Residents and guests have the right to dispute a tow under most parking policies, and the dispute path is the same as for any other violation. This article covers what's specific to tow disputes — the claims you'll hear, how to weigh them, and what happens when you approve one.
The most important thing to know up front: approving a tow dispute reverses the ParkingPass-side record and any fees that flow through the platform. It does not refund the tow vendor's recovery fee — that money is paid directly to the vendor and has to be handled separately (see "What approving a tow dispute actually means" below).
For the full dispute workflow — timelines, statuses, and decision criteria — see Citation Disputes: A Complete Workflow Guide. For background on how the tow was authorized and recorded, see How Tows Are Authorized and Recorded.
Common Tow Dispute Claims
"My vehicle was authorized." Cross-reference the plate against permits, guest passes, and DNT. If the vehicle was authorized at the time of the tow, you likely have a wrongful-tow situation and the dispute should be approved.
"The signage isn't clear." This is a property-side issue. Walk the area and confirm signage is visible, legible, and in compliance with your local jurisdiction's requirements.
"I just stepped away for five minutes." Your patrol vendor's records will show whether the vehicle was observed and for how long. The violation reason and timestamp are usually decisive.
"I wasn't told about this rule." Refer to your property's parking policy and how it was communicated. Lack of notice isn't generally a basis for reversal if signage and policy distribution were standard, but it may surface a communication gap worth fixing.
"My DNT entry was supposed to still be active." Check the entry's expiration date. If it expired before the tow because nobody renewed it, that's a process failure — and it's a strong basis for approving the dispute if the relationship was clearly still active.
What Approving a Tow Dispute Actually Means
ParkingPass can mark the violation record as overturned and reverse any associated fees that flow through the platform. It does not refund the tow vendor's recovery fees — those are paid directly to the vendor and would need to be addressed with the vendor directly, or by your property reimbursing the resident.
If you decide an approved dispute should also cover the vendor's recovery fee, document the decision and the reimbursement plan in the resident's profile.
Common Questions
What if the tow was clearly wrongful?
Approve the dispute through the standard dispute workflow. For recovery-fee reimbursement, coordinate directly with the tow vendor or, if necessary, reimburse the resident through your property and recover from the vendor.
Is there a separate dispute process for tows?
No. The Citation Disputes workflow applies to tow disputes the same way it applies to citations and warnings. This article only covers the parts that are specific to tows.
Important Notes
Approving a dispute reverses the ParkingPass-side record. It does not reverse the tow itself or refund the vendor's recovery fees.
Recovery of the vehicle is between the vehicle owner and the tow vendor. ParkingPass is not part of that transaction.
The Citation Disputes workflow applies to tow disputes the same way it applies to citations and warnings — there's no separate dispute process for tows.
A wrongful tow is often the visible symptom of a process gap (an expired DNT entry, a lapsed guest pass). Fixing the underlying cause prevents the next one.