How much does a tow cost in Orlando?
It depends where the car was picked up. City limits and unincorporated county run different capped schedules. Both are below.
There is no single Orlando tow price, and any site that gives you one is guessing. Two questions decide what a tow may legally cost: who called the truck, and where the vehicle was picked up.
If you called for the tow, no rate cap applies at all. The number is whatever you and the operator agree to. Get it flat, on the phone, before the truck rolls.
If the vehicle was towed without your consent, a capped schedule applies, and which one depends on the pickup location. Florida Statute 125.0103(1)(c) makes every county set maximum towing rates. Florida Statute 166.043(1)(c) then says that where a municipality enacts its own maximums, the county's ordinance does not apply inside that municipality. Unincorporated Orange County uses Chapter 35. City dollar figures are not listed here. The schedule that governs is decided by where the tow started.
The dollar figures on this page are published Orange County Chapter 35 maxima, not Quick Tow Orlando prices and not a quote for a tow you arrange yourself. County figures: Orange County Code Chapter 35, Ordinance 2023-10, effective April 1, 2023. City of Orlando dollar caps are not restated here. Quick Tow Orlando is a referral line. The operator who rolls quotes the consensual job before the truck moves.
Inside Orlando city limits
A city may enact its own towing schedule inside its limits under Florida Statute 166.043(1)(c). City of Orlando dollar figures are not listed on this page because they were not independently verified for this pass. If the pickup started inside city limits, read the current city code rather than assuming the county table applies.
In unincorporated Orange County
Orange County Code of Ordinances, Chapter 35, as amended by Ordinance 2023-10, effective April 1, 2023. These govern unincorporated county and any municipality in the county that has not enacted its own schedule. Class A covers passenger vehicles up to 10,000 lbs. Heavier classes follow the county table.
| Vehicle class | Trespass tow | Nonconsensual tow | Daily storage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class A - up to 10,000 lbs | $135 | $135 + $4.00/mile | $32 / day |
| Class B | $250 | $315 | $44 / day |
| Class C | $375 | $400 | $76 / day |
| Class D | $500 | $550 | $76 / day |
What else each schedule allows
Everything not on this list is barred. If it appears on your bill, ask which section authorises it.
| Charge | Orlando city limits | Unincorporated Orange County |
|---|---|---|
| Free storage period | Read the current city code. City dollar figures are not listed here. | First 24 hours (trespass), first 6 hours (nonconsensual) |
| Administrative fee | Not restated here. Confirm in the current city code. | Up to $50 after the first 48 hours, only with the FS 713.78 lien notice done |
| Drop fee (you arrive before the truck leaves) | Not restated here. Confirm in the current city code. | Half the flat rate, so $67.50 on Class A; operator must wait 15 minutes on scene |
| Dolly | Not restated here. Confirm in the current city code. | Up to $40, Class A nonconsensual only |
| Tarpaulin | Not restated here. Confirm in the current city code. | One-time $15 maximum |
| Registration research | Not restated here. Confirm in the current city code. | Actual cost up to $7 |
| Mileage, fuel, gate, after-hours, lockout entry, time on scene | Not restated here. Confirm in the current city code. | Barred by Sec. 35-58(b) |
What moves the price on a tow you arrange yourself
None of the caps above apply when you make the call. Four things set the number, and you should hear all of it before the truck rolls.
How far the vehicle is going
Pickup to drop-off is the single biggest input on a tow you arrange yourself.
How big the vehicle is
A sedan and a Class A motorhome are not the same job and not the same truck.
Which truck the job needs
The owner's manual and the operator on scene decide the method. Many AWD, EV, lowered, and damaged vehicles travel with all four wheels off the ground, often on a flatbed. Some manuals also allow a wheel-lift plus dollies when every tire stays off the pavement. That is not a universal flatbed-only rule.
How hard the pickup is
A driveway is a few minutes. Sunk in mud off a West Orange back road is a winch-out.
What do Orlando drivers ask about tow pricing?
How much does a tow cost in Orlando?
It depends on who called the truck and where the car was picked up. If you called for the tow yourself, no rate cap applies and the price is whatever the operator quotes you, which is why you should get that number before the truck rolls. If the car was towed without your consent from private property, a capped schedule applies, and which cap depends on the pickup location: inside Orlando city limits it is the City Code, and in unincorporated Orange County it is the county ordinance.
Why are there two different rate schedules?
Florida Statute 125.0103(1)(c) requires every county to set maximum towing and storage rates. Florida Statute 166.043(1)(c) then says that if a municipality enacts its own maximum rates, the county ordinance does not apply inside that municipality. Orange County Chapter 35 is the verified schedule for unincorporated county. City of Orlando dollar caps are not listed on this page because they were not independently verified for this pass.
Which one applies to my tow?
Pickup location decides which schedule applies, not where the storage yard is and not where you live. Unincorporated Orange County uses Chapter 35. If the car was picked up inside a city, read that city's current code rather than assuming the county table applies.
What is the maximum for a standard car towed off private property?
In unincorporated Orange County the Class A trespass cap is $135 with storage at $32 per day (Ch. 35, Sec. 35-58). City of Orlando dollar caps are not restated here. If the pickup started inside city limits, read the current city code.
Do these caps apply if I called for the tow myself?
No. A tow you arrange yourself is a consensual job. County and city rate caps cover trespass and nonconsensual work, not a tow you called. Get the total on the phone before the truck rolls.
Can they charge me before the free storage period is up?
Orange County runs a first-24-hours-free period on trespass tows and first-6-hours-free on nonconsensual tows. City storage-free rules are not restated here. Storage after the free period accrues in 24-hour blocks rather than calendar days under the county ordinance.
What if I think I was overcharged?
Orlando requires the rates to be posted at the point of payment in letters at least two inches high on a contrasting background, so you can read the schedule where you pay. For a tow in unincorporated Orange County, the Orange County Consumer Protection takes complaints at (407) 836-3111. You can also post a bond in circuit court instead of paying and dispute the charge, and the company must release the vehicle on proof of bond.
Need a tow arranged right now?
Call and you get the total before the truck rolls, plus a straight answer on which cap applies if your car was towed without your consent.