TOWING ALLOCATION LIST PROCEDURE

New Orleans City Code ch. 162, art. XI, div. 6

in effect

New Orleans City Code § 162-1015 NOPD towing allocation list dispatch—Accident scenes, recovered stolen vehicles, police emergencies, and compulsory liability insurance/security impoundment.

Sec. 162-1015. - NOPD towing allocation list dispatch—Accident scenes, recovered stolen vehicles, police emergencies, and compulsory liability insurance/security impoundment. (a) Accident scenes, police emergencies. Whenever a motor vehicle has been involved in an accident or collision within the limits of the City of New Orleans and is unable to proceed safely, or the driver is physically unable to drive the motor vehicle, the investigating officer shall request of the driver that the driver designate a towing business to tow the motor vehicle. In the event that the driver is physically unable to designate a towing business, or expresses no preference for a towing business, the towing business next on the towing allocation list maintained by the NOPD shall be dispatched to the scene of the accident to tow the motor vehicle. For any other emergency requirements for a towing service by the NOPD, this same procedure and rotation shall be followed. (b) For towing and impoundment of vehicles as required for violation of state law regarding compulsory liability insurance/security, a separate towing allocation list for this purpose shall be utilized. The towing business next on the towing allocation list maintained by the NOPD shall be dispatched to the scene of an impoundment to tow the motor vehicle. (c) For towing and impoundment of recovered stolen vehicles, a separate towing allocation list shall be utilized. Whenever the police locates a vehicle which has been reported stolen and the owner of the vehicle cannot be located or is unwilling or unable to remove the vehicle from the recovery location, and the vehicle no longer has any evidentiary value to the police, the towing business next on the towing allocation list maintained by the NOPD shall be dispatched to tow the vehicle. (d) For towing and impoundment of abandoned and nuisance motor vehicles, the NOPD shall use its allocation lists. Whenever the parking enforcement division notifies the NOPD that is cannot tow or store an abandoned or nuisance vehicle, the towing business next on a towing allocation list maintained by the NOPD shall be dispatched to tow the vehicle. The towing business shall not lose its place in the towing allocation list from which it was chosen when picking up an abandoned and nuisance motor vehicle. (e) The NOPD shall log the following information: (1) Police item number; (2) Time and date of the dispatch; (3) Description of the vehicle to be towed; (4) Purpose of the tow request for services; (5) Name(s) of the dispatching officer(s); and (6) Name(s) of the towing business(es) called. (f) If tow truck operators are unable to respond when summoned by special request or through the NOPD towing allocation list, they must immediately notify the NOPD and shall not summon a substitute. Multiple failures to respond when summoned will subject the towing service business to review and possible removal from the NOPD towing allocation list. (g) For towing and impoundment of vehicles as required for violation of this Code regarding illegal dumping, a separate towing allocation list for this purpose shall be utilized. The towing business next on the towing allocation list maintained by the NOPD shall be dispatched to the scene of an impoundment to tow the motor vehicle. (M.C.S., Ord. No. 28755, § 1, 8-5-21)

New Orleans City Code § 162-1016 Schedule of fees; charge or fee increases.

Sec. 162-1016. - Schedule of fees; charge or fee increases. Whenever a motor vehicle has been towed through a towing service business obtained from the NOPD towing allocation list, the owner/operator of the vehicle being towed shall be responsible for the payment of fees associated with the towing and recovery, and storage, if applicable. The maximum charges or fees for emergency towing by a vehicle owner or operator using the towing allocation list, and for towing performed without the knowledge and consent of the owner or operator of a vehicle, shall be set in accordance with the mandatory tariff schedule set forth by the Louisiana Public Service Commission Schedule of Prescribed Rates and Requirements for Non-Consensual Towing and Recovery Services. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no instance shall victims of certain crimes be responsible for the payment of fees associated with the towing, recovery, and/or storage of a stolen vehicle in accordance with section 154-705 and section 154-781 of the Code. (M.C.S., Ord. No. 28755, § 1, 8-5-21; M.C.S., Ord. No. 29085, § 1, 7-7-22)

New Orleans City Code § 162-1017 Administrative hearing.

Sec. 162-1017. - Administrative hearing. The owner of any vehicle towed through a towing service obtained from the NOPD towing allocation list without the knowledge and consent of the owner or operator shall have the right to an administrative hearing pursuant to the Louisiana Administrative Procedures Act, R.S. 45:95 et seq. to determine if the towing and storage of such vehicle was proper. The purpose of the hearing is to determine the validity of the tow and storage. Request for hearing shall be submitted in writing to the NOPD towing and recovery unit. The owner of the vehicle must make a request for such hearing within ten calendar days of the date the owner receives notification by the towing business/storage facility. (M.C.S., Ord. No. 28755, § 1, 8-5-21)

New Orleans City Code § 162-1018 Response to towing allocation list, response time.

