How to stop unauthorized parking on private property
Every car that parks without permission takes a space from a customer, a resident, or a paying driver. Here's how to fix it, starting with the cheapest steps and ending with towing.
Start with clear signs
Most unauthorized parking happens because drivers think they're allowed to park, or think nobody will check. A clear sign fixes the first problem and warns about the second. A good private parking sign says:
- Who may park. Customers only, residents with a permit, or anyone who pays.
- When the rules apply. All the time, or only during certain hours.
- What it costs. Your rate, if the lot is paid.
- What happens to violators. A citation, towing, or both, with the tow company's name and phone number if you tow.
Many states set specific requirements for towing signs, like size, wording, and where they're posted, before you're allowed to tow. Check your state's private property towing laws before you order signs.
Turn unauthorized parkers into paying customers
If people keep parking in your lot, there's demand for it. Instead of only fighting it, charge for it. Drivers who were parking free become customers who pay your rate, and the cars that won't pay are easy to spot.
This works best for lots that are often empty, like after-hours business lots and church lots. See how to make money from a parking lot and how much to charge for parking.
Keep one list of who's allowed
Enforcement fails when nobody knows who's supposed to be there. Hang tags get copied, passed around, and left in old cars. A list of license plates is harder to fake:
- Residents and staff get monthly permits tied to their plates.
- Visitors and the public pay for a session tied to their plate.
- Everyone else is unauthorized.
Apartment communities use this to keep guest spaces open. See apartment guest parking management.
Check plates, not windshields
In Parkulo, you type a plate into the enforcement page and see right away whether the car paid, has a monthly permit, ran out of time today, or never paid. There's no paper to check and no device to buy. Anyone you give an agent login can do it from their phone.
Escalate in steps
- Warning. For a first-time driver, a note on the windshield is often enough.
- Citation. Write a citation with a photo. The driver can pay it or dispute it online, and Parkulo won't let the same car be cited twice in one day.
- Tow. For repeat offenders, and only where your state allows it, call your licensed tow company. Give them a login so they check the plate before they tow.
Private property towing laws
Towing law is set by states and often by cities, and it changes often. Before you tow, find out what yours requires. Common rules include:
- Signs of a certain size and wording, posted at each entrance.
- A licensed tow company under a written agreement with you.
- Notifying local police within a set time after a tow.
- Owner authorization for each tow, rather than letting the tow company patrol on its own.
- Limits on fees the tow company can charge.
Search for your state's private property towing laws, or ask a local attorney. This guide isn't legal advice.
Can you ticket cars on private property?
A citation from a private lot is a parking charge you set, not a police ticket. Many drivers pay it, especially when it's easy to pay online and clearly explained on your signs. Whether you can force someone to pay an unpaid one varies by state, which is why many owners use citations for most cars and save towing for repeat offenders.
Police generally won't ticket cars for breaking a private lot's rules, though some cities enforce fire lanes and accessible parking spaces on private property.
Frequently asked questions
Start charging for parking today
Parkulo is free for lot owners. Set your rates, print one sign, and drivers pay from their phone. You keep your full rate.