Two types of vehicle removal at storage facilities
Storage facilities encounter vehicle removal needs in two distinct situations that require different legal approaches. See how HOAs handle similar abandoned vehicle situations.\n\nVehicles left by non-paying customers: A tenant who stops paying rent and abandons their storage unit may leave a vehicle either inside the unit or on the facility property. Accessing the unit and removing the vehicle requires following the lien process specified in your state storage law — typically a notice period, a public auction of the unit contents, and specific handling for vehicles that may require a separate lien sale process.\n\nUnauthorized vehicles in parking areas: Non-customers who park in the storage facility lot without authorization are subject to standard private property towing — the same rules that apply to any commercial parking lot. Proper signage, a towing authorization agreement with a licensed operator, and documentation on each tow are the requirements.\n\nThe two scenarios look similar but require completely different processes. Never apply the parking lot towing process to a vehicle abandoned by a tenant — doing so bypasses the storage lien process and creates significant liability.
The tenant vehicle lien process
When a storage tenant abandons a vehicle on the property, the facility must follow the state storage lien law process before removing or selling anything.\n\nThe process typically involves: sending lien notices to the last known address by certified mail. See how impound lot lien processes work., waiting the required notice period (often 30-60 days), publishing notice of a public auction if required by state law, conducting the lien auction, and then handling any vehicles remaining after the auction separately under the state vehicle lien process.\n\nVehicles are often treated differently from other storage unit contents under state law. Some states require separate vehicle lien notices; others require selling a vehicle through the DMV lien process rather than at a storage auction. Consult your state storage association or an attorney familiar with storage law before attempting to remove a tenant vehicle.\n\nThe tow company role in tenant vehicle removal is to execute the physical removal after all legal requirements are satisfied — not to advise on the process or take custody before authorization is legally established.
Setting up unauthorized parking enforcement
For storage facility parking lots open to customer traffic, unauthorized vehicle enforcement follows standard private property towing procedures. See how parking lot towing accounts are structured. See how parking lot towing accounts are structured.\n\nProper signage is the foundation. Signs at lot entrances must specify that unauthorized vehicles will be towed, identify the tow company, and provide a retrieval phone number. Storage facilities with customer parking areas should review their signage against current state requirements annually.\n\nA towing authorization agreement with a licensed operator establishes who can authorize tows, what areas are covered, and what documentation is required. Storage facility managers who can authorize tows directly — without calling an owner or corporate office — enable faster enforcement of clear violations.\n\nFor storage facilities with after-hours drop-off areas, clear signage about where customers may and may not park is essential. Unauthorized vehicle calls often come from people who genuinely did not understand the parking rules rather than intentional violations — clear signage reduces both violations and the friction when enforcement is necessary. See how parking lot accounts are structured for the operator perspective.
Working with a tow operator on storage facility accounts
A tow operator who serves storage facilities needs to understand both parking enforcement towing and the limits of their authority when tenant vehicles are involved.\n\nFor unauthorized lot parking, the operator should be fully capable: proper signage knowledge, fast response, clean documentation, and experience with vehicle owner disputes. This is standard property enforcement work.\n\nFor tenant vehicles, the operator should understand that they take custody only after the facility has completed the legal lien process and has a court order, title transfer, or DMV authorization for the vehicle. An operator who jumps ahead of this process — removing a vehicle because a manager asks them to before the lien process is complete — creates joint liability with the facility.\n\nThe best operators for storage facility accounts are those who know exactly where their authority begins and ends, document thoroughly, and are comfortable asking about authorization status before hooking up any vehicle that might be subject to a lien dispute.