vehicle florida
Expired tag sweep in a private apartment parking lot in Florida
<p>My apartment complex sent the following:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Loree Residents -</p>
<p>On Monday (9/25) Loree Management in-part with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, will be conducting an expired tag search for all vehicles parked within our community. This is required by law. If your vehicle is 'tagged' for an expired tag, you will have until Wednesday (9/27) to renew your vehicle tag registration, otherwise, it will be towed at the owner's expense. Thank you for your cooperation.</p>
<p>Loree Management.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Is it legal to tow a car in private property while it's parked for not having a good tag? if I'm not mistaken you can have a tag without registration as long as you don't use it and the DMV knows that the car is not being used.</p>

<p>It is legal for a property owner to have a vehicle towed off of their property, if the vehicle is there without permission. If you have a vehicle with expired tags, your permission to park there may have been rescinded as of that notice. It is possible that a parking spot is part of the lease, in which case it would be a breach of contract for them to have your car towed. However, even if it's in the lease, if it is required by law, or specifically mentioned in the lease (i.e. "must be registered"), it is legal to tow the car.</p>

<p>The city <a href="http://www.coj.net/departments/neighborhoods/municipal-code-compliance/who-we-are-and-what-we-do" rel="noreferrer">claims the right</a> to regulate vehicles even parked on private property:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Abandoned vehicles are defined as: vehicles that do not bear a license
  plate, or on which the displayed license plate is invalid, unless said
  vehicle is stored within a completely enclosed building or unless it
  is stored on a bona fide sales lot or an automobile storage yard or
  automobile wrecking yard, which threaten or endanger public safety or
  welfare; create a blighting influence upon the neighborhood where the
  vehicle rests, or; is, or may reasonably become, infested, or
  inhabited by rodents, vermin or other animals, or may furnish a
  breeding place for rodents, vermin or other animals. Inoperable, when
  referring to a vehicle, means the vehicle is incapable of being
  immediately driven, moved, or pulled in the manner for which it is
  intended or designed.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>The specific underlying ordinance <a href="https://library.municode.com/fl/jacksonville/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TITXIVHOCODE_CH518JAPRSAMACO_PT2IMUNLOEXCORECOPR_S518.203JUABVEPASTPR" rel="noreferrer">Sec. 518.203(1)</a> says</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>No person in charge or control of any property within the city whether
  as owner, tenant, occupant, lessee or otherwise, shall allow any junk
  or abandoned vehicle to remain on any private or public property
  within the city longer than 15 days; and no person shall leave any
  such vehicle on any property within the city for a longer time than 15
  days; except that this article shall not apply to a vehicle on the
  premises of a business enterprise licensed and operated in a lawful
  place and manner, to repair vehicles with current license or those
  places where active restoration is taking place and both activities
  are taking place within a closed building.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>An abandoned vehicle <a href="https://library.municode.com/fl/jacksonville/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TITXIVHOCODE_CH518JAPRSAMACO_PT1GEPR_SPBDE" rel="noreferrer">is defined as</a></p>

<blockquote>
  <p>a vehicle that does not bear a license plate, or if the displayed
  license plate is invalid, unless said vehicle is <strong>stored within a
  completely enclosed building</strong> or unless it is stored on a bona fide
  automobile sales lot or an automobile storage yard or automobile
  wrecking yard</p>
</blockquote>

<p>The ordinance does not apparently define "valid license plate", but from <a href="http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&amp;Search_String=&amp;URL=0300-0399/0320/Sections/0320.07.html" rel="noreferrer">state law</a>, we can determine that you affix a "validation sticker" to your "registration license plate", so without a current tag, the license is not valid.</p>

<p>Apparently the practice of towing cars with expired tags is not isolated in Florida: an untagged vehicle may not be visible to the public.</p>
