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California Vehicle Code 22658

I was walking around Mountain View and wondered what CVC 22658A referred to on the Parking Restricted sign.

The owner or person in lawful possession of private property, including an association of a common interest development as defined in Section 1351 of the Civil Code, may cause the removal of a vehicle parked on the property to a storage facility that meets the requirements of subdivision (n) under any of the following circumstances:

Interesting. I wonder if the sign complies with CVC 22658 because it requires that the sign contain “the telephone number of the local traffic law enforcement agency.” While the sign does list the phone number of the Mountain View Police Department as 415-903-6344, the sign is quite dated since Mountain View left the 415 area code for the 650 area code permanently on January 31, 1998.

26 replies on “California Vehicle Code 22658”

I have been in the towing industry for 25 years. My off hand opinion would be that it would be a toss up if some one took a tow company to court for towing their vehicle, and included in the complaint that the area code was incorrect. The reason for this is that it is not the main complaint. The judge would ask the plaintiff if they tried 411 to get the correct number, or asked the Property owner if they had the correct number?
Area codes change and evidently the sign had been up there for some years.
Myself, I have someone drive around and survey the signs and if they are bent, scratched, have political stickers on them or real faded, I replace them. And at the same time would know if some signs had the wrong area code on them.
I have seen tow companies put up signs and use stickers for the wrong Police Department.
But there again, when every vehicle is impounded and the tow operator calls it into the Police Department as an “Private Impound” that gets put on the Nation Wide Impound data base.
The motorist can call any PD in the nation and they will tell them the vehicle was impounded and give them the name and phone number of the tow company who reported it.
So in conclusion I do not think the wrong area code would be an issue. It was correct when the sign was originally put up.

One further comment after looking at the signs. The law as you quoted correctly the vehicle code requires each tow company that has a “general towing agreement” to tow vehicles from that property must have their name and phone number on the sign.
If no tow company name is on the sign, it probably means that they do not have a particular tow company under a “general written towing agreement”. In that case they may call any tow company that they desire.
I would be more concerned if I was the property owner that the Disability Notification sign above it is not legal under the Americans With Disabilities ACT’, and or the Law in California.
The sign must have the name of the tow company listed if they have one under contract, or at least the Name of the Police Department with the Phone number of the PD to call to inquire if their car has been impounded.
About six months ago I went around with My cover up stickers and some for the local PD and put them up on all the Disability Warning Signs.

You guys all seem to have one thing in common: Superior Minds.
I’m a disabled vet. I do not, under any circumstances, drive a motor vehicle in any manner what so ever that generates any value in revenue to me directly or indirectly requiring a “Drivers” license. I “operate” a motor vehicle only for personal use in pursuit of liberty freedom and happiness an inalienable right from God who is above man and the creator of man who is above government and the creator of government. Where in the vehicle code dose it define the two differences

My car was towed last night because i allegedly parked in a handy cap spot without displaying a permit.But i know the permit was hanging from the rear view window. So when i go to pick it up its still hanging on the mirror.But they said i still had to pay to get it out of the impound,so i did because i need my car.But i want to fight this and get my money back because they took pictures of the car but only the back and sides but not the front because the permit was hanging in the window.Somebody lease tell me what i can do.

Take them to small claims court for your money. They violated the vehicle code law. Was there a sign at the entrance stating that you could be towed for illegal parking?? Was this an apartment complex or private lot??? Check vehicle code for law c0vering private property tows. They should have given a photo of front of vehicle showing mirror and since, they did not, they are liable. Did they give you the photos and a copy of the authorization they had to tow you??? If not, these are all violations as well.

I had a new hire come to work today and when he left 6 hrs later his car was getting towed. He parked in front of the building but one of our Co tenets in the building had it towedcause they didn’t recognize it. We came out but they were trying to take it anyways. We called the sheriffs but they came our and said there was nothing they can do about it and that it was a civil issue. The car is now at the tow yard and want 350$!!!!
What can and should we do?

My license tags were vandalized while parked in the parking spot given to my roommate the condo owner. The ccnr states that they can tow vehicle for out of date tags. I condend this is illegal. I have gone through the cvc and I cannot find a place where this situation is authorized. I have current registration. A policeman would have been able to determine this. I feel a policeman should have been called in on this situation. He could have run the license plates and notice the damage done to the tags. He could have written a report etc etc. There is a sign out at the entrance that says unauthorized vehicles can be towed. The number associated with the company that can give information about authorization is invalid. I was authorized to park there by my roommate. I was out $445 for the towing and storage. There was a warning sticker on the car regarding possilbe towing but no number of someone to contact nor a date that the sticker was placed on the vehicle. I was out of the area when the warning sign was placed on the car. The owner of the parking space was not notified or the intention to tow.

