Apartment Complex Towed My Car For Being “unregistered” Without Warning, Can I Recover The Towing Costs?

Location: Austin, Texas

My apartment complex had my 2015 Nissan Sentra towed because the towing company said it was “unregistered.” I paid $325 to retrieve the vehicle and another $40 for a Lyft to get to the impound lot.

I believe I had registered my vehicle with the apartment’s leasing office, but unfortunately, I don't have written proof of that interaction. The apartment’s parking website now shows my vehicle information as blank, and when I try to add it again, the website says the vehicle limit has been reached.

I did not receive a written warning or notice before the tow.

There is also a separate registration discrepancy I am trying to resolve. When I registered my vehicle with the Texas tax office after moving back from Arizona, I received new Texas license plates and a registration sticker at the same time. I have since discovered that the sticker and registration documentation do not appear to match the plates currently on my car or my old Texas plates. The towing company also told me that APD had requested the plates be removed, although the plates were still on the vehicle when I recovered it. I have not yet confirmed the details of that request.

I am planning to contact the county tax office and APD to clarify the registration and plate records. I would also like to dispute the tow with the apartment complex.

My questions:

1. Under Texas law, was the apartment complex permitted to tow my vehicle for being “unregistered” without giving me prior written notice?

2. Does the 10 day written notice requirement for certain apartment property tows involving expired or missing registration apply to my situation?

3. If the Texas registration office made an error, would that affect whether the apartment complex or towing company is responsible for the towing costs?

4. Can I pursue reimbursement of the $325 towing fee and $40 Lyft expense through a tow hearing or small claims court?

5. What records or documents should I request to determine whether the tow was lawful?

I have the towing receipt and registration paperwork and am trying to obtain the apartment’s tow authorization and parking records. I would appreciate guidance on the applicable Texas law and the best next step.