A towing company cannot suspend your license on its own
A towing company has no legal power to suspend your driver's license in Florida. Only the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) can suspend a license. However, a towing company's actions — specifically towing your vehicle and holding it — can set off a chain of events that leads to a suspension if you do not respond correctly.
The confusion usually starts here: if your car is towed and impounded, and you do not retrieve it within a certain time, the towing company or impound lot may report the vehicle to DHSMV. That report can trigger a suspension, but the suspension comes from the state, not the towing company. Understanding the difference matters because your response options depend on who is actually suspending your license.
Key Takeaways
- Only DHSMV can suspend your license; a towing company cannot do it directly, but a tow and impound can lead to a state suspension if the vehicle is not retrieved.
- If your car was towed for unpaid parking tickets, toll violations, or other court-ordered reasons, DHSMV may suspend your license if the underlying debt is not resolved.
- Florida law allows DHSMV to suspend your license if you abandon a vehicle in an impound lot for more than 30 days without claiming it.
- You can challenge a suspension by contacting DHSMV directly or by resolving the original reason the vehicle was towed in the first place.
- Retrieving your vehicle from the impound lot does not automatically lift a suspension — you must address the underlying violation or debt with the state.
How a tow and impound can trigger a state suspension
When a vehicle is towed and impounded in Florida, the towing company or impound facility is required to report certain information to DHSMV. The most common trigger for a license suspension is vehicle abandonment. Under Florida law, if a vehicle sits in an impound lot unclaimed for 30 days or more, the facility must report it to DHSMV as abandoned. Once reported, DHSMV may suspend the registered owner's license.
A second route to suspension happens when the tow itself was ordered because of a court judgment or unpaid debt. For example, if your car was towed because you owe unpaid parking tickets, unpaid tolls, or court fines, and you do not pay those debts, DHSMV can suspend your license independent of the impound. The tow is a symptom of the underlying problem, not the cause of the suspension.
A third scenario involves habitual traffic offender status. If you have accumulated multiple traffic violations and DHSMV has already flagged you as a habitual traffic offender, a tow for driving with a suspended license can lock in that status and extend the suspension period. In this case, the tow is evidence of the violation, not the source of the suspension.
What "vehicle abandonment" means under Florida law
Florida Statute 713.78 defines vehicle abandonment in the context of impound lots. A vehicle is considered abandoned if it remains in an impound facility for 30 consecutive days without the owner or a legal representative claiming it. Once that threshold is crossed, the impound lot must notify DHSMV, and the state can then suspend the owner's license.
The 30-day clock starts from the date the vehicle entered the impound lot, not from the date you received notice. This means you may not know your car has been towed until well into that window. If you do not retrieve it before day 30, the impound lot will file the abandonment report, and DHSMV will process the suspension. The suspension can take effect within days of the report.
Retrieving your vehicle before the 30-day mark does not prevent the suspension if DHSMV has already received and processed the abandonment report. You must act quickly — ideally within the first week of learning your car has been towed — to avoid crossing that threshold.
Unpaid debts and court orders that lead to towing
Many tows in Florida are ordered because of unpaid parking tickets, unpaid tolls, or court judgments. When a debt reaches a certain level or goes unpaid for a certain period, a court or administrative agency can authorize a tow. The tow itself is not the suspension; it is the enforcement of the underlying debt.
If your vehicle was towed for unpaid parking tickets, for example, DHSMV will not suspend your license solely because the car was towed. However, if those tickets remain unpaid and the debt is referred to a collection agency or a court, DHSMV may suspend your license for failure to pay a court-ordered fine. The suspension is tied to the debt, not to the tow.
Toll violations follow a similar path. If you owe tolls through SunPass or another toll system and do not pay, the toll authority can request a tow. If the toll debt remains unpaid and is referred to DHSMV, your license can be suspended. Again, the suspension is the state's response to the unpaid debt, not the towing company's action.
Steps to take if your car was towed and you fear a suspension
First, locate your vehicle. Call the police non-emergency line or visit the local police department to find out which impound lot has your car. Ask for the lot's name, address, phone number, and the date your vehicle was towed. This information is public and the police must provide it.