To Jose cruz,

There are several laws that apply to what happen to you and it’s not as simple as given you all of the answer through this forum. There can be a simple investigation to what you are saying. I have been in this business for over 15 years and I helped rewright the new law AB2210 that changed the current cvc22658 as of june 1, 2008.
If you are telling the exact truth, you would win in small claims court.

To Mike,

The Sheriff is wrong, new law AB2210 changed and now says that what happened to you could be a misdemeanor, it’s no longer just a civil issue, unfornetly most of all the police agency are not up to current laws in every situation. You can look up CVC 22953 and see that when a vehicle is removed under this section, the vehicle owner has the right to get a copy of the person that signed and authorized that tow, you then could go back and make sure that person was a legal authorized person. The other issue is in AB2210 it says that if the owner of the vehicle comes out and catchts the removal in progress then the tow operator MUST IMMEDIATELY AND UNCONDITIONALLY RELEASE A VEHICLE TO THE VEHICLE OR AGENT IF NOT YET REMOVED FROM PRIVATE PROPERTY. SECTION CVC 22658 (g) (1) (B). I would take the owner of the property and the tow company too small claims court and sue for 4 times damages cvc 22658 (l) (5).

To Paul,

What happened to you is very complicated and there could be some issues, the HOA has parking rules within there CCR’S and it really depends on if those were properly applied in your case. I have seen a lot of CCR’S and they do not address this issue well, based on what you have said, I think that you would win in small claims court with some help.

We live in a 55+ complex and parked one of our cars in “guests only” spot. We have a handicapped placard. Can we still be towed?

IM GOING TO COURT ON THE 3RD OF MAY AND I HOPE TO GET SOME INPUT ON MY SITUATION .I HAD MY JEEP WRANGLER TOWED INTO GARAGE FOR SEVICE OR APPRAISAL ON REBUILT ENGINE. MY MOTHER ALSO WAS SERVICING A VEHICLE THAT WOULDNT START WHEN WE WENT TO THE BANK AND WE HAD IT TOWED TO THE SAME GARAGE SHE HAS CANCER AND CANT DRIVE SO I WAS DRIVING FOR HER ANY HOW THE MECANIC TOLD US IT WAS A COIL WE PAID 180.00 AND LEFT THINKING THE CAR WAS FIXED. THE NEXT DAY SAME PROBLEM WE HAD IT TOWED BACK AND MECHANIC WANTED TO CHARGE MY MOTHER ANOTHER 200.00 WITH NO GARENTEE AND ITS A LOANER AND MY MOTHERS ON A SET INCOME WE EXPLAINED THIS PRIOR TO THIS AND EXPLAINED SHE NEEDED A CAR ALL THE TIME . SHE ASKED FOR MY HELP AND I TOLD MECANIC ABSOLUTLY NOT ANOTHER 200.00 WHEN WE THOUGHT ARE CAR WAS REPAIRED NOW U WANT ANOTHER 200.00 NO GARENTEE.THE CAR NEVER RAN AFTER THAT WE WERE OUT 180.00 AND A CAR THAT DIDNT RUN WELL IT GETS BETTER. SO HES UPSET WITH ME NOW AND MY JEEP IS THERE THE ONE THAT I HAD TOWED IN TO THE GARAGE IS PUSHED OUT ONTO THE STREET BY THE MECHANIC KNOWING IT WAS NOT CURRENTLY REGESTERED . AND CALLED POLICE DEPT AND HAD IT TOWED AND STORED BY NO OTHER THAN THERE COMPANY. IM SURE TO LEIN SALE AND I ASUME PURCHASE BY THEM BECAUSE THATS WHAT THEY DO AND RESELL FOR GOOD MONEY . AND PLEASE KEEP IN MIND I HAD MY JEEP TOWED IN FOR SERVICE. I HAD TOLD THE GARAGE OWNER I WOULD BE MOVING IT OUT ON FRIDAY AND IT WAS TUESDAY SO THE VERY NEXT DAY IS WHEN HE PUSHED MY JEEP ON TO THE STREET WITH NO NOTICE OF THIS AND WANTS 5000 TO GET IT OUT.SO WHAT NOW? IM EITHER GOING TO WIN AND GET MY JEEP BACK OR .LOOSE AND OWE 5OOO AND IT WILL BE ON MY CREDIT REPORT THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE TOW GARAGE WORKS WITH THE POLICE STATION AND COMMUNICATES WITH THE COURTS AND JUDGES . DO YOU HAVE FEEDBACK LAURA IN CARMEL CALIF

Hello I parked in resturant that has been closed for many years. The lot is very big in size and has two entrances to in or out. There are many poles in the lot for lights and no signs on them at all. In the very front on the sidewalk there was a sign after the fact stating cars can be towed, it was off to the right of one of the entrances probably 15 yrds and not one on the other. Once again big lot two entrances one suspect sign on the sidewalk and NO sogns in the parking lot. Mind you many cars where towed. We all came in the other entrance and saw No sign. Can I fight this. I took many pics showing the fault of a lack of signs and not one on the other entrance. can I get some advice..Thanks Anthony

This comment is for Tow Joe, could you please email me, I would like to ask you a few questions about predatory towing, I think where I lived the police and towing company and property owners were running a huge illegal towing scam. The towing company that my landlord used was on trail for predatory towing in another city, but the police where I lived wouldnt even let us file a complaint…please email me at kenpaden@yahoo.com thanks!

