Snow removal
Snow removal parking bans: how to avoid the tow, and how neighbors can warn you
When a city clears snow, it bans parking on the streets being cleared and tows the cars left behind. Montréal puts up temporary orange no-parking signs, often only a few hours ahead: signs for a 7 p.m. ban generally go up before 3 p.m. the same day. Minneapolis declares snow emergencies with day-by-day parking rules. Follow your city's alerts, and put a QR code on your windshield so a neighbor who sees the signs can warn you to move.
Updated October 2026
Snow-removal parking in 30 seconds
- Montréal: temporary orange no-parking signs. Ignore them and your car is towed and you're fined.
- Montréal: signs for an overnight (7 p.m.) ban generally go up before 3 p.m. the same day.
- Minneapolis: snow emergency parking rules start at 9 p.m. on Day 1. A standard tow cost $222 in 2026.
- Find a towed car through your city's online tool, like Montréal's Info-remorquage service.
- Autter doesn't track snow operations. It lets a neighbor or the plow crew tell you to move your car.
How snow-removal parking bans work
Cities handle snow in two main ways, and both end with a tow truck for cars that don't move.
| Snow-loading operations (e.g. Montréal) | Snow emergencies (e.g. Minneapolis, Boston) | |
|---|---|---|
| How you're warned | Temporary orange no-parking signs on your street, plus the city's 311 app | City declares a snow emergency; alerts by text, email, app and news |
| Notice | Often the same afternoon: before 3 p.m. for a 7 p.m. ban (Montréal) | Usually announced the same day, with rules starting in the evening |
| Where you can't park | The street on the sign, during the hours shown | Depends on the day, route and side of the street |
| If you don't move | Towed and fined | Ticketed and towed |
How to avoid getting towed
- 1Sign up for your city's alerts. In Montréal, the city recommends following operations in the 311 Montréal app. Minneapolis, Boston and many other cities offer text or email alerts.
- 2Check the street when you park. Look for temporary signs before you leave the car for the night or the weekend.
- 3Know where you can move to. Some cities open free parking lots during snow operations.
- 4Be reachable when you're away. If you're traveling, a neighbor who sees the signs going up can only warn you if they can reach you.
Let neighbors warn you
Most people who get towed during snow removal weren't careless. They were at work, at a friend's or away for the weekend when the signs went up. The neighbor who saw the signs had no way to reach them.
With a free Autter QR code on your windshield, anyone can scan it, pick "Your vehicle may need to be moved" and send. You get a text in Canada and the US, or an email elsewhere. They don't see your number, and you don't see theirs unless they share it.
If your car was towed during snow removal
- Montréal: use the city's online Info-remorquage service to find your car by plate or by where you parked it. Since late 2025, 311 no longer handles these calls; the online tool is the way.
- Other cities: check the city's towed-vehicle locator or call the non-emergency police line.
- Keep your ticket and photos of the signs if you think they went up too late. Most cities have a way to contest a ticket.
Snow-removal parking questions
How much notice do I get before my car is towed for snow removal?
It depends on the city. In Montréal, signs for an overnight ban starting at 7 p.m. generally go up before 3 p.m. the same day, and some boroughs differ. Minneapolis announces snow emergencies the same day, with rules starting at 9 p.m.
How do I find my car after it was towed for snow removal in Montréal?
Use the city's online Info-remorquage service on montreal.ca. You can search by license plate or by marking where you parked on a map.
Does Autter warn me about snow removal?
No. Autter doesn't track city operations. Use your city's alerts for that. Autter lets a neighbor or a plow crew who sees the signs send you a private alert to move your car.
Can a snow-removal contractor contact me through Autter?
Yes. Anyone can scan the QR code on your windshield and send you a message. They never see your phone number.
Give your neighbors a way to save you a tow.
A free windshield QR code. Set up in about 60 seconds, no phone number on display.
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