Second, contact the impound lot directly. Ask how much it will cost to retrieve your vehicle, what documents you need to bring, and whether the lot has already filed an abandonment report with DHSMV. If your car has been there fewer than 30 days, retrieving it when ready will prevent an abandonment report from being filed.
Third, find out why your car was towed. Was it a parking violation, a toll debt, a court order, or something else? If it was towed for a specific debt or violation, you need to resolve that issue separately from retrieving the vehicle. Paying the impound fees will get your car back, but it will not resolve the underlying debt that caused the tow in the first place.
Fourth, if a suspension has already been issued, contact DHSMV directly at 1-888-486-3339 or visit the DHSMV website to confirm the reason for the suspension. Ask what steps you need to take to have it lifted. Depending on the reason, you may need to pay a fine, resolve a court judgment, or provide proof that you have retrieved your vehicle.
How to challenge a suspension linked to a tow
If DHSMV has suspended your license because of vehicle abandonment, you can request a hearing. You have the right to dispute the abandonment finding if you can show that you did not intend to abandon the vehicle or that you were not given proper notice. To request a hearing, contact DHSMV and ask for an administrative hearing under Florida Statute 322.271.
If the suspension is tied to an unpaid debt or court judgment, you have two options: pay the debt or challenge the judgment itself. Paying the debt is usually faster. Once DHSMV receives proof that the debt has been paid, the suspension can be lifted within days. If you believe the judgment or debt is incorrect, you will need to work with the court or the agency that issued it, not DHSMV directly.
If the suspension is tied to habitual traffic offender status, the process is more complex. You cannot straightforward pay a fee to lift this suspension. You must wait out the suspension period (which can be five years or longer) or petition the court for relief. An attorney who specializes in traffic law can advise you on whether you have grounds for early relief.
The difference between a tow and a suspension
A tow is a physical action: your car is removed from where it was parked and taken to a lot. You pay a fee to retrieve it. A suspension is a legal action: the state revokes your right to drive. You cannot straightforward pay a fee to lift it — you must resolve the underlying reason for the suspension.
This distinction matters because some people assume that paying the tow and impound fees will also lift a suspension. It will not. If DHSMV has already suspended your license, retrieving your vehicle does nothing to the suspension. You must contact DHSMV separately and follow their process for reinstatement.
Conversely, if your license has been suspended but your car has not been towed, retrieving the vehicle (if it has been towed) will not lift the suspension. The two issues are separate, even though they often happen together.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to get my car out of impound before my license is suspended?
You have 30 days from the date your vehicle entered the impound lot. The impound facility must report the vehicle as abandoned to DHSMV after 30 consecutive days without the owner claiming it. DHSMV can then suspend your license. Retrieving your vehicle before day 30 prevents the abandonment report from being filed, but if DHSMV has already processed a suspension, getting your car back does not lift it.
Can I get my license back if I pay the tow and impound fees?
Paying the tow and impound fees will return your vehicle, but it will not lift a license suspension. If DHSMV suspended your license because of vehicle abandonment, you must contact DHSMV directly to request reinstatement. If the suspension is tied to an unpaid debt or court judgment, you must resolve that debt with the court or agency that issued it, not the impound lot.
What if I did not know my car was towed?
Florida law does not require the towing company to notify you before towing your vehicle in most cases. However, the impound lot must attempt to notify you within 24 hours of the tow. If you did not receive notice, you can still retrieve your vehicle and challenge any suspension by requesting a hearing with DHSMV. Lack of notice may be grounds to dispute an abandonment finding.
Does my license suspension end when I retrieve my car?
No. A license suspension and vehicle retrieval are separate matters. Retrieving your vehicle does not automatically lift a suspension. You must contact DHSMV and follow their reinstatement process, which may involve paying a reinstatement fee, providing proof that the underlying debt has been paid, or waiting out a suspension period.
Can the impound lot refuse to release my car if I have a suspended license?
The impound lot can release your vehicle to you even if your license is suspended, as long as you pay the tow and storage fees. However, you cannot legally drive the vehicle away if your license is suspended. You will need to arrange for someone with a valid license to drive it, or have it towed to a repair shop or your home.