I have a question for Tow Joe- The Apt. BLDG I live has a new Landlord and there has been tons of issues with limited parking so now the landlord has put up what looks like “schmoooooe” Fire Lane” no parking or get Towed away. and from I gathered in my research a Fire Lane can only be done or Auth by Fire Officials,. Can this justify the management to tow away tenants vehicles?

There are laws that govern parking lots open to the public which state you can park for an hour before being towed if its free. If paid parking. Its 24 hours after expiration. 22953 and 22952 respectively. Lots try to set their own limits

I parked in a condo gated community outside the gates where there are many parking spots without any signs in front of them except for the handicap area where a sign was posted. I left my car there for a weekend unintentionally thinking it should be safe because I was outside the gates. When I went to pick it up on Monday it was gone, I was not notified to remove it before it was towed away. They charged me $320. for towing with 2 days fees. They said if I came that night it would be an extra $115. for after hours gate fee’s, so I waited until Tuesday. When does the 92 hours notice apply? Do I have a chance to fight this in small claims? Thank you~Raquel

I bought four parking coupons to park in the guest parking where I live. To use the ticket, you must place the coupon in a little container near the garage.
The first night I put the coupon in the box, but the second night, I forgot until five AM. I went out to put the little coupon in the box, but they had already towed it. (243 dollars.)
The justification written on the tow bill was “illegally parked” and “No permit”. In my opinion I was renting the space, and simply three hours late. (the coupons must be deposited by 2:00am each day.)
Their sign claimed they had the authority to do this because of ordance cvc 226582, but I cant find any such ordinance.
I would like to take them to small claims, but I dont know if I am in the right. What they did sure seems wrong to me. In my opinion I was simply two hours late on the rent when they towed, and three hours late, when I noticed.

My car was parked in a super market parking lot in Los Angeles California. It was left over night as I did not see any signs posted prohibiting parking. My car was eventually towed and stored at an impound. I was reviewing California Vehicle code 22658 at it seems to me that because there were no signs posted at any of the entrances as is required by 22658 (a) that my car was towed illegally and the store is liable for double the costs. I am preparing to take this to small claims court, but first would like to make sure that I am reading this correctly or that there are not any exceptions to the code. Thank you

Hello Im Ruben, I had a situation where I parked outside of a mobile home in a mobile home community. I was there for 15-20 minutes and I heard a loud motor outside and when I walked outside a tow truck was backing up to tow my vehicle. Before he latched my car I asked to not tow and he said to pay a $195 drop off fee and I stated that it was alot and if he can do any less. He then said I dont need any B.S and asked me to pick it up at the towing yard. So then I followed him while he towed my car to his yard 4.9 miles away then he charged me $395 to release my car. It was 9PM in Sacramento, CA. I want to know if There is something I can do about these outrageous fees , any legal action that I can take.

The reason that the tow guy gave me was that the car was left outside parked at a fire lane. Now, there is no signs that the street or area where I was at was a fire lane, I walked the community and there is some curb areas with red and whit letters that clearly reads (Fire Lane) but not where I was parked. The tow operator was highly rude and they usually come at night while people are sleeping.
What he does is send a 12-14 year old girl to walk aroung and once she finds a car parked outside infront of the mobile home she calls him and he quickly comes to tow the car. I also want to know if it is ilegal for him to have his young daughter in his tow truck… Anything helps, thank you my name is Ruben and email is [removed]

Does this CVC section apply to vehicles displaying a valid, permanent Handicapped Driver (blue) card? In this case all of the individual parking slots were marked “No Parking” with black stencil on white backgrounds.

Thanking you in advance for any clarification.

If your car gets impounded for long enough, will that eventually show up on a VIN check or something?

I did one through AutoCheck for my last car, here I believe, http://www.autocheck.com-us.me/vehiclehistory/autocheck/en/AutoCheck-vehicle-history-reports/c/VHRs but nothing showed up on my report. Come to find out, the car was actually impounded for over a year. It wasn’t really a deal breaker but it’s one of those things that would just be nice to know.

I live in a senior apartment complex and just learned that I will have to move my car every 3 days or it will be towed. It is not in the lease and there are no signs posted regarding towing of vehicles. I do pay 7 dollars a month for use of the lot. Parking spaces are not assigned, we do have mirror hangers. Is this legal?

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