A vehicle parks where it shouldn’t. You call a tow company. The tow happens. Then the vehicle owner disputes it, and wins, because your signs didn’t meet California’s exact requirements. That scenario plays out more often than property managers expect, and it costs everyone time and money.
California Vehicle Code 22658 is the statute that governs private property towing statewide. Our deep-dive on CVC 22658 covers the full towing process. This post focuses on one thing only: the signs. Get them wrong, and any tow you authorize is legally vulnerable.
What CVC 22658 actually requires on the sign
CVC 22658(a)(1) sets out the mandatory text elements. Each sign must display all of the following, no omissions, no substitutions:
The prohibition statement. The sign must state that the area is a tow-away zone. Plain language like “TOW-AWAY ZONE, NO PARKING” satisfies this.
The name and phone number of the towing company. The statute requires the towing company’s name and a phone number that is answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If the tow operator’s after-hours line rolls to voicemail, you’re already out of compliance.
The hours of enforcement. If towing is not 24/7, the sign must specify the days and hours during which unauthorized vehicles will be towed. “Mon–Fri 8 a.m.–6 p.m.” works. Vague phrases like “during business hours” do not.
The cost notice (applicable to residential properties with 25+ units). Under CVC 22658(a)(1)(A), a property with 25 or more dwelling units must include on the sign the amount of the initial towing charge, or a statement directing vehicle owners to call the tow company for current rates. Many managers miss this one entirely.
The statutory reference. The sign must reference CVC 22658 so vehicle owners know which law applies. This is typically printed as “Towed vehicles may be recovered pursuant to CVC § 22658” or similar.
Every piece of required text must appear on the same sign face, you can’t split mandatory information across two separate panels.
Sign placement: where and how high
Correct text means nothing if the signs aren’t where the law requires them. CVC 22658(a)(1) specifies placement as follows:
At each entrance to the parking facility. Every driveway entrance, including secondary or service entrances, must have a sign. One sign at the main gate isn’t enough if there are three ways to enter.
Visible from the driver’s seat of any vehicle entering. The standard isn’t whether a person on foot can read the sign. It’s whether someone driving in can see it without leaving their vehicle.
Height: the bottom of the sign must be no lower than 4 feet and no higher than 8 feet above the ground. A sign zip-tied to a low fence rail at 2 feet won’t hold up. Neither will one bolted to an 11-foot wall where headlights can’t illuminate it at night.
Lighting. Signs must be positioned so they’re readable at night. In practice, this means either placing them under existing parking lot lights or adding dedicated sign lighting. San Diego’s outdoor lighting ordinances are generally compatible with this requirement, but check your specific municipality, National City and Chula Vista both have local lighting codes that layer on top of state minimums.
Interior lot signs. If your lot has distinct zones, say, reserved spaces mixed with open parking, each restricted zone needs its own posting at the boundary of that zone, not just at the lot entrance.
What invalidates a tow (missing details, faded paint, wrong size)
This is where property managers lose disputes. A tow company can execute the removal perfectly and still have the tow reversed because of a sign deficiency.
Size requirements
CVC 22658(a)(1) requires signs to be at least 17 inches wide and 22 inches tall. That’s roughly the size of a standard tabloid sheet of paper. Anything smaller is non-compliant, period.
Lettering
The statute requires lettering that is “not less than 1 inch in height.” The primary prohibition text, the “TOW-AWAY ZONE” heading, should be larger for visibility, but every required line of text must meet the 1-inch minimum.
Faded or damaged signs
California courts and the California DMV’s guidance on towing and abandoned vehicles both treat degraded signage as a compliance failure. If the phone number is sun-bleached and unreadable, or if graffiti obscures the enforcement hours, the sign is legally equivalent to no sign at all. San Diego’s UV exposure is genuinely hard on signage, plan to inspect and replace signs every 12 to 18 months.
Outdated tow company information
This is the most common real-world defect. A property switches towing companies, the old vendor’s name and phone number stay on the signs, and six months later a towed vehicle owner disputes the removal. The tow company named on the sign wasn’t the one that towed the car. That’s a clear violation of the statute’s requirement that signage reflect the actual towing company performing the service.
Wrong sign at the wrong entrance
A single compliant sign at the front entrance doesn’t cover a secondary alley entrance. Every access point needs its own posting. If a vehicle entered through a non-posted entrance, the owner has a strong argument the tow was unauthorized.
HOA and apartment-specific rules
Residential common-interest developments, HOAs, condominiums, apartment complexes, carry some additional requirements and practical realities.
The 25-unit threshold. As noted above, residential properties with 25 or more units must include either the initial tow charge or a reference to call for current rates. The California DCA’s towing rights guidance is the official source for how this disclosure is interpreted.
Resident notification. CVC 22658(l) requires that before a towing company removes a vehicle from a residential property with 15 or more units, the tow operator must make a reasonable effort to notify the owner or operator of the vehicle. This doesn’t eliminate the sign requirement, it’s in addition to it, but it affects the overall process your private property towing partner must follow.
Guest parking areas. Many HOA disputes arise in guest lots. If guest parking is restricted by hours or permit, those restrictions must be spelled out on the signs posted in or at the entrance to the guest area, not just referenced in the HOA CC&Rs. Verbal rules and community newsletters don’t satisfy CVC 22658.
Posted rules in CC&Rs vs. posted signs. HOA boards sometimes assume their recorded rules substitute for physical signage. They don’t. The statute requires physical signs meeting all specifications, regardless of what the governing documents say. A vehicle owner who can’t read a compliant sign at the entrance wins the argument.
Temporary towing authorizations. For events, a parking lot reserved for a private party, a construction zone blocking spaces, permanent signage often doesn’t cover the situation. In these cases, work with your towing company on the specific protocol CVC 22658(a)(2) allows for towing without permanent signs under defined circumstances. This is narrow and fact-specific; don’t assume it applies broadly.
What to do if a property’s signs are out of compliance
If you manage a property and you’re not certain your signs meet every requirement above, treat it as urgent. Here’s a practical sequence:
Audit every entrance point. Walk or drive into the lot from every possible vehicle access point. Can you read the sign clearly from the driver’s seat? Is it between 4 and 8 feet off the ground? Is all required text present and legible?
Measure. Bring a tape measure. Width at least 17 inches, height at least 22 inches, lettering at least 1 inch tall. These aren’t suggestions.
Verify your tow company’s information is current. Call the number on the sign. Does it reach a live person 24/7? Is the company named still your current vendor?
Replace deficient signs before towing again. Towing under non-compliant signage exposes the property owner to liability, not just the towing company. Under CVC 22658(h), if a tow was unauthorized, the property owner can be jointly liable for tow and storage fees.
Document your compliance. Photograph each sign after installation, date-stamped photos showing placement, legibility, and height measurement. If a tow is ever disputed, that documentation is your first line of defense.
If you’re unsure whether your current setup is compliant, ask your towing operator to walk the property with you. A reputable company will flag problems before they become disputes, and most good operators won’t execute a tow on a property they know has non-compliant signage.
When to call us
If you manage a residential or commercial property in San Diego County and need a towing partner who knows CVC 22658 compliance inside and out, that’s exactly the work our private property towing service is built for. We’ll review your signage setup before we ever hook a vehicle, and we carry the 24/7 answering coverage the statute requires. Call us at (858) 923-5787 for a same-day estimate.