Police Tow Rotation Directory

List runs through: Alabama Public Service Commission

State requirement: No state tow license; wreckers need a weight-based wrecker license plate from the Department of Revenue

List runs through: Alaska DOT & Public Facilities

State requirement: No state tow license; a general Alaska business license is required and tow permits are municipal (e.g., Anchorage)

List runs through: Arizona Department of Transportation

State requirement: Tow truck company registration with Arizona DPS plus a permit decal on each truck

List runs through: Arkansas Towing & Recovery Board

State requirement: Towing and Recovery Board business license (nonconsent license or consent registration) plus a safety permit per truck

List runs through: California Highway Patrol / CPUC

State requirement: No state tow license for companies; every driver needs a DMV tow truck driver certificate, and cities issue company permits

List runs through: Colorado Public Utilities Commission

State requirement: PUC towing carrier permit plus an annual stamp for each truck

List runs through: Connecticut DMV

State requirement: Wrecker operation requires a DMV motor vehicle dealer or repairer license, plus wrecker plates

List runs through: Delaware DMV

State requirement: Nonconsensual towing requires Delaware State Police 'Approved Tower' certification, plus a state business license

List runs through: Florida DHSMV / county boards

State requirement: No state tow license; counties and cities run wrecker permits and FHP keeps the rotation list

List runs through: Georgia Department of Public Safety

State requirement: DPS Nonconsensual Towing Permit required for private-property towing; consent-only towing has no comparable state permit

List runs through: Hawaii DOT

State requirement: No state tow license; trucks must meet HRS §291C-135 signage and insurance rules and counties issue permits

List runs through: Idaho State Police

State requirement: No state tow license; an ISP rotation application is needed only for police-directed tows

List runs through: Illinois Commerce Commission

State requirement: ICC relocator license required only for private-property non-consent towing in Cook, DuPage, Kane, Will and Winnebago counties

List runs through: Indiana Department of Revenue MCS

State requirement: No state tow license; IC 24-14 sets towing conduct rules and cities license non-consent towers

List runs through: Iowa DOT Motor Vehicle Enforcement

State requirement: No state tow license; for-hire towing outside city limits needs Iowa DOT transporter registration

List runs through: Kansas Corporation Commission

State requirement: KCC Certificate of Public Service required for wrecker and towing service

List runs through: Kentucky Transportation Cabinet

State requirement: KYTC Towing and Storage Certificate with insurance filing and rate sheet

List runs through: Louisiana Public Service Commission

State requirement: LPSC wrecker certificate for non-consent towing plus a State Police storage-facility license

List runs through: Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles

State requirement: Light or heavy wrecker plate and license from the Secretary of State's BMV

List runs through: Maryland MVA / county boards

State requirement: No state tow license; MVA issues Class T tow truck registration and counties such as Prince George's and Baltimore County license towers

List runs through: Massachusetts DPU

State requirement: DPU authority required for involuntary (police-ordered and trespass) tows; consensual towing is not DPU-licensed

List runs through: Michigan State Police

State requirement: No state tow license; MCL 257.723 requires truck ID markings and police agencies keep their own tow lists

List runs through: Minnesota DOT

State requirement: No state tow license; cities such as Minneapolis and St. Paul license towers, and MnDOT offers an optional weight permit

List runs through: Mississippi DOT

State requirement: No state tow license for light duty; DPS tow-list rules apply only to nonconsensual commercial-vehicle towing

List runs through: Missouri State Highway Patrol

State requirement: No state tow license; MSHP keeps a tow list for law-enforcement tows and cities license towing businesses

List runs through: Montana Department of Justice

State requirement: Annual Montana Highway Patrol tow truck inspection and certification under the Professional Tow Truck Act

List runs through: Nebraska DMV Carrier Enforcement

State requirement: No state tow license; standard commercial registration applies and towing permits are local

List runs through: Nevada Transportation Authority

State requirement: NTA Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity to operate a tow car, for consent and/or non-consent tows

List runs through: New Hampshire DOT

State requirement: No state tow license; optional State Police tow list placement for police calls, plus municipal permits

List runs through: New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs

State requirement: MVC tow truck registration, and non-consensual towers must follow Consumer Affairs rules

List runs through: New Mexico Public Regulation Commission

State requirement: PRC warrant / operating authority required for non-consensual tow and wrecker service

List runs through: New York DMV

State requirement: No state tow license for companies; drivers need a DMV 'W' tow truck endorsement and NYC adds a DCWP license

List runs through: North Carolina DOT

State requirement: No state tow license; city permits and Highway Patrol rotation rules apply

List runs through: North Dakota DOT

State requirement: No state tow license; commercial towers register with NDDOT to use the abandoned-vehicle lien process

List runs through: Ohio PUCO

State requirement: PUCO towing certificate required for for-hire tow trucks, consent and non-consent

List runs through: Oklahoma Corporation Commission / DPS

State requirement: DPS wrecker service license (Class AA, A or B); the Corporation Commission oversees rates

List runs through: Oregon DOT

State requirement: DMV Tow/Recovery Business Certificate plus tow vehicle registration for all for-hire towing

List runs through: Pennsylvania PUC

State requirement: PUC Certificate of Public Convenience for intrastate for-hire property carriers, including towing

List runs through: Rhode Island Division of Public Utilities

State requirement: DPUC operating authority for tow companies; DPUC also sets non-consensual tow rates

List runs through: South Carolina DMV

State requirement: No state tow license; SC Highway Patrol rotation qualification applies to law-enforcement tows and cities charge business license fees

List runs through: South Dakota DPS

State requirement: No state tow license; standard commercial vehicle registration and local permits apply

List runs through: Tennessee DOSHS

State requirement: No state tow license; state towing standards apply and cities issue permits

List runs through: Texas TDLR

State requirement: TDLR tow company license plus a permit per truck (incident management, private property or consent) and operator licenses

List runs through: Utah Department of Transportation

State requirement: UDOT company, tow truck and driver certifications before operating

List runs through: Vermont DMV

State requirement: No state tow license; tow trucks carry a DMV wrecker registration

List runs through: Virginia DCJS

State requirement: DCJS registration required for every tow truck driver; companies are regulated locally

List runs through: Washington State Patrol

State requirement: DOL Registered Tow Truck Operator (RTTO) license plus State Patrol inspection of trucks and lot

List runs through: West Virginia DOT

State requirement: PSC wrecker company registration and insurance filing, plus local permits

List runs through: Wisconsin DOT

State requirement: No state tow license; for-hire carriers need WisDOT intrastate motor carrier authority

List runs through: Wyoming DOT

State requirement: No state tow license; voluntary Highway Patrol rotation application for roadside non-consent tows