ATLANTA — Editor's note: The video above is from March about a bill that would ban booting in Georgia moving forward in the state Senate.
Coming back to your car and seeing a boot affixed to the tire is one of life's headaches, and as of late, a few people in metro Atlanta have set out to ease that pain by unlocking boots for a low cost or free.
Most recently, a local duo has gained some notoriety on TikTok. The 'Boot Girls in Buckhead' will "take that sh*t off" for $50, according to their Instagram page, and their boot business is booming. In March, 11Alive brought viewers a story about a tattoo shop owner who's busting those boots off for free with his own boot keys and selling universal copies for $50.
But is this legal?
THE QUESTION
Is it illegal to remove boots from cars in Atlanta?
THE SOURCES
ANSWER
It is not illegal to purchase a boot key. However, removing a boot on your own is illegal if you're not permitted and licensed to do so.
WHAT WE FOUND
Regarding the legality of removing a boot from a car in Georgia, it really matters where you are.
According to law, the community has to have an existing ordinance allowing booting as a practice. This is true for those rolling through and parking in Atlanta. If someone wants to enforce booting on their private property, they must display signage, and anyone booting cars must have a permit.
In order to obtain a permit, interested booting companies must initiate the process by contacting the Atlanta Police Department. The process will set owners back an annual cost of $500, not including applicable fees of approximately $100-120, as stated in sections 162-258 of Atlanta's Vehicle Immobilization Services. That's to say individuals or upcoming businesses that are removing boots off of cars could obtain a permit to do so.
Atlanta Police Department addressed the boot key vigilantes saying private businesses have a right to boot or tow vehicles and that tampering with a boot, even with one's own boot key, could be considered a criminal act.
Below are the consequences a person can face if caught tampering with a boot, according to APD:
- Criminal Trespass (O.C.G.A. 16-7-21) and/or
- Theft of Services (O.C.G.A. 16-8-5) and/or
- Theft by Taking (O.C.G.A. 16-8-2) and/or
- Damage to Property 2nd Degree (O.C.G.A. 16-7-23)
Companies authorized and licensed to boot vehicles are obligated to offer a specific level of assistance, including a round-the-clock hotline staffed by a real person, to aid individuals who have been booted.
And when it comes to those commonly reported high fees, that's illegal; fees cannot exceed $75 per day for removing the boot.
"That fee shall be all-inclusive; no additional fees may be charged for using other equipment," the law says.
So in the grand scheme of it all, booting is just a business in Georgia and if one is permitted to run that business, removing a boot is legal.