One thing that many people misunderstand is their right to remove another's vehicle from their property. The rules vary from place to place, and vary even more when it comes to residential and commercial property. In most cases, the obvious answer, calling for a tow, isn't always an immediate option.

Don't Jump the Gun

Unless you know for certain what the towing laws are in your state, don't assume that you can just remove a vehicle from your property.  In some places you can, if you're the property owner. In other places, you cannot remove the vehicle without permission from the vehicle owner.

Even if you do have the permission to have a vehicle removed, you may still have to go through a procedure to do it. So what should you do? You actually have two avenues available to you that cannot steer you wrong.

1. Speak to the police – In almost all cases, you should contact law enforcement. Even when you know you're in the right and can have the vehicle moved, you should still inform law enforcement. This can do several things for you.

• The police can try to identify or contact the owner of the vehicle
• The police can post official notice on the vehicle
• The police can ticket the vehicle

In some states, it's also a legal requirement that you inform the police or traffic authority if you plan to remove someone else's vehicle from your property. If you're not sure, then it won't hurt to call the non-emergency line for your local police anyway. If nothing else, they can help you figure out what you should do next.

2. Speak to a tow company – Speaking to a tow service can help you a lot. After all, they're the ones you would call anyway to tow the vehicle, so it won't hurt to ask them some questions about the process.

Not all tow companies have permission to tow vehicles if you're not the owner. Those that can do the towing also have to follow procedure. In some cases, it's they and not you that must inform the police.

In either case, you need to speak to an authority first before taking matters in your own hand. While a vehicle on your property can become an eyesore, annoyance, or even a hazard, it's important to follow the proper procedure. To understand why, try to reverse the role.

Look at it Another Way

What if your vehicle was stuck on someone's property? You can always call a 24 hour towing service like Fredericktown Marathon and have them come pick it up for you. But what if that's not an immediate option?

In such a case, you might appreciate the property owner going through the proper procedure. Usually, this will ensure that you will receive notification and possibly even help to remove your vehicle before it's taken away.