They may not unless strict requirements by law are met. Laws regarding authority to cause the towing and storage of a vehicle differ among the states. Generally speaking, and I'm paraphrasing, a person, agency, or company must have and be able to show authority and reason to tow a vehicle from anywhere in order to legally do so.
The authority of police or tow companies to tow and store a vehicle must come from a Judge, the vehicle owner, or property owner unless it is stolen, blocking the entrance or exit to public parking, or is located within 15 feet of a fire hydrant. Briefly, officers of the CHP, local police, and sheriff departments receive due authority from the state, city, or county agencies respectively to operate within the territorial boundaries owned or controlled by the respective government authorities; however, jurisdiction may overlap in accordance with intergovernmental agency contracts. This authority does extend to or include off highway property, such as property belonging to a business or private citizen. Private property is any property not owned or leased by the state, city or county government. Authority to tow from private property must come from the vehicle or private property owner in the form of a written request or from a judge signed warrant to seize stated vehicle. A state vehicle or civil code number does not represent authority.
Without the vehicle owner's permission, a towing company may not tow from private property without written authorization from the private property owner or lessee and with that person present at the time of the tow to verify the reason for the tow. See CVC-22658(l)(1)(A) Any tow company that tows a vehicle without such authorization or fails to present a photocopy of this authorization to the vehicle owner at the time of paying for towing and storage fees (CVC-22658(l)(1)(C)) is liable to the vehicle owner for 4 times the towing and storage fees charged. See CVC-22658(l)(4)&(5). The same is true if the tow company fails to obviously post their top fee rates or that they accept payments with a credit card (CVC-22658(k)(2)) where payments are received, or if they charge an excessive amount. See CVC-22658(j)(2)
Yes, if they have a court order and/or if the vehicle is listed as stolen and/or used in the commission of a crime.
no they can not
private property impound - possibly due to parked in a private lot
private property
Depends on how long it's been impounded, which agency or private company is running the impound lot, and whether or not you'll need to have it towed out of impound (e.g., if your registration is expired, you won't be allowed to drive it out).
private property
wha is the fine for posting signage on private property
Private Property
There are no "laws" for private property towing that the state of Minnesota enforces or even has. Private Property Towing is regulated by each city. There are city "ordinances" in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Those ordinances only apply if your vehicle was parked within those city limits when towed. For example if your vehicle was parked outside the city boundaries of St. Paul say in Arden Hills and it was towed into a Private Impound Lot located in the city of St. Paul the St. Paul ordinance would not apply. I do not know of any cities that have any ordinance for Private Impounding other than Minneapolis and St Paul. The only requirement of most cities in Minnesota is that the Impound Company notify the police department in the city the impound occurred of the impound by giving them the vehicle information. The city of Minneapolis has many requirements for any tow company who wants to impound vehicles within their city. Two important "laws" that the city requires is that the Private Impound Lot must be located within the city limits and the company must release vehicles 24 hours a day. There's a lot more to know but this should get you started.ST PAUL See Chapter 361 of the Saint Paul Legislative CodeMINNEAPOLIS See Chapter 349 of their Code of Ordinances
Building inspections are not carried out by private companies, but instead can only be performed by people who are employed by the state or township that the building is located in.
If your vehicle is in a private impound or police impound then yes. They only are obligated to give you without charge your government issued ID card(s), medication(s), and corrective lenses. They can hold anything else, even your house keys, clothes, food, whatever. Also if you "abandoned" your vehicle at an impound in Minnesota and the towing company goes through the legal process of placing a lien on your vehicle the property goes with the car.
Whatever the lot charges. Most impound lots are private lots under contract. This, fees will vary.
No, it is unlawful to confiscate or unlawfully use private property anywhere in the US.
not recommended, but its is legal on private property.