Miami Beach to Send Warning Texts Before Residents Get Towed

Miami Beach, FL – The City of Miami Beach is soon offering a new perk for residents who register their vehicles with the city’s Parking Department with the launch of Text Before Tow. Starting May 12, the program will send registered residents a 15-minute warning text in the event their vehicle is about to be towed.

“This is a smart, resident-focused approach,” said Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner. “With a little grace period, we could potentially spare our residents the frustrations of getting towed.”

No text notifications will be issued to those vehicles parked in a freight loading zones nor during life safety violations, such as vehicles parked in fire lanes, blocking travel lanes or occupying disabled parking spaces. To prevent misuse, residents will receive a one-time notification per citation.

“Too many Miami Beach residents return to find their car towed — without ever having had the chance to correct the issue,” said Miami Beach Commissioner Alex Fernandez. “This is frustrating, costly, and, in many cases avoidable. The goal of our parking enforcement should be compliance, not punishment. By simply sending a text message and providing a 15-minute grace period, we can potentially achieve parking compliance faster, while saving residents from unnecessary costs and inconvenience.”

Although the program doesn’t commence until next month, residents who have not yet registered for their “Residential Parking Permits and Discounts” with the city, can enroll at any time to not only join the Text Before Tow program, but also enjoy parking discounts. Registration can be done online at register.miamibeachparking.com or in-person by visiting the Miami Beach Customer Service Center (1755 Meridian Ave, 1^st floor) with a photo ID, vehicle registration and proof of residency e.g., utility bill.

As a reminder, if residents are already enrolled in the Residential Parking Permits and Discounts Programs — they are automatically registered for the Text Before Tow program with the mobile number provided when the vehicle was registered with the city.

Miami Beach residents should visit register.miamibeachparking.com for more information or parking.miamibeachfl.gov/portal/ to make any necessary updates to their current accounts.

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