps apply on the Osceola County side. The county lines run down the middle of some of this metro’s busiest corridors, and the rules aren’t identical on both sides.
Your rights if this was a trespass tow
If a property owner, landlord, or HOA had your car removed without your consent, Florida Statute 715.07 sets the ground rules the whole state has to follow. The posted sign must say “Tow-Away Zone” in reflective letters at least 4 inches high, list the tow company’s name and current phone number, and be up at least 24 hours before any car gets towed. The operator has to notify local police or the sheriff within 30 minutes of finishing the tow. And if your car is returned to you while it’s still being towed, meaning before the truck actually drives off with it, the operator can charge you no more than half the posted rate.
For the full walkthrough on fighting or disputing a tow you believe was wrong, see how to dispute a tow in Orlando and our guide to being towed from private property.
What happens if nobody comes for the car
An unclaimed vehicle isn’t held forever. Under Florida Statute 713.78, a car becomes eligible for a lien sale 35 days after storage begins if it’s more than three model years old, or 57 days if it’s three model years old or newer. Before that happens, the storage company has to send certified mail to the registered owner, the insurer, and any lienholders within 5 business days, and public notice of the sale date has to run for at least 20 days on an approved notice website. If a car of yours has been sitting a while, this is the clock you’re working against. See our impound lien sale guide for the full timeline.
If you think you were towed illegally or overcharged
You don’t have to pay an amount you believe is wrong just to get your car back. Florida law lets you post a bond in circuit court instead, and the tow company has to release the vehicle on proof of that bond. For a wrongful tow or an overcharge in Orange County, file a complaint with the Orange County Consumer Fraud Unit at (407) 836-2490. Keep every receipt and the posted sign photo if you can get one, since both help if the dispute goes further.
If your search for your car turned into a longer breakdown, or you need a tow from wherever it ends up, call (858) 925-5546 and we’ll quote a flat rate before we roll.
Frequently asked questions
Who do I call first if my car is missing?
Call the number on the tow-away sign posted where your car was parked. Florida law requires that sign to list a working phone number. If there’s no sign or no answer, call Orange County Sheriff’s Office non-emergency dispatch at (407) 836-4357.
What if the tow yard won’t let me get my things out of the car?
Under Orange County’s ordinance, the tow company has to let you inspect the car and retrieve personal property at any time, without paying first and without signing a release. That right doesn’t depend on you paying the towing bill first.
Can they refuse to release my car because my registration is expired?
No. Orange County’s ordinance specifically bars using an expired registration to block a release, and proof of ownership isn’t required from someone who’s only paying to remove an immobilization device.
How long before an unclaimed car gets sold?
Under Florida Statute 713.78, an unclaimed vehicle becomes eligible for a lien sale 35 days after storage begins if it’s more than three model years old, or 57 days if it’s three model years old or newer, after required notice goes out.
What if I think the tow was illegal or the bill is wrong?
You can post a bond in circuit court instead of paying a disputed amount, and the company must release the car on proof of the bond. File a complaint with the Orange County Consumer Fraud Unit at (407) 836-2490.
Does Kissimmee work the same way as Orlando?
Not exactly. Kissimmee and the rest of Osceola County run their own process separate from Orange County’s Chapter 35 ordinance. Start with the number on the posted sign, then contact Osceola County Sheriff’s Office directly if you need help confirming where your car was taken.