TOWING DISABLED VEHICLES

Municipal Code of Chicago tit. 9, ch. 9-44

in effect

Municipal Code of Chicago § 9-44-010 Towing or pushing regulations.

9-44-010 Towing or pushing regulations. (a) When one vehicle is towing another, the vehicles shall be connected to a drawbar of sufficient strength to pull all weight towed, and the drawbar shall not exceed eight feet in length. In addition to the drawbar, the vehicles shall be connected by two chains or cables of sufficient strength to pull all weight towed independently of the drawbar. Such chains or cables shall not exceed the length of the drawbar by more than two feet when fastened to the towed vehicle. (b) No person shall push a vehicle with another vehicle upon any public way for a distance greater than 600 feet, or in a school zone while school children are present. (c) Every disabled vehicle being pushed or towed on any public way shall have displayed on its roof or cab a flashing amber light. Such light shall be visible for a distance of at least 500 feet from the sides and rear if the vehicle is being towed or 500 feet to the front and sides if the vehicle is being pushed. Such light shall be in addition to any other lights required by law or ordinance. (Added Coun. J. 7-12-90, p. 18634)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 9-44-020 Safe speed required.

9-44-020 Safe speed required. No person shall drive any vehicle pushing or towing another vehicle a rate of speed greater than is reasonable under the conditions so as not to endanger life or property. (Added Coun. J. 7-12-90, p. 18634)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 9-44-030 Commercial towing vehicle - Daily report required.

9-44-030 Commercial towing vehicle - Daily report required. It shall be the duty of every person operating a commercial towing vehicle for hire in the city to prepare and deliver to the superintendent of police every day, before noon, a legible and correct report, on a form prescribed by the superintendent, of every motor vehicle picked up or towed by such operator from any public way in the city during the preceding twenty-four hours. The report shall contain the date upon which the towing service was performed, the locations from and to which the vehicle was towed, the name and address of the owner of the towed vehicle, the name and address of the person requesting the towing service, the name and license number of the chauffeur, if the vehicle was chauffeur-driven, and the make, type, state registration number, city wheel tax license emblem number, engine number and serial or factory number of the towed vehicle. This section shall not apply to any person operating a towing vehicle exclusively for the purpose of towing vehicles owned by such person. (Added Coun. J. 7-12-90, p. 18634; Amend Coun. J. 12-12-07, p. 16793, § 4)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 9-44-040 Tow trucks - Equipment and markings.

9-44-040 Tow trucks - Equipment and markings. (a) No person shall drive or operate a tow truck unless the truck complies with the following: (1) Every tow truck shall be equipped with an amber rotating light affixed to the roof of the cab; such light shall be visible for at least 500 feet in all directions and shall be operating when said tow truck is either towing or pushing a vehicle. (2) Every tow truck, except when owned by a government agency, shall display on each side of the cab in letters not less than two inches in height, in contrasting color, the name, address and telephone number of the owner or operator of said tow truck. (3) Every tow truck shall be equipped with at least one cubic foot of sand or dirt, one broom, one shovel, one trash can and one fully charged fire extinguisher, dry chemical or carbon dioxide with a rating of 4-B-C units or greater and bearing the approval of a laboratory qualified by the fire commissioner or the fire commissioner’s departmental designee for this purpose. (b) Every owner or operator of a tow truck shall remove all glass and debris deposited upon any public way by the disabled vehicle being serviced. The operator shall also spread sand or dirt upon the portion of any public way on which oil or grease has been deposited by the disabled vehicle. (Added Coun. J. 7-12-90, p. 18634; Amend Coun. J. 5-18-16, p. 24131, § 27; Amend Coun. J. 11-20-19, p. 9510, Art. IV, § 22)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 9-44-050 Tow truck operators - Insurance.

9-44-050 Tow truck operators - Insurance. Every tow truck operator shall maintain a liability insurance policy insuring the owner and the operator (1) for injury to person, in an amount not less than $100,000.00 to any one person and $300,000.00 for any one crash; (2) for damage to property other than a vehicle being towed, in an amount not less than $50,000.00 for any one crash; and (3) for damage to any vehicle towed by the tower, in an amount not less than $15,000.00 per vehicle. Such insurance policy shall be issued by a firm properly qualified to do business in the State of Illinois, and a certificate of the policy shall be carried in the cab of such tow truck and displayed on demand to a police officer or other authorized government official. (Added Coun. J. 7-12-90, p. 18634; Amend Coun. J. 11-17-21, p. 41319, Art. V, § 2)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 9-44-060 Towing of vehicle containing passenger prohibited.

9-44-060 Towing of vehicle containing passenger prohibited. No person shall operate a vehicle to tow another vehicle if the towed vehicle contains one or more passengers. (Added Coun. J. 7-29-98, p. 75175)

Source: City of Chicago, Municipal Code of Chicago (American Legal Publishing, codelibrary.amlegal.com)URL: https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/chicago/latest/chicago_il/0-0-0-2645679Fetched: 10/24/2026