Tow authorizations and vehicle releases, signed at the hook and the gate

The documents a tow company signs

• Private property towing agreementYour standing contract with a lot owner or HOA: signs, who on their side may authorize a tow, hours, and the fees your city or state allows you to charge.
• Private property tow authorizationThe per-tow sign-off from the owner or their agent: the vehicle, the reason, when it was first seen and when the tow was authorized, signed by a named person.
• Consent tow authorizationFor cash calls and breakdowns: the vehicle owner approves the destination, the rate and any winching or dolly charges before you hook up.
• Vehicle condition reportExisting dents, scrapes and broken glass at hookup, with photos, so damage that was already there isn't charged to your driver.
• Recovery authorizationFor heavy-duty work: the rate structure, cargo transfer, cleanup and who pays, approved by the driver on scene and the fleet's dispatcher.
• Vehicle release formAt the storage lot: the person collecting the car, their ID, their proof of ownership or authorization, and their signature that they received it.

Private property tows and the written authorization

Many states and cities regulate non-consent tows from private lots, and some require a signed authorization for each tow. California is one: under Vehicle Code section 22658, the property owner or their agent generally must be present at the time of the tow and sign a written authorization. The San Diego Police Department lists what that authorization records: the vehicle's make, model, VIN and license plate; the name, signature, job title, property address and phone number of the person who authorized the removal; the reason for the removal; the time the vehicle was first seen parked there; and the time the tow was authorized. Owners of towed vehicles are entitled to a copy.

Rules differ by state and often by city, including who may authorize, how long you must wait and what signs must be posted. Build your state's required fields into the authorization template once, and have a local attorney check it.

An authorization signed at the scene

1. 1

   Fill the vehicle details

   The driver opens the authorization template on their phone and types the make, model, plate and VIN. A dropdown picks the reason, like fire lane or no permit, and a text field takes the time the vehicle was first seen.

2. 2

   Photograph the violation

   A Photo field opens the camera during signing and prints the picture inside the signed PDF: the car in the fire lane, with the sign behind it.

3. 3

   Hand the phone to the agent

   Choose Sign in person. The property manager or security officer types their name, job title and phone, and signs. In the iPhone and iPad app, only the driver's Face ID or passcode ends signing mode.

4. 4

   Keep the record

   The signed PDF reaches your office by email with its certificate of completion, showing the exact signing time and the device's IP address. Download it from the envelope when the vehicle's owner asks for a copy.

Each send is an envelope, SignMaster's word for one or more documents going to one or more signers. The condition report and the authorization can travel in the same one.

Recoveries, releases and accounts

Heavy recoveries. The truck driver signs the recovery authorization on your operator's phone at the scene, and the fleet dispatcher signs from a link back at the office, in the order you set. Nobody waits for a fax.

Releases at the lot. Set up the release form at the window on a counter iPad. A Driver's license field takes the license number and prints it in capitals, and a Photo field holds the picture of the license. The photo ID guide covers how to do it without collecting more than you need.

Property accounts. Send each lot owner or HOA board your towing agreement by link. A signer group lets any one of the board members sign for the association.

Pricing

Crew is $49 a month for 5 people, so drivers, dispatch and the lot window share templates; each extra person is $8 a month. Company covers 15 people for $99 a month. Paid plans send unlimited envelopes, so a busy night of tows costs nothing more. New workspaces get 14 days of Crew free. Compare plans.

What SignMaster doesn't do

• It isn't dispatch or impound software. It doesn't log calls, track storage days or run lien sales.
• It doesn't notify police of a private property tow or send certified mail.
• It doesn't collect towing or storage fees.
• It doesn't replace motor club apps or police tow forms. Use those for their jobs.