HOA boards live and die by enforceable parking signs. The wrong wording on a tow-away sign hands the offending vehicle owner a winning small-claims case. The right wording, posted at the right density, ends the dispute before the deputy arrives. Most of the HOA boards we work with have inherited a parking sign system from the developer that was never updated for current Oregon tow law, and the result is a community that "has parking signs everywhere" and still cannot enforce a single one.
Below is the bundle that makes HOA, condo, and apartment-community parking actually enforceable in Oregon, with the ORS and federal standards behind each sign.
Quick Answer
HOA parking enforcement requires four sign categories: tenant or resident-only, guest or visitor, tow-away with ORS 98.812 language, and ADA accessible. Oregon Revised Statute 98.812 sets the legal requirements for private property towing, including specific sign content and posting density. A 50-unit HOA typically needs 18 to 28 signs across these categories, and missing the ORS-required wording or posting density is the single most common enforcement failure.
What Does ORS 98.812 Require for HOA Tow-Away Signs?
Oregon Revised Statute 98.812 governs all towing from private property in Oregon. For an HOA to authorize a tow, the property must be posted with signs that:
- Are visible at every entrance to the parking area
- State that unauthorized vehicles will be towed at the owner's expense
- Identify the towing company by name and phone number
- Are posted at a density that puts a sign within sight at all times
- Use letters at least 1 inch high
The full text of ORS 98.812 is available at oregon.public.law/statutes. The most common HOA failure is posting the entrance signs but skipping the in-lot density. A vehicle owner whose car was towed from the back of the lot can argue successfully that no sign was visible from where they parked.
What's the Difference Between Tenant-Only and Resident-Only Signage?
Both work, but the wording shifts liability differently:
- "TENANT PARKING ONLY" is enforceable in mixed-use settings where short-term tenants and visitors are common (apartment complexes, mixed multifamily).
- "RESIDENT PARKING ONLY" is the more defensible HOA wording because it ties the right to park to ownership or lease in the community, not transient occupancy.
- "AUTHORIZED VEHICLES ONLY - PERMIT REQUIRED" is the strongest and most flexible wording. It supports a permit system, gives the HOA discretion to authorize vendors and contractors, and makes the enforcement standard objective.
We default to "AUTHORIZED VEHICLES ONLY - PERMIT REQUIRED" on most HOA refresh jobs, paired with a permit-sticker program managed by the property manager.
How Should an HOA Layer Visitor Signage?
Visitor stalls need to be obvious to actual visitors, defensible to enforcement, and impossible to confuse with resident stalls. The bundle:
- "VISITOR PARKING - 24 HOUR LIMIT" at each visitor stall, with the time limit set by the HOA's CC&Rs.
- "NO OVERNIGHT PARKING" signs on stalls where the time restriction matters most.
- Wayfinding signs at the lot entry directing visitors to the visitor area.
We have seen HOAs install only the time-limit sign without the wayfinding sign, and the result is visitors parking in resident stalls because the visitor area is invisible from the entry. Three signs, not one.
How Many ADA Accessible Stalls Does an HOA Need?
ADA Standard 208 sets the minimum stall count by parking lot size. For typical HOA lots:
| Lot Size | Required Accessible Stalls | Van-Accessible |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 25 stalls | 1 | 1 of 1 |
| 26 to 50 stalls | 2 | 1 of 2 |
| 51 to 75 stalls | 3 | 1 of 3 |
| 76 to 100 stalls | 4 | 1 of 4 |
A frequent HOA misstep: assigning ADA stalls to specific residents. ADA stalls cannot be reserved for individual residents. They are open to any community member or visitor with a valid placard or plate. If a resident with a disability parking placard wants a guaranteed stall, the HOA can install a separate "RESERVED" sign with the resident's unit number, but it cannot be the ADA stall.
What Does a Real HOA Sign Refresh Look Like?
In April 2026 we refreshed parking signs at a 78-unit Salem HOA with three discontinuous parking areas across a hillside site. The original sign system was 14 years old, with eight different sign legends installed by three different vendors, and zero ORS 98.812-compliant tow-away signs.
Our scope:
- 3 entrance signs with ORS 98.812 tow-away language and the towing company's name and phone
- 14 in-lot tow-away repeaters at 100-foot spacing
- 6 R7-8 / R7-8a ADA pairs
- 18 numbered tenant stall signs (one per assigned stall)
- 4 visitor stall signs with 24-hour limit
- 3 fire-lane signs at the dumpster pad and the building entrances
Total install ran in the $5,800 to $7,500 range across one weekend, consistent with the Industry Baseline Range for a 48-sign HOA refresh.
