These Boots Aren’t Made For Walking
By: Rick McCann
Blue RAM Media/Gulf Coast News
December 10, 2025
DAPHNE, Ala. Have you ever come out of a store, or your apartment or maybe a nightclub and found something locked onto your tire?
If you’re from a big city or gone to a university, you probably recognize what that shiny piece of metal is.
This is called a car boot, and it’s not made for walking!
Also called a “wheellock”, its an impound device that prevents you from driving off after committing a parking violation.
Cities nationwide use the boot to lock your vehicle in place because you have outstanding parking tickets. Colleges, universities and even hospitals use the boots to enforce their parking rules and won’t remove the device until you pay a fine.
Private parking enforcement companies in many areas also enforce parking regulations on private properties such as apartments, shopping centers, restaurants and various other businesses with the “boot”, and yes, it is legal.
The parking lot must have signage warning drivers of the consequences for trespassing or parking where they shouldn’t and must have the parking company’s phone number displayed.
Instead of having a tow truck tow your vehicle across town or to the other side of the county, the vehicle remains locked in place until you come back to your vehicle and pay the booting charge.
At least two private parking enforcement companies are operating in Mobile and Baldwin Counties and are booting vehicles on private properties that do not display their apartment or business permit, or park their vehicles in handicapped spaces, fire lanes, blocking dumpsters, or in other areas where parking isn’t allowed. The boot release fee is between $60-$75.
These companies are operating under a contract with the property owner or management company.
Dauphin Island recently hired parking enforcement agents to boot vehicles parked at the beach areas at both ends of the island, when the vehicle does not display a parking permit.
The fee to remove the boot is $50.
Some municipalities may have a local ordinance that limits how much a company can charge the vehicle’s owner to release the boot but in general, booting is legal on private property in most of Alabama.
Attempting to remove the booting device is a criminal offense and constitutes vandalism, theft or both and depending on the value of the booting device, the charge could be a felony.
Look before you park your vehicle because those boots aren’t made for walking but you might be if you come back and find a parking boot on your tire!
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