Storage facilities.
New Orleans City Code § 162-1014
in effectSec. 162-1014. - Storage facilities.
Storage facilities shall meet all City of New Orleans requirements as follows:
(1) Towing/storage facility business practices.
a. Storage facility business hours for purposes of inspection of records, place of business, and towing equipment shall be Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., excluding holidays.
b. When an operator is not open for business and does not have personnel present at the place of business, the operator shall post a clearly visible telephone number at the business location to advise the public how to make contact for the release of vehicles or personal property.
c. All billing invoices that are provided to the redeemer of the vehicle shall be consecutively numbered and shall contain the following information:
1. Date of service and tow truck operator's name.
2. The name of any police agency requesting the tow, if applicable.
3. If the call for service is for a private individual, then an invoice must contain the full name, address, driver's license number or some form of permanent identification of the person requesting the tow.
4. Itemized fees for service; and
5. The date the vehicle was released.
d. Any invoice, bill, statement, authorization or other form utilized by a towing company, which is to be signed by the owner (or agent) of a vehicle to be towed, must be of a format approved by the NOPD. This form must clearly denote what service is being authorized by signature. That is, there will be a separate signature line which merely authorizes the towing of the vehicle and another signature line to authorize any repairs to the vehicle.
e. No repairs shall be performed upon any vehicle unless there is an explicit signed written agreement authorizing such repairs.
f. Towing companies must submit a sample copy of their invoices to the NOPD towing and recovery unit to be kept on file there. Any invoice which does not meet the criteria outlined above will be in violation of these regulations and any charges for services on an unauthorized invoice will be forfeited. Towing companies shall furnish copies of invoices required herein with their application to the towing allocation list.
g. A copy of the invoice shall be filed by invoice number at the business location and a copy of any voided invoices shall be retained in this same file.
h. The address that the towing service lists on its application shall be the business location where its business records are kept. The application shall also list the locations of all storage areas for vehicle redemption.
i. The owner of a storage facility will be required to maintain a suitable office to transact business and to accommodate the public. It shall be staffed from at least 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays, throughout the year. Such facilities must be maintained properly, be clean, be presentable at all times and shall be subject to inspection by the NOPD towing and recovery unit.
j. Towing services must make business records available for inspection upon request by law enforcement officers, which information shall be confidential and shall not be released or deemed a public record.
(2) Storage procedures:
a. All vehicles shall be handled and returned in substantially the same condition as they existed before being towed.
b. All storage facilities shall employ reasonable safeguards and procedures so that all personal belongings and contents in the vehicle are intact and returned to the vehicle's owner or agent upon release of the vehicle. Reasonable requests for the return of essential property to the owner or agent of the property prior to the release of the vehicle shall be considered and honored wherever possible.
c. All personal property left in a vehicle and not claimed prior to a towing company obtaining a permit to sell such vehicle will be handled in accordance with existing applicable civil law. Reasonable requests for the return of essential property shall be honored whenever possible.
d. Any person who shows proof of ownership or written authorization from the impounded vehicle's registered or legal owner may inspect and view the vehicle without charge during normal business hours.
(3) Storage facility:
a. Storage areas must be secured against unauthorized entry in such a way as to give security to the property contained therein.
b. Storage lots shall be designed to be adequate in size for the individual towing service's need for storing vehicles. The storage facility shall be of sufficient size to accommodate a minimum of 20 stored vehicles. Shared use of a storage facility by more than one towing and recovery business is prohibited, unless authorized by the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections.
c. If a facility uses outdoor storage, fence material shall be of wood or metal design or of no less quality wire than 14½ gauge hog wire.
1. The fence must not be less than six feet in height.
2. All lots shall have at least one gate of the same quality material as the fence.
3. If such construction upon existing lot(s) is in violation of municipal zoning ordinances or other laws, the operator may file a petition for an alternate means of compliance and a proposed security plan with the NOPD towing and recovery unit.
d. If the storage is an open area, it shall be adequately lighted as described herein.
1. Such storage area must have security with reasonable human attendance.
2. Such open area must be paved or have a sufficiently hard or gravel surface to prevent problems in entry or exit during inclement weather.
