Private Property Towing in Indiana: What Property Owners Need to Know

If unauthorized vehicles are a recurring problem at your Indianapolis-area property, whether you manage an apartment complex, oversee an HOA, or own a commercial parking lot, you have the legal right to have those vehicles removed. But Indiana law comes with specific requirements that property owners must meet before any tow can legally happen. Get it wrong, and the tow company can’t legally move the vehicle. Get it right, and you have a powerful enforcement tool at your disposal 24 hours a day.

This guide covers how private property towing works in Indiana, what the law requires of property owners, and what to look for in a towing company before you call.

What Indiana Law Says About Private Property Towing

Private property towing in Indiana is governed primarily by Indiana Code § 9-22-1, which establishes the rights of property owners, the obligations of towing companies, and the protections afforded to vehicle owners whose cars are towed.

Key point: Indiana law gives private property owners the right to have unauthorized vehicles removed, but only after specific conditions are met. A tow made without meeting those conditions may be unlawful.

The statute covers both the front end of the process (what a property owner must do before calling a tow truck) and the back end (how the towing company must notify authorities and the vehicle owner after the tow). Understanding both sides protects you from liability and ensures every removal you authorize is legally defensible.

Signage Requirements: The Non-Negotiable First Step

Before a single unauthorized vehicle can be towed from your property, Indiana law requires that the property be properly posted with signage that meets specific requirements. This is the step most property owners skip and the reason many tow requests can’t be legally fulfilled.

Under Indiana Code § 9-22-1, compliant private property towing signs must:

• Be posted at each entry point to the parking area
• Be clearly visible to drivers entering the lot
• State that unauthorized vehicles will be towed at the owner’s expense
• Include the name and phone number of the towing company or a contact number for retrieving towed vehicles

A reputable towing company will not remove a vehicle from a property without compliant posted signage. If your lot isn’t properly posted, start there before you do anything else.

Who Can Authorize a Tow in Indiana?

Indiana law requires that a private property tow be authorized by a specific person with the legal standing to make that call. This is not as simple as a tenant or employee calling the tow truck.

The following parties can authorize a private property tow in Indiana:

• The property owner
• A property manager with written authority from the owner
• A designated HOA board member or HOA management company representative with written authority

The authorizing party must sign a tow authorization form before the towing company removes the vehicle. A compliant towing company will always require this form, if one doesn’t, that’s a red flag. The authorization form creates a paper trail that protects the property owner from liability if the vehicle owner disputes the tow.

What Happens After the Tow?

Once a vehicle has been removed from your property, the towing company has statutory obligations under Indiana law. These include notifying local law enforcement within a specified time frame and reporting the tow to the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) so the vehicle owner can be identified and contacted.

The vehicle owner, not the property owner, is responsible for all towing and storage fees to retrieve their vehicle. Indiana Code § 9-22-1 makes this clear: the costs of an unauthorized parking tow are the responsibility of the person who parked illegally, not the property that authorized the removal. This is an important protection for property owners and HOAs who are often concerned about liability when authorizing enforcement.

Special Considerations for HOAs

Homeowners associations face a specific set of challenges when it comes to parking enforcement. HOA parking rules are typically set out in the community’s CC&Rs (Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions), and enforcement authority generally flows from those documents.

Before an HOA can legally authorize a private property tow in Indiana, several conditions should be in place:

• The parking rule being enforced must be clearly stated in the CC&Rs or community rules
• Residents must have been given reasonable notice of the parking rules and enforcement policy
• The common area or parking lot must be properly posted with compliant towing signage
• The board member or management company representative authorizing the tow must have written authority to do so

HOAs that work with a reliable, law-compliant towing company can establish a standing enforcement agreement that makes each individual tow request straightforward, no scrambling to find a towing company at midnight, and no uncertainty about whether the removal was done correctly.

What to Look for in a Private Property Towing Company

Not every towing company is set up to handle private property enforcement correctly. When choosing a towing partner for your property in Indianapolis or the surrounding area, look for:

• Familiarity with Indiana Code § 9-22-1 and the statutory requirements for private property tows
• A clear tow authorization form process, any company that skips this step is cutting corners
• 24/7 availability, unauthorized parking doesn’t stop at 5 p.m.
• Willingness to advise on signage requirements before you’ve even called for a tow
• A track record of working with property managers and HOAs in the area

Private Property Towing Services in Indianapolis & Surrounding Areas

JR’s Towing & Recovery provides private property towing and parking enforcement services for property managers, HOAs, apartment complexes, retail centers, and commercial properties throughout Indianapolis, Carmel, Fishers, Greenwood, Avon, Brownsburg, Beech Grove, and Plainfield. We operate in full compliance with Indiana Code § 9-22-1, require a signed authorization form before every removal, and provide 24/7 dispatch for enforcement at any hour.

Learn more about our services and how to set up enforcement for your property: Private Property Towing & Parking Enforcement in Indianapolis.

To request a removal or discuss an enforcement agreement for your property, call 317-629-5646 any time.