Yes, but only partly. Florida Statute 715.07 covers private property towing, and it sets rules for signage and notice. It doesn’t set a single statewide price, though. That job goes to local government instead, and in the Orlando area, that’s Orange County. Chapter 35 of the county code holds the real dollar caps. They only apply to a tow you didn’t call yourself.
Who actually sets towing rates in Florida
Florida doesn’t run one statewide towing rulebook. There’s no such thing as a Florida towing license, the way the state licenses electricians or contractors. Regulation here comes from two different places.
Florida Statute 715.07 governs private property towing. It sets rules for signage, for how much warning a driver gets, and for when a car can be removed at all. It also lets a driveway or business owner have a blocking car removed without a posted sign in some cases, like a vehicle parked across a driveway entrance. But the statute sets no dollar caps of its own. It hands rate regulation to counties and municipalities instead.
The other piece is Florida Statute 713.78, the lien law. It governs how a tow company can legally hold, then eventually sell, a car nobody claims. Between those two statutes, that’s the entire state-level framework. Everything else, including the number on your bill, comes from local ordinance.
Orange County’s answer: chapter 35
In the Orlando area, that local ordinance is Orange County’s Chapter 35, most recently amended by Ordinance No. 2023-10, effective April 1, 2023. It sets maximum rates for two specific kinds of tows: a trespass tow, meaning a car removed from private property without the owner’s consent, and a nonconsensual tow, meaning a car removed without the owner’s consent at an accident or incapacitation scene. These are county maximums. No company operating under the ordinance can legally charge more.
The caps scale with vehicle weight, split into four classes.
| Class | Trespass tow (flat) | Nonconsensual tow | Storage (per day) |
|---|---|---|---|
| A (passenger vehicles up to 10,000 lbs) | $135 | $135 flat + $4.00/mile | $32 |
| B | $250 | $315 flat | $44 |
| C | $375 | $400 flat | $76 |
| D | $500 | $550 flat | $76 |
Storage accrues in 24-hour blocks, not by the calendar day, and it doesn’t start immediately. A trespass tow gets a 24-hour free period before storage starts. A nonconsensual tow gets six hours. After that, the daily rate above applies.
What else the ordinance caps
The rate table isn’t the whole story. Chapter 35 caps several other line items that show up on a real bill.
A drop fee applies if you get your car back after the driver hooks up but before the truck leaves. The county caps it at half the class’s flat rate, so a Class A drop fee tops out at $67.50, and the operator has to wait at least 15 minutes on scene to give you the chance.
A dolly fee, used on some nonconsensual Class A tows, is capped at $40. Beyond that, the ordinance bars a long list of other equipment line items outright. No separate charge for a lockout entry, a gate or after-hours fee, fuel, a slim jim, or copies of the statute. If it’s not on the approved list, it can’t be on your bill.
An administrative fee of $50 is only allowed after the first 48 hours of paid storage, meaning the free period doesn’t count toward it, and only if the company followed the lien-notice process required under Florida Statute 713.78. A tarp fee, charged when a vehicle reasonably needs to be covered, is capped at $15, one time. If your registration is expired, the company can charge actual research cost up to $7 to look you up, nothing more.
Payment terms are capped too. The ordinance requires tow companies to accept cash, money order, cashier’s check, and major debit or credit cards, and it bars any surcharge for using a card. Cash payments round to your benefit, not theirs.
What these caps don’t cover
Notice what both rate categories are named for: a trespass tow and a nonconsensual tow. Both mean someone else had your car removed, a property manager, an HOA, or a police officer at the scene of a crash.
None of that applies to a tow you call yourself. If you break down on I-4, lock your keys in the car, or just need a vehicle moved across town, you’re the customer choosing the company. That’s a consensual tow, and none of the caps above reach it. The price is set by the open market, the same way a locksmith or a plumber quotes a job.
That’s exactly why we quote a flat rate over the phone before a truck leaves the yard. There’s no county number that sets our price, so the only protection you need is a number you agree to before we dispatch. For what a consensual tow with us actually runs, see how much does a tow cost in Orlando, or run your own trip through our Orlando towing cost guide.
If you think you were overcharged
If a trespass or nonconsensual tow bill runs over these caps, or you think the tow itself was wrong, Orange County’s Consumer Fraud Unit handles complaints at ocfl.net/consumerprotection or (407) 836-2490. You can also post a bond in circuit court instead of paying a disputed bill, and the company has to release your car once you show proof of the bond. A violation can cost a company a fine of up to $500 and up to 60 days in jail per violation, enforced through county code enforcement.
If your car is already sitting in a storage yard, our Orlando car impound cost guide breaks down what you should actually owe to get it back.
Get a flat rate before we dispatch
None of the county’s rate caps set our price, because we’re not the ones you’re fighting with over a trespass tow. We’re the truck you call when you need one. Tell us where you are and what you’re driving, and we’ll give you a flat number before anyone gets in the truck. Call (321) 321-9797.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a maximum towing fee in Florida?
Not a statewide one. Florida law delegates rate-setting to local government, and in the Orlando area, Orange County’s Chapter 35 sets the maximum a company can charge for a trespass or nonconsensual tow, capped at $135 flat for a standard passenger vehicle.
Do towing companies need a license in Florida?
No. Florida doesn’t issue a statewide towing operator license. Regulation comes from the state lien statute, Florida Statute 713.78, combined with local ordinances like Orange County’s Chapter 35.
Can a tow company charge extra fees in Orlando?
Only the ones the ordinance allows. A dolly fee is capped at $40, an administrative fee at $50 after the first 48 hours of paid storage, and a tarp fee at $15. Charges like a lockout fee, a gate fee, or a fuel surcharge are barred outright.
Does the county rate cap apply if I call a tow truck myself?
No. The caps in Chapter 35 apply to trespass tows and nonconsensual tows, meaning someone else had your car removed. A tow you call yourself is a consensual tow, priced by the company you choose, which is why we quote a flat rate before dispatch.
Can a tow company charge extra for paying with a credit card?
No. Orange County’s ordinance bars any card surcharge, and it requires companies to accept cash, money order, cashier’s check, and major debit or credit cards. Cash payments round to the customer’s benefit.
What can I do if I think I was overcharged on a tow?
Contact Orange County’s Consumer Fraud Unit at ocfl.net/consumerprotection or (407) 836-2490. You can also post a bond in circuit court instead of paying a disputed bill, and the company must release your car once you show proof of it.