The situation when exit from the parking lot is blocked another car, familiar to many drivers. This is not just an annoying little thing - lost time, nerves and the risk of being late for an important event. But the main thing: independent attempts to free the car (for example, towing or towing without the owner's consent) may result in a fine of up to 5,000 rubles according to Art. 7.27 Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation for damaging someone else’s property.

In this article we will analyze legal ways to solve the problem, from quick (calling the owner) to radical (calling a tow truck at the offender’s expense). We will also tell you how to avoid scams from “helpers” who offer to “solve the issue” for money.

Important: all recommendations are relevant for 2026 and are based on the current legislation of the Russian Federation. If the incident occurred on paid/free parking (for example, near a shopping center), the algorithm of actions will differ from the situation at yard area or multi-storey parking.

The situation when your car is blocked in the parking lot, requires a cool head. The first thing to do is record evidence. Without them, you will not be able to recover damages or prove your case in court.

📊 How often do you encounter blocked exits in parking lots?
Never
1-2 times a year
More than 3 times a year
Permanently (live/work in a problematic area)

1. First steps: fixing and searching for the owner

Once you have discovered that exit blocked, execute 3 required steps:

Step 1: Take a photo or video on the phone so that you can see:

  • 🚗 License number of the blocking car (zoom in so the numbers are clear).
  • 📍 Scene of the incident — parking signs, signs, nearby buildings.
  • 📏 Distance between cars (for example, attach a tape measure or place a bag nearby for scale).
  • ⏰ Time and date (set your phone to display the timestamp on the photo).

Step 2: Try to find the owner. Interview nearby drivers, security guards or employees of nearby stores. If parking is paid, please contact parking administrator (they may have information about the owner by number).

Step 3. Check the number through online services. For example, via Autocode or GIBDD.RF you can find out car make/model and region of registration. This will help if the owner left contacts on the windshield (for example, “Call +7...”).

Immediately take pictures of the blockage from different angles

Interview witnesses (write down their contact information)

Try to find the owner through the parking administration

Check the number on the traffic police website to clarify the model -->

⚠️ Attention: Don't try move someone else's car yourself, even if you have a license and driving experience. According to Art. 167 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation qualifies as property damage and faces a fine of up to 40,000 rubles or compulsory work.

2. If the owner is found: how to negotiate without conflict

The ideal scenario is when the owner of the blocking car is nearby and is ready to resolve the situation. Here negotiation algorithmto avoid scandal:

1. Calmly explain the problem. Phrases like: “Sorry, your car is blocking my exit. I urgently need to leave - could you please park?” usually work better than aggression.

2. Offer help in exchange for a concession.. For example:

  • 🅿️ "I can wait 5 minutes while you move the car to an empty space."
  • 💵 “If you’re inconvenienced, I’m willing to pay for parking for you an hour in advance.” (Relevant for paid parking.)
  • ☕ "Let me buy you some coffee at the nearest cafe while you wait."

3. Record the verbal agreement. If the owner agrees to remove the car after 10–15 minutes, take a video of his words: “Yes, I will move the car in 10 minutes so you can leave.”. This will come in handy if he changes his mind.

⚠️ Attention: If the owner refuses to repark and behaves aggressively, don't get into conflict. Better go straight to legal measures (see section 4).

💡

If the owner of the blocking car is a woman or an elderly person, offer your help in reparking. Often people agree if they see a polite attitude.

When owner not found, but there is no way to wait, you have 3 legal options:

Option 1. Call a tow truck at the violator’s expense

  • 📞 Call evacuation dispatch service your city (the numbers are on the local administration website).
  • 📄 Provide a photo/video of the blocking and explain the situation.
  • 💰 Evacuation will cost free for you — the invoice will be issued to the owner of the blocking car (according to Article 12.19 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation).

Option 2. Contact the local police officer or police

  • 🚔 Dial 112 or 102 and explain that your departure illegally blocked.
  • 📋 Ask to make protocol on administrative offense (Article 12.19 of the Administrative Code - “Violation of stopping rules”).
  • ⏳ The police must arrive within 20–40 minutes (depending on workload).

Option 3. Self-towing with permission from the traffic police

  • 🚗 If you have tow rope and experience, you can move the car to the nearest free space.
  • 📋 But only after written permission from the traffic police inspector (otherwise it will be arbitrariness!).
  • 🔧 You must sit behind the wheel of the blocking car inspector or witness.

Critical: If you damage someone else's car while towing it yourself without permission from the traffic police, you will be required to compensate for the damage in full - even if the fault lay with the owner of the blocking car.

What to do if the tow truck refuses to come?

If the tow truck dispatcher says that “this is not their competence,” ask for a written refusal indicating the reason. Then file a complaint with the local administration or prosecutor’s office - the service for towing blocked cars must be provided according to the law.

Car owner, blocking the exit, carries administrative and civil liability:

Type of responsibility Article of law Consequences for the violator
Fine for illegal parking Art. 12.19 Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation From 1,000 to 3,000 rubles (in Moscow and St. Petersburg - up to 5,000 rubles)
Payment for evacuation Art. 27.13 Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation From 3,000 to 7,000 rubles (depending on region)
Compensation for lost profits Art. 15 Civil Code of the Russian Federation If you were late for work/flight due to a blockage, you can recover real damage (for example, ticket price)
Criminal liability Art. 167 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation If the owner intentionally damaged your car if he tries to free himself (for example, scratches him with a key), he faces a fine of up to 40,000 rubles

To recover damages, you will need:

  • 📸 Photo/video blocking with timestamp.
  • 📋 Police report (if called).
  • 💰 Receipts/documents, confirming expenses (for example, paying for a taxi due to being late).

