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Consumer-protection officials say private trespass towing rules allow 15-mile moves; police-tow limits less clear
Summary
Councilmembers asked whether the bill applies when a vehicle towed from Montgomery County is stored in Prince George's County; Office of Consumer Protection staff said private trespass towing rules allow towing up to 15 miles from the origin, while police-tow distance limits are less certain and may differ by statute.
Councilmember Katz asked what happens if a vehicle is towed from Montgomery County but stored in a county outside Montgomery (for example, Prince George's County). Sean Crew, operations administrator with the Office of Consumer Protection, said that under consumer-protection private trespass towing rules the tow can be up to 15 miles from the point of origin and that few tow lots exist within 15 miles across county lines; he added that the office hopes the bill might someday be extended to private-tow situations but that police-tow rules may operate differently.
"So currently, a car can be towed 15 miles from the point of origin," Sean Crew said, adding that police-tow limitations are less clear and may not match consumer-protection trespass-towing measures. Crew and investigator Lorena Bailey noted towing is a frequent consumer complaint and that the committee should be aware of interjurisdictional complications as the bill is implemented.