3. A conspicuous sign shall be maintained at all times at the entrance to the impound lot and at the impound lot office stating the name of business, telephone number, after hours telephone number, and hours of operation.
4. All impound lots will be lighted during all hours of darkness.
5. The gate to the impound lot(s) shall be locked during the hours of darkness except to provide reasonable ingress and egress in connection with towing service operations.
6. All storage facilities are subject to inspection by the NOPD and must meet the applicable standards defined herein.
(4) [Minimum security requirements.] The foregoing shall be considered minimum security requirements.
a. The towing allocation list operator shall, at all times, keep the NOPD advised of the address of the storage facility furnished by it under this requirement. Each vehicle storage facility as provided herein must be approved by the NOPD. Each storage facility shall be inspected by the NOPD and shall contain a minimum of 7,200 square feet of storage area. This is inclusive of a separate and secure area where vehicles towed due to towing allocation duties are properly separately stored.
b. Nothing contained in this section shall be considered to supersede or otherwise affect applicable provisions of the zoning ordinance of the city.
c. Whenever any vehicle has been towed (other than by owner's request) to a storage facility where fees are charged for such storage or parking, the owner or operator of the storage facility shall, within 24 hours of the time such vehicle is towed to that storage facility, notify the NOPD towing and recovery unit that the vehicle has been towed for storage. The storage operator shall provide to the law enforcement authorities or their designees:
1. The police item number;
2. The location from which the vehicle was towed;
3. A description of the vehicle;
4. The license plate number and vehicle identification number of the vehicle;
5. The name and address of the location to which the vehicle was towed; and
6. An official report of stored vehicle card must be filed with the department of public safety, office of motor vehicles, dealer support section or its agent.
d. Each towing service shall be licensed as a separate legal entity.
e. Towing operators intending to lease or rent storage facilities from established business firms shall file such plan of lease or rent with the NOPD for approval. Such plan must include specific terms delineating the responsibility of the operator relating to compliance with these regulations and assurance that accountability is maintained.
f. Towing operators will maintain all records dealing with the towing and storage of vehicles for a minimum of five years. The NOPD shall have the right to enter and inspect all towing/storage facilities during normal working hours and these documents will be made available upon request.
g. All towing services shall maintain impoundment records which shall include the following information:
1. The date and time the call for service was received and from whom it was received, when applicable.
2. The police item number.
3. A description of the vehicle including make, model, color, vehicle identification number, and license plate number.
4. The date, time, and place at which the operator began the towing operation.
5. The date at which the impounded vehicle was released to the owner.
6. The name of the driver of the tow truck.
7. Letters of notification as required by these rules.
8. Proof of administrative costs.
9. Records of release of vehicle(s).
(5) Storage rates. All storage facility operators shall charge rates as set forth in the rules and regulations of the Louisiana Public Service Commission.
(6) Owner notification of a stored vehicle.
a. Within seven days of the time that a vehicle is placed in a storage facility, the operator of the storage facility shall notify in writing, by certified letter, return receipt requested, the last registered owner of the vehicle (at the owner's last known address) and the lien holder, should there be any.
b. The storage operator shall provide to the owner:
1. The police item number.
2. The location and name of the storage facility.
3. The vehicle identification number.
4. The vehicle license plate number.
5. A description of the vehicle.
6. The name of the person or agency that had the vehicle towed and/or placed in storage.
7. The date that the vehicle was placed in storage.
8. The condition of the vehicle.
9. The notice of the owner's right to an administrative hearing.
10. The address to which the request for a hearing must be sent.
11. The date by which the request for a hearing must be mailed, by certified letter, return receipt requested, which shall be ten days from the date that the owner's notification is postmarked.
c. Administrative fees:
1. Towing services may charge the registered owner/lienholder those administrative costs incurred by the filing of the official report of stored vehicle card with the office of motor vehicles along with any postal charges related to the mailing of the official report of stored vehicle card or certified letters to the registered owner/lienholder.
2. All costs must be documented with receipts which shall be made available to the registered owner/lienholder upon demand. Failure to comply will result in the forfeiture of all administrative costs, towing, and storage fees.
3. At no time will administrative costs exceed $25.00 for in-state notifications and $30.00 for out-of-state notifications.
(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_DIV5TOALDE_S162-1014STFAFetched: 10/28/2026