Colorado state law requires that an authorized property representative explicitly approve each individual tow at the time it occurs, rather than relying on standing patrol authorization. For ParkingPass properties in Colorado, this means a real-time authorization workflow sits between a patrol vendor identifying a violation and the actual tow happening.
This article explains how the workflow operates, what property managers need to do, and what to expect when a tow authorization request comes in.
Why This Workflow Exists
Under Colorado law, tows from private property require contemporaneous (real-time) authorization from an authorized property representative. A blanket "tow anything in violation" arrangement is not sufficient.
ParkingPass implements this requirement by adding a real-time authorization step to the standard enforcement workflow at Colorado properties.
How It Works
Patrol vendor identifies a violation. A vehicle is found in violation of your property's parking rules during a patrol.
The vendor submits a tow authorization request. Instead of proceeding directly to a tow, the patrol vendor sends a real-time request through ParkingPass with the vehicle details, location, and reason.
The property representative receives the request. An authorized property manager at your community receives the notification through the platform.
The property representative approves or denies the request. The decision is logged with a timestamp and the responder's identity.
The tow proceeds — or doesn't. If approved, the vendor proceeds with the tow. If denied (or no response in time), the tow does not occur.
What Property Managers Need to Do
Designate an Authorized Representative
Each Colorado property must have at least one authorized representative available to respond to tow requests during the property's defined enforcement hours. This is typically the property manager or a designated patrol manager.
If you manage a Colorado property and haven't been set up as the authorized representative — or if you need to add a backup — contact [email protected].
Respond Promptly to Tow Authorization Requests
When a request arrives:
Review the vehicle, location, and reason given by the patrol vendor.
Confirm whether the vehicle is on the Do-Not-Tow list, has a relevant Patrol Hold, or has an active permit you weren't aware of.
Approve or deny the request within the required response window.
If you don't respond in time, the request typically defaults to denied (no tow). This protects the property from unauthorized tows but means a valid violation may not result in a tow if you're unavailable.
Coordinate Coverage
If a single property manager can't always be available during enforcement hours, add backup representatives or coordinate scheduled coverage with your patrol vendor. See Adding Additional Property Management Users.
How This Differs from Default Enforcement
For properties outside Colorado, the standard enforcement model authorizes the patrol vendor to make on-the-spot tow decisions based on your property's configured rules. Colorado properties add the real-time approval step between violation and tow.
This means:
Tows happen only when explicitly approved in real time, not by standing rule.
The property is more directly involved in each tow decision.
Response time matters — a slow or missed response means a tow that "should" have happened may not.
The audit trail for each tow is stronger, since the approval is logged with timestamp and user.
What Doesn't Change
Most of the enforcement workflow at a Colorado property looks the same as anywhere else:
Warnings, citations, and boots are issued under your configured rules without requiring real-time authorization for each one.
The Do-Not-Tow list still protects listed vehicles automatically.
Patrol Holds still pause enforcement during configured windows.
Citation disputes follow the same workflow — see Citation Disputes: A Complete Workflow Guide.
Patrol Analytics, Reports, and dashboard widgets all behave the same way.
Real-time authorization specifically applies to tows, not to lower-severity enforcement actions.
Best Practices
Keep the Do-Not-Tow list current. Many real-time requests can be resolved as "no" if the vehicle should have been on the DNT list — adding it up front saves a request later. See Managing the Do-Not-Tow (DNT) List.
Schedule Patrol Holds proactively. Special events, contractor windows, or temporary enforcement pauses should be on the calendar so they don't generate tow requests. See Placing and Managing Patrol Holds.
Have a backup representative. If the primary contact is unavailable, a backup ensures legitimate tow requests can still be approved in time.
Set expectations with your patrol vendor. Confirm your response-time commitments so they know how long to wait before defaulting a request to denied.
Important Notes
This workflow applies to properties located in Colorado. Properties in other states use the standard enforcement model.
The real-time authorization log is part of the violation record and is visible when reviewing disputes.
If you have questions about your property's Colorado configuration or need to update your authorized representatives, email [email protected].
ParkingPass is not a legal advisor — for legal questions about Colorado tow law, consult an attorney familiar with the state's requirements.