⚠️ Attention: If the owner of the blocking car refuses to pay the fine, you can file a lawsuit. But first be sure to send him claim (see section 6 for a sample).

5. Parking scams: how to avoid becoming a victim

In areas with frequent blockages scammers are actingwho offer to “solve the issue” for money. Common schemes:

Scheme 1. "Helpers" from the parking lot

  • 🕵️ A person comes up to you and says: “I know where the owner is. Let me call him for 500 rubles.”
  • 💸 After payment, the “assistant” disappears or calls a random number.

Scheme 2. False tow truck

  • 🚛 A car with the sign “Tow Truck” drives up to you, but without signs or documents.
  • 📄 Fraudsters demand payment in cash “for urgent departure.”

Scheme 3. “Lawyers” on the phone

  • 📞 They call you “from the traffic police” and ask you to transfer money to your account for an “accelerated solution to the problem.”
  • 🔍 In fact, these are scammers using data from your number.

🔹 How to protect yourself:

  • 🚫 Don’t pay cash to anyone “for help” - all services (evacuation, police) must be free for the injured party.
  • 📋 I demand that the “tow truck” show documents (license, agreement with the administration).
  • 📞 Check phone numbers through a search engine - fraudulent hotlines are often exposed on forums.
💡

The only legal ways to free the car are through the police or a tow truck. Any "middlemen" demanding payment are most likely scammers.

6. Sample documents: complaint and claim

If you decide recover damages from the owner of the blocking car, you will need 2 documents:

1. Claim to the owner (pre-trial)

Sent by registered mail with notification. Example text: 

To the owner of the car [make, model, license plate number],

registered at the address: [data from the traffic police]



I, [your full name], the owner of the car [your license plate number], inform you that on [date and time] your car blocked the exit of my vehicle from the parking lot at the address: [exact address].



As a result, I suffered losses in the amount of [amount] rubles (taxi/tow truck/downtime at work). I ask you to voluntarily compensate for the damage within 10 days to the account [details].



If refused, I will be forced to go to court with a claim for damages and moral damages.



[Your signature, date]

2. Complaint to the traffic police about illegal parking

Served through the website GIBDD.RF or in person to the department. Sample: 

To the Head of the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate [department name]


I request that the owner of the car [state number] who [date and time] violated clause 12.4 of the Russian Federation Traffic Regulations be brought to administrative responsibility by blocking the exit of my vehicle [your license plate number] from the parking lot at the address: [address].



I am attaching to the complaint:


1. Photos of the blocking (Appendix 1).


2. Video recording with time recording (Appendix 2).


3. Witness testimony (Appendix 3).



Please report the results of the review to the address: [your address/email].



[Your signature, date]

⚠️ Attention: If the owner of the blocking car is legal entity (for example, the car belongs to the company), the claim must be sent to legal address of the organization.

7. How to avoid blocking: preventive measures

The best way to solve the problem is prevent it. Here 5 rulesthat will save you time and nerves:

1. Park according to the "corner" rules.

  • 🅿️ Park the car so that bow or stern looked towards departure — this way you won’t be blocked when parking “on the drive.”
  • 📏 Leave it minimum 50 cm to neighboring cars so that their owners can leave without problems.

2. Use parking lots with video surveillance

  • 📹 Apartment buildings and shopping centers usually have cameras. If the incident occurred in such a parking lot, request a recording from the administration.
  • 🔍 Before parking, look around to see if there is a sign saying “Video surveillance is in progress.”

3. Leave contacts on the windshield

  • 📱 Write on paper: "If my car interferes with the exit, call: +7XXX. I will move it within 10 minutes."
  • 🔑 This will reduce the risk of conflicts and speed up the resolution of the problem.

4. Avoid “problematic” parking

  • 🚫 Do not park your car in places where there are often blockages (for example, next to narrow passages or near garbage containers).
  • 🗺️ Use apps like Parking lots in Moscow or Yandex Navigator, where available seats are displayed.

5. Install the DVR camera

  • 🎥 Recorder with function parking mode (for example, BlackVue DR900X) will record who blocked your exit and when.
  • 💾 The video will become indisputable evidence in court.
💡

If you often park in one place (for example, at work), arrange a “signal chat” with your parking neighbors. This way you can quickly find each other in case of blocking.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about exit blocking

Can I move someone else’s car myself if it interferes with the exit?

No, this qualifies as arbitrariness (Article 19.1 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation) or property damage (Article 167 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). The exception is if you received written permission from the traffic police for towing.

How long must the owner of the blocked car wait to be evacuated?

According to the law, evacuation is possible immediately after a violation is detected, if the owner is not found on site. In practice, the tow truck arrives within 30–60 minutes (depending on the workload of the service).

What to do if the blocking car is on the emergency lights, but the owner is not there?

Even if the car is on the emergency lights, this does not give the right to block exit. Call the police - they will draw up a report and issue a fine. If you need to leave urgently, call a tow truck.

Is it possible to recover moral damages for blocking an exit?

Yes, but only through the court. To do this, you need to prove that the blocking caused you significant suffering (for example, due to being late for an important event). The amount of compensation usually does not exceed 10,000–20,000 rubles.

Where to complain if the police refuse to help?

Write a complaint to head of the police department or in prosecutor's office. Indicate the date of application, the name of the inspector and the reason for the refusal. You can also contact ATC for your region through their official website.