Yes, you can have a car towed if it’s blocking your driveway. In almost every U.S. city and county, parking across a driveway is a violation, and the tow is authorized through your local police non-emergency line, 311, or parking enforcement. The vehicle’s owner pays the tow and storage fees. You do not pay anything, and in most places you cannot order the tow yourself without an officer first confirming the violation.
Who to Call First
Before dialing, spend two minutes trying to find the driver. Check the dashboard for a note or phone number, ask a neighbor or two, and look around the block. A delivery driver or someone’s visitor is often within shouting distance and will move immediately.
If that doesn’t work, take photos first. You want the license plate, the position of the car relative to your driveway, and a visible street sign or house number in the frame. Then call one of these:
- The police non-emergency line. This works everywhere and is the default option in smaller cities and towns.
- 311, in larger cities that route parking complaints through it.
- Your city’s dedicated parking enforcement number, if one exists. A quick search for your city’s name plus “parking enforcement” will tell you.
Call 911 only if the blockage is tied to a genuine emergency, such as a medical situation where you need to leave immediately. Otherwise this is a non-emergency call.
Have your address, the vehicle’s make, model, and color, and the license plate ready when you call.
What Happens After the Call
An officer or parking enforcement agent is dispatched to confirm the violation and write a citation. Once the vehicle is ticketed, the officer can authorize a tow truck. Response times vary. In busy urban areas you might wait 20 minutes or a few hours, especially on weekends or during local events when parking complaints spike.
Some cities, including New York, allow you to call a private tow company yourself after the vehicle has been ticketed. Calling a tow company before any official documentation exists is risky. Most won’t touch the vehicle without a citation or police authorization, and if the tow is later disputed, you could be on the hook for any damage.
Who Pays for the Tow
The owner of the illegally parked vehicle pays everything. You pay nothing. When they come to retrieve the car from the impound lot, they’ll owe the tow fee, accumulated daily storage charges, and usually the parking ticket itself before the vehicle is released.
The numbers add up quickly. A standard nonconsensual tow typically runs between $130 and $350 depending on the jurisdiction, and about 30 states cap these rates by regulation. Daily storage fees range roughly from $20 to $75. A car left for a week can easily generate $500 or more. The towing company holds a lien on the vehicle and can legally refuse to release it until every fee is paid.
What Not to Do
Every do-it-yourself option creates more legal exposure for you than the original parking violation created for the other driver.
- Don’t move the vehicle yourself. Even pushing it a few feet can bring vehicle tampering charges in most states, and any damage you cause is your financial responsibility.
- Don’t vandalize it. Slashed tires or keyed paint is criminal mischief or property destruction, which is far more serious than a parking citation.
- Don’t block the car in with your own. That’s a separate obstruction violation you’d be cited for, and it escalates the situation in a way that rarely ends well.
- Don’t order a tow without police authorization on a vehicle parked on a public street. If anything goes wrong, you’re the one holding the bill.
The whole point of calling authorities is to make this someone else’s problem to solve.
If You’re Trapped in a Real Emergency
If someone needs medical help or you have another urgent reason you cannot wait, call 911. Tell the dispatcher you cannot access your vehicle because your driveway is blocked. In a genuine emergency, officers have broader authority to act quickly, including authorizing an immediate tow or moving the vehicle themselves. If you need an ambulance, dispatch will send one to your address regardless of the parked car.
When It Keeps Happening
A one-time blockage is a nuisance. A neighbor, their guest, or a regular visitor to a nearby business who parks across your driveway every weekend is a different problem.
Try a direct conversation first. Many repeat offenders genuinely don’t see the driveway, especially if the entrance is narrow. A specific, calm request often fixes it permanently.
If talking doesn’t work, call parking enforcement every single time it happens and keep the reference numbers from each report. That paper trail establishes a pattern. Once you have it, contact your local transportation agency or your council representative and ask for additional measures around your driveway, such as painted curb markings or a “No Parking” sign at the curb cut.
For persistent situations, some property owners have pursued small claims court for monetary damages like lost time or alternative transportation costs, and in extreme cases a court order against the behavior may be available. These remedies vary significantly by location, so talk to a local attorney before filing anything.
Posting a Private Tow-Away Sign
If your property gets blocked frequently, such as a lot near a stadium, bar, or venue, many states allow you to post signage authorizing tows of unauthorized vehicles without needing to call police each time. Requirements are specific. Signs typically must meet a minimum size (often at least 18 by 24 inches), be visible from every entrance, name the responding towing company with a phone number, state the hours the restriction applies, and warn that unauthorized vehicles will be towed at the owner’s expense. Some jurisdictions also require a written agreement with the tow company before you post. Get the specifications wrong and the tow can be challenged, which can leave you paying the vehicle owner’s costs.
One boundary worth knowing: this approach works best on private property like an apartment complex or commercial lot. If the offending car is parked on the public street in front of your curb cut, the street itself is public, and enforcement still runs through local parking authorities in most places.