TAMPA, Fla. — You may feel hopeless after getting your car towed, but there are protections in place, including some new statewide ones, to make sure you’re not being taken advantage of.
“We're all living paycheck to paycheck. So when you get hit with $320 randomly, or $190 it breaks you,” said Carl Michael, a Tampa resident who says he’s been towed three times this year. “It's like they're watching you. It's predatory, man.”
Predatory towing has been in Hillsborough County’s spotlight for years after they assumed oversight of towing services. In 2023, commissioners adopted an ordinance establishing rates, rules and certain consumer protections.
On Wednesday, Hillsborough County commissioners took a first step towards reviewing and tweaking the existing ordinance to make sure they are adopting best practices for regulation, protecting consumers and aligning with new changes to state law. The measure passed unanimously.
Earlier this year state lawmakers passed and Governor Ron DeSantis signed off on new legislation that targets predatory towing. Establishing statewide requirements for tow operators to impose reasonable and publicized fees.
The law, which took effect July 1, also requires operators to accept multiple forms of payment and present itemized rate sheets. For municipalities and counties, the law requires them to also post max rates online and establish a process for reviewing and investigating complaints against tow companies.
Some counties like Hillsborough have many of these rules and processes established and posted online, alongside other rules. This includes how companies need to have proper and specific signage in tow-away zones.
To see specific rules or make a complaint click here:
Hillsborough County Commissioner Harry Cohen says they took the first step to look into any necessary changes in their ordinance and if a new one should be drafted, public hearings would have to first take place before they could be adopted and Cohen says they don’t anticipate rates will be raised.