Parking rules to put in your lease, and how to enforce them

What should a parking rule cover?

• Assigned or first come: which space belongs to which unit, and whether a number is written in the lease.
• Number of vehicles per unit, so one household does not take three spaces.
• Guest parking: where it is, and how long a guest can stay before it counts as a resident's car.
• Inoperable or unregistered vehicles: most owners ban them from the lot, because they block turnover and look abandoned.
• Large or work vehicles, trailers and boats.
• Repairs and car washing on the property.
• Fire lanes, dumpsters and snow removal areas that must stay clear.
• What happens to a car that breaks the rule.

Short and specific beats long and legal. "Each unit gets one assigned space and one guest permit" can be enforced. "Parking is at the landlord's discretion" starts arguments.

Can I charge for a parking space?

Many landlords charge a monthly fee for a reserved space, a garage or a second spot. If you charge, list it as its own line in the lease so it shows on the tenant's bill and in your books as separate income, not mixed into rent. A fee added after the lease starts usually needs the tenant's agreement or a proper notice. Some cities limit extra fees, so check your local rules before adding one.

Can I tow a tenant or guest car?

Often yes, but towing is where landlords get into trouble. Common state and city rules cover how large the warning signs must be, who may order a tow, which towing company may be used, and whether a tenant gets a notice first. A tow that skips these steps can cost you a refund and a damage claim. This is the common pattern, not legal advice. Rules differ by state and city, so check your state's law or ask a local landlord attorney before you act.

1. Put the rule and the towing consequence in the lease.
2. Post the signs your state or city requires at the entrance of the lot.
3. Photograph the car, the plate and the violation, with the date.
4. Send the tenant a written warning with the rule and a deadline to move the car.
5. If it is not moved, use a licensed towing company, and record who called it, when and why.

Skip the warning only where the law allows, for example a car blocking a fire lane or another resident's space.

What does a warning look like in practice?

Example a made-up tenant in unit 3 keeps a second car in the guest space for two weeks. You photograph it on three dates, send a written note quoting the lease rule, and give five days to move it or buy a second assigned space for $40 a month. The tenant chooses the space, you add a $40 line to the lease through an addendum, and nobody gets towed.

Offering a paid option first fixes most parking fights faster than a tow, and it turns a violation into income.

Keeping parking records with DoorKeeping

A parking dispute is won or lost on records. DoorKeeping keeps the lease and any signed addendum with the tenant, logs the emails you send them, and shows a parking fee as a separate charge on their ledger. You can ask Claude or ChatGPT to draft the warning note, then approve it before it goes out. DoorKeeping does not arrange tows.

Sources

1. DoorKeeping: Connect Claude or ChatGPT (steps and tools list), read Oct 30, 2026

Questions

Do I need a parking addendum?

If parking is limited or you charge for it, yes. A one-page addendum with the space number, the fee and the towing rule keeps the main lease short.

Can I tow a car from a tenant's assigned space?

Only if the car belongs to someone with no right to it, and only following your state and city towing rules. Warn first when you can.

Can I ban inoperable vehicles?

Most landlords do, in the lease. The rule should define "inoperable", for example expired registration or flat tires, and give a deadline to move the car.

Should guest parking be free?

Usually, with a time limit. A limit of a few nights keeps a guest from becoming a second resident car.