Sec. 162-1018. - Response to towing allocation list, response time. (a) In any case where public safety considerations permit, and where the vehicle operator specifically requests that a particular licensed tow company provide for the removal, towing and/or storage of his vehicle, the vehicle operator's request shall be honored even if the towing company requested is not a listed towing allocation operator; provided, however, where the public health, safety and welfare dictate an allocation operator be used, it shall be the duty of law enforcement officials to direct the removal by listed towing allocation operator. (b) The maximum allowable response time by a licensed towing company requested by the vehicle operator, other than a listed towing allocation operator, shall be 45 minutes from notification by the vehicle owner or the law enforcement officer. Upon the expiration of such 45 minutes and the dispatching of a listed towing allocation operator, the towing allocation list operator shall have sole authority for removal of vehicles. (c) All towing businesses must be able to respond in accordance with all traffic laws and safe driving practices to the scene within a 45-minute time period on a 24-hour, 365-day basis. (d) Towing businesses shall ensure that all operators possess the knowledge and skills to determine the proper sizing, weight requirements, and type of equipment necessary to handle each towing assignment on a damage free basis. In those instances where a towing business representative determines that a different type of equipment is necessary, that business shall be allowed to summon its own equipment, such delivery within a time period not to exceed an additional 30 minutes. If the towing business does not possess the equipment necessary to relocate or clear an accident safely, or to handle the towing and recovery of a recovered stolen vehicle, an immediate notification to the on-scene police officer is required so that the next towing business on the towing allocation list may be officially notified to respond by the NOPD. (e) Towing businesses designated to respond on the towing allocation list for towing and impoundment of vehicles in violation of state compulsory liability insurance/security shall respond and utilize damage-free towing equipment only. (f) Towing businesses shall have communication equipment at their facility to provide direct contact between the tow representative and their tow wagons. Citizen band radios and pagers are not sufficient equipment for this purpose. (g) The allocation of multiple vehicle accident scenes shall be assigned on a "one car - one tow" system. The investigating police officer shall notify the police communications dispatcher of the vehicle license numbers of those vehicles requiring towing support. The sequence of the license plates submitted shall determine the assignment of the towing business in that order of towing allocation list. The towing business shall be notified of their assigned vehicle by license plate at dispatch. (M.C.S., Ord. No. 28755, § 1, 8-5-21)

New Orleans City Code § 162-1019 Licensee requirements.

Sec. 162-1019. - Licensee requirements. (a) It shall be the duty of the driver of each tow truck that picks up wrecked or disabled vehicles for the purposes of towing the same away to clear the street or highway of all debris, parts, glass, and automotive fluids. (b) The licensee shall be responsible and liable for any damages or losses inflicted to vehicles lifted, hauled, or transported, or subjected to any other activity performed which is the subject of the licensee's responsibilities and shall be responsible for maintaining the safety and security of contents of the vehicle in his care and custody. (c) A vehicle removed from the scene shall be transported to its point of destination or storage by the most direct route practical. (d) Towing companies which are also engaged in the automotive body repair service shall have clearly printed on the front of all invoices or receipts for towing services the following: (1) A statement which informs the owner or operator of a vehicle towed pursuant to towing allocation list responsibilities that the owner or operator is under no obligation to have body repair or any other work performed on the towed vehicle by the business which towed the vehicle; (2) The maximum daily vehicle storage charge; (3) The right of the owner or operator to remove a vehicle upon payment of the accrued daily storage fee and towing fee. (e) All towing companies shall be party to a reciprocal assistance agreement under which requests for assistance in the performance of allocation responsibilities shall be honored by any other allocation list operator when feasible. Assistance by a company other than an approved towing allocation business is prohibited. (f) Towing companies shall immediately inform the NOPD whenever a vehicle to which it has been dispatched is placarded as a carrier of hazardous material. The towing company shall not move a placarded vehicle except under the on-site supervision of department of fire officials (NOFD). However, the NOPD after consultation with NOFD officials may direct the removal of the placarded vehicle without such on-site supervision. (M.C.S., Ord. No. 28755, § 1, 8-5-21)

Source: City of New Orleans, Code of Ordinances and Home Rule Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/la/new_orleans/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICO_CH162VEHI_ARTXITORESTRE_DIV6TOALLIPRFetched: 10/28/2026