Industry Baseline Range
| Component | Cost |
|---|---|
| ORS 98.812 tow-away entrance sign | $200 to $400 |
| In-lot tow-away repeater | $125 to $250 |
| Numbered tenant stall sign | $90 to $180 |
| Visitor parking sign | $125 to $225 |
| ADA R7-8 / R7-8a pair on new post | $250 to $500 |
| Full HOA sign refresh (40 to 60 signs) | $5,500 to $9,500 |
Current Market Reality
Aluminum stock costs rose 11 percent across 2025, and the Oregon Towing Association reports tow contractors raised their hookup rates 15 to 20 percent in the same period. HOAs that try to skip the sign refresh and rely on ad-hoc tow authorizations are now losing more disputes per year than the sign refresh would have cost. Treat the sign system as the cheaper enforcement layer.
What Sheeting Grade Should HOA Signs Use?
Most HOA signs sit on private property without active vehicle traffic at night, but the entrance and tow-away signs need to be readable from a moving vehicle approaching at night.
Default specification:
- Sign blank: 0.080-inch aluminum minimum.
- Sheeting: ASTM D4956 Type III high-intensity prismatic on entrance and tow-away signs. Type I (engineer grade) acceptable on numbered stall signs and visitor signs that are walked-up to.
- Anti-graffiti laminate: Specified on entrance and street-facing signs.
- Mounting: 2-inch galvanized round post or U-channel into a 12-inch concrete footing.
ASTM D4956 grades are linked to MUTCD §2A.08 retroreflectivity, available at mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov.
What Should an HOA Property Manager Verify Before Closing the Sign Job?
A defensible HOA sign install gives the manager:
- ORS 98.812 compliance check signed by the installer, listing each sign and its compliance status.
- Posting density map showing every sign location with sight-line distances.
- Current tow contract attached to the entrance sign legend.
- Photo log of every installed sign with GPS.
- ADA stall count and sign placement verified against ADA Standard 208 and 502.6.
Without all five, an HOA cannot defend an enforcement action in small claims court if the vehicle owner challenges the tow.
FAQ
Q: How many tow-away signs does a 50-unit HOA need to be enforceable in Oregon?
A: Under ORS 98.812, an HOA needs a tow-away sign at every entrance to the parking area and signs at intervals that put one within sight of every parked vehicle. For a 50-unit HOA with one parking entrance and a single contiguous lot, that typically means 1 entrance sign plus 4 to 8 in-lot repeaters. Sites with multiple discontinuous lots need entrance signs at each lot.
Q: Can an HOA reserve an ADA stall for a specific resident?
A: No. ADA stalls must remain available to any person with a valid disability parking placard or plate. An HOA can install a separate "RESERVED" sign with a resident's unit number on a non-ADA stall, but cannot reserve an ADA stall for individual use. Restricting access to a public-accessible ADA stall violates federal ADA enforcement provisions.
Q: What wording is most defensible on an HOA tow-away sign?
A: Wording that states "UNAUTHORIZED VEHICLES TOWED AT OWNER'S EXPENSE - ORS 98.812," names the towing company, and provides the company's phone number is the defensible standard. Including the lot operator's contact for retrieval is strongly recommended. Generic "NO PARKING" signs without explicit tow language are not enforceable as tow authorization.
Q: How tall do HOA tow-away sign letters have to be?
A: ORS 98.812 requires letters at least 1 inch tall on tow-away signs. Most enforceable HOA signs use 2-inch headlines (TOW AWAY ZONE) and 1-inch body text. Letter contrast must remain readable in both daytime and nighttime conditions, which usually means white on red or black on yellow.
Q: Can an HOA tow a vehicle without a current tow contract?
A: No. ORS 98.812 requires that the entrance signage list the tow company by name and phone number. If the HOA's tow contractor changes, the signs must be updated before any tow is authorized under the new contract. A vehicle towed under outdated signage exposes the HOA to a small-claims judgment and potentially statutory damages.
Next Step
Cojo installs and refreshes HOA parking sign bundles across Oregon, including ORS 98.812 audits and tow contract integration. Compare options in our parking sign buyer's guide, or request a site walk for your community.