If a car is blocking your driveway or sitting in your private spot in Minneapolis, you can usually have it towed, but only the property owner or their agent can authorize the tow, and how fast depends on the type of property. For a single-family or duplex driveway, Minnesota law allows an immediate tow with no posting required. For other property, posting and waiting periods come into play. Start by confirming you have the right to authorize it, then call a tow operator.
Who can order the tow
A private-property tow can only be authorized by the property owner or someone acting as their agent, such as a property manager. You cannot have a car towed off a public street yourself; that is the city’s call. But a car in your own driveway or your assigned private spot is a different situation, and Minnesota Statutes 168B.035 and 168B.04 set the rules.
The waiting periods depend on the property
Minnesota Statutes 168B.04 sets different waiting periods by property type:
- Single-family or duplex residential property: immediate, no posting required. This is the driveway case.
- Posted residential or posted commercial property: immediate.
- Unposted commercial property: 24 hours.
- A vehicle service or repair facility: 5 business days after certified-mail notice.
So a car blocking your house driveway can go right away. A car in an apartment or business lot depends on whether the lot is posted.
What “properly posted” means, and does not
The statute uses the phrase “properly posted” but does not define the sign size, wording, or placement. Local ordinances may set those specifics, but there is no statewide Minnesota sign spec, so do not assume a particular sign format is required or that a missing sign always voids a tow. If you manage a lot and want to tow unauthorized cars, check Minneapolis ordinance requirements for signage rather than guessing.
What the tow can cost the driver
Under 168B.035, the charge for a private-property tow “must be reasonable for the type of vehicle removed and the circumstances surrounding its removal.” There is no statewide price cap beyond that reasonableness standard. The driver who was towed pays the towing company directly, and can ask for an itemized total.
How to handle it without a fight
Blocking a driveway is frustrating, but a few minutes of care saves trouble. Confirm you have the authority to authorize the tow. Photograph the car and the blockage with a timestamp. If it is an apartment or business lot, check whether it is posted. Then call an operator and explain the situation clearly, including the property type, so they know the rules that apply.
Getting an operator
Quick Tow Minneapolis is a referral service. We take the call and match you with an independent local operator who handles private-property tows across the metro, from South Minneapolis to Northeast to the suburbs. The operator confirms the authorization and the property type before doing anything, because a wrongful tow is a problem for everyone. Tell us the address, the property type, and who is authorizing it.
Frequently asked questions
Can I tow a car blocking my driveway right away? For a single-family or duplex driveway, Minnesota law allows an immediate tow with no posting required. Only the property owner or their agent can authorize it.
Can I tow a car parked on the street in front of my house? No. The public street is the city’s jurisdiction, not yours. Contact the city about a car parked illegally on a public street.
Does the lot have to have a sign? For a single-family or duplex driveway, no. For commercial and some other property, posting matters, but Minnesota does not define a statewide sign spec. Local ordinances may set the details.
Who pays for the tow? The driver who was towed pays the towing company. The charge must be reasonable for the vehicle and the circumstances under Minnesota Statutes 168B.035.