Towing in Miami, FL

How do I get a tow truck in Miami?

Call (786) 284-6998 and give four things: where the car is, what it is, what is wrong with it and where it is going. The dispatcher quotes the tow on that call and sends the truck that fits the job.

Location is the part people get wrong. On the expressways, read the nearest exit name or mile marker and the direction you were travelling. On I-95, the Dolphin (SR 836) or the Palmetto (SR 826), northbound and southbound sides are separate trips for a truck. On city streets, give the cross street.

If you are stopped in a travel lane or on a narrow shoulder, say so first. The dispatcher will tell you what to do until the truck gets there.

What do I do while I wait on a Miami highway?

Turn on your hazard lights, stay belted in the car if you cannot get well clear of traffic, and call *347 to reach the Florida Highway Patrol. FDOT Road Rangers patrol the major Miami expressways and can help move a disabled car out of a live lane at no charge.

Road Rangers do not tow you home or to a shop. They push or pull the car to a safer spot and can help with a flat or a little fuel. For the tow itself you still need a truck.

Florida's Move Over law (section 316.126) requires drivers to move over a lane, or slow down, for a tow truck working with its amber lights on.

Which tow truck does my car need?

Most cars can go on either a flatbed or a wheel-lift truck. All-wheel-drive cars, low sports cars, electric vehicles and cars with crash damage to the wheels or suspension should ride on a flatbed. Wheel-lift trucks are shorter and fit garages and tight lots.

If you are not sure, tell the dispatcher the year, make and model and they will choose. The flatbed page explains when it matters.

Is my car being towed, or was it already towed?

This line arranges tows you ask for. If your car was removed from private property or by police, it is at a storage lot, and a sign at the property or the non-emergency police line will tell you which company has it.

Miami-Dade County regulates tows done without the owner's consent, including where the car can be taken. That is a separate process from calling for a tow yourself.