When Can I Claim My Vehicle?
Any Vehicle impounded by Gardens Towing Inc is available for release to its owner or the owner's agent/designee 24 hours a day, 7 days a week including holidays (New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day & Christmas Day). Vehicles wishing to be claimed outside of regular business hours or on holidays will incur a $35 after hours gate fee.
Though Gardens Towing Inc maintains business hours Monday-Friday from 8AM – 6PM they provide towing services and vehicle releases 24 hours daily 7 days a week.
To arrange for vehicle release between 6pm and 8am Monday-Friday, on weekends or on holidays call their release phone line at (561) 585-9272.
What Do I Need To Take Possession of My Vehicle?
To ensure a vehicle is released to the proper person, three items are required to before you can claim your vehicle.
- Photo Identification
- Legal Instrument(s) Identifying Vehicle/Vessel Ownership
- Valid Form of Payment for the total amount due.
Please note a vehicle/vessel stored in our impound lot can only be released to the legal and/or registered owner. The exception is when the legal and/or registered owner is unable to appear to claim his or her vehicle including hospitalization, out of the area and incarceration. Should the owner be unavailable to claim their vehicle, a completed and legally notarized Vehicle Release Form is necessary to claim the vehicle.
Download the VEHICLE RELEASE FORM HERE.
In the case where the legal and/or registered owner has been judged “mentally incompetent” by a signed court order, a copy of such court order accompanied by a valid and/or legal “power-of-attorney” instrument will be required for vehicle release.
In the case where the legal and/or registered owner is deceased then a valid/legal Death Certificate will be required for presentation at the time of vehicle release, in addition to documents providing proof that the person the vehicle/vessel is being released to is the Estate Executor of the legal and/or registered owner of the vehicle being released or any legal and binding document(s) that can establish that the person claiming such a vehicle has a legal right to take possession of same.
Commercial Vehicle Release Procedure:
An officer of the impounded vehicle's legally registered company must present the company's Articles of Incorporation from the company identifying the claimant as an officer of the company retrieving same. Or, A written letter of authorization on company letterhead from an officer of the company affirmed by a Notary Public that recognizes an agent of the said company to retrieve the vehicle on their behalf.
Rental or Lease Vehicle Release Procedure:
Impounded vehicles registered and owned by a rental or lease company will only be released to an authorized agent of said company (i.e., Hertz, Alamo, Enterprise, Budget, U-Haul, Ryder, etc.). An authorized agent of the rental or lease company must present a "Hold Harmless" letter on company letterhead at the time of payment and release. This includes the retrieval of any personal items inside the rental or lease vehicle.
Accepted Forms of Photo Identification:
(Federal or State Government Issued)
- Valid State Driver License**
- Valid State of Issued ID Card
- Active U.S. Military ID Card
- Valid U.S. Passport
- Other valid U.S. Federal Government issued ID with photo
** Provincial Issued Driver License From Canada are accepted.
Accepted Forms of Legal Vehicle/Vessel Ownership:
(One or Both of the following Will Be Required)
- Valid Vehicle/Vessel State Registration Certificate or Card, or
- Valid Vehicle/Vessel State Title***
*** In the event that this instrument has been “signed-over” to another party (buyer) from the original owner (seller), then a valid notarized “bill-of-sale” that includes the minimum details of said transaction such as seller’s full name, buyer’s full name, vehicle information (year, make, model, color & VIN), date of sale, and sale price, will be required to accompany the vehicle/vessel title being presented
Accepted forms of payment:
Per Palm Beach County Towing Ordinance #2011-008, Section 16-H, in relation to the payment of invoices for non-consent towed vehicle(s)
- U.S. Cash Currency, Money Order or Traveler’s Check.
- Valid Debit/Bank Credit Card, which shall include, but is not limited to, MasterCard or VISA, that is in the name of the vehicle/vessel owner or authorized driver/agent.
- Valid Personal Check showing on its face the name and Florida address of the vehicle/vessel owner or authorized driver/agent. The address on the check must match the information on the driver license of the payee, and funds must be verified with the financial institution before acceptance.
Vehicle Release to a third-party procedure:
Motor vehicle(s) in our impound lot can be released to any repair shop by calling our office during normal business hours (8am-5pm) to arrange delivery.
Motor vehicle(s) to be released to a person who is other than the registered owner must complete and sign a "Vehicle Release" form that is available on our "forms" page of this website.
For questions concerning these procedures please contact our office or the below agency.
Palm Beach County
Division of Consumer Affairs
(561) 712-6600