TOWING SERVICE REGULATIONS.

Austin City Code tit. 13, ch. 13-6, art. 4

in effect

Austin City Code § 13-6-71 PEACE OFFICER NOT TO INFLUENCE SELECTION OF TOWING BUSINESS.

§ 13-6-71 - PEACE OFFICER NOT TO INFLUENCE SELECTION OF TOWING BUSINESS. A peace officer may not recommend a particular towing company to a person or influence, or attempt to influence, a person's selection of a towing business, auto repair shop, or automobile dealer. Source: 1992 Code Section 8-14-209; Ord. 031106-13; Ord. 031211-11.

Austin City Code § 13-6-72 MINIMUM EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS.

§ 13-6-72 - MINIMUM EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS. (A) Except as provided by Subsection (B), a towing company must have at least one registered Category A, one registered Category B, or one registered Category C tow truck to tow a vehicle. (B) A towing company must own or have a contract for the use of a vehicle storage facility and have at least one registered Category A tow truck to tow a vehicle that is parked illegally in a private parking facility. Source: 1992 Code Section 8-14-218; Ord. 031106-13; Ord. 031211-11; Ord. 20060608-019.

Austin City Code § 13-6-73 SOLICITING TOWING BUSINESS ON CITY STREETS RESTRICTED.

§ 13-6-73 - SOLICITING TOWING BUSINESS ON CITY STREETS RESTRICTED. (A) Except as provided by Subsection (B), a towing company may not solicit business from a City street to provide towing service to a vehicle disabled in an accident on a City street. This prohibition applies to a solicitation to tow, remove, repair, wreck, store, trade, sell, or purchase the vehicle. (B) A towing company participating in the traffic incident management program that is operating within an assigned zone may solicit towing business from the owner or operator of a disabled vehicle that is removed during the time authorized for that zone, unless the owner or operator has made a designation under Section 13-6-101 (Driver Designated Towing Company). Source: 1992 Code Section 8-14-210; Ord. 031106-13; Ord. 031211-11; Ord. 20060608-019.

Austin City Code § 13-6-74 NOTIFICATION OF VEHICLE REMOVAL.

§ 13-6-74 - NOTIFICATION OF VEHICLE REMOVAL. (A) A towing company that removes a vehicle in accordance with Chapter 684 (Removal of Unauthorized Vehicles from Parking Facility or Public Roadway) of the Texas Transportation Code or in executing a repossession shall notify the department not later than one hour after the removal. (B) The notification must include: (1) the name of the towing company; (2) the date, time, and location of the removal; (3) the physical description, license number and vehicle identification number of the vehicle removed; (4) the name of the tow truck operator who performed the removal; and (5) the storage location of the vehicle. Source: 1992 Code Section 8-14-212(A); Ord. 031106-13; Ord. 031211-11.

Austin City Code § 13-6-75 TOWING RESTRICTED.

§ 13-6-75 - TOWING RESTRICTED. (A) Except as provided in Subsection (B), a towing company that intends to remove a vehicle from a parking facility in accordance with Chapter 684 (Removal of Unauthorized Vehicles from Parking Facility or Public Roadway) of the Texas Transportation Code may not tow a vehicle when the vehicle owner objects to the tow, tenders payment of a fee authorized in Section 13-6-76 (Towing Fee Schedule) and removes the vehicle within 30 minutes. (B) If a towing company is authorized to remove a vehicle from a parking facility, it may remove the vehicle earlier than 30 minutes after the vehicle owner objects to the tow if the vehicle: (1) is in or obstructs a vehicular traffic aisle, entry, or exit of the parking facility; (2) prevents a vehicle from exiting a parking space in the facility; or (3) is in or obstructs a properly marked fire lane. Source: 1992 Code Section 8-14-212 (B)(1); Ord. 031106-13; Ord. 031211-11; Ord. 20060608-019.

Austin City Code § 13-6-76 TOWING FEE SCHEDULE.

§ 13-6-76 - TOWING FEE SCHEDULE. (A) In this section, FULLY PREPARED FOR TRANSPORT describes a vehicle that is attached to a tow truck, is lifted, with tow lights and safety chains attached and, if required, is placed on a dolly in a raised position. (B) This section applies to a towing company that intends to remove a vehicle from a parking facility in accordance with Chapter 684 (Removal of Unauthorized Vehicles from Parking Facility or Public Roadway) of the Texas Transportation Code. This section does not apply to a repossession. A towing company may not charge more than one fee under this section for towing a single vehicle. (C) A towing company may charge a fully prepared for transport fee when a vehicle has been fully prepared for transport but has not been removed from the property. (D) A towing company may charge the standard non-consent fee when it removes a vehicle from the property. Source: 1992 Code Sections 8-14-127 and 8-14-212(B)(2) and (3); Ord. 031106-13; Ord. 031211-11; Ord. 20060608-019.

Austin City Code § 13-6-77 VEHICLE STORAGE FACILITY REQUIRED.

§ 13-6-77 - VEHICLE STORAGE FACILITY REQUIRED. A towing company shall own or have a contract to use a designated vehicle storage facility to store vehicles removed in a non-consent tow that is: (1) licensed by the State of Texas; and (2) located within 5,000 feet of the full or limited purpose annexation areas of the City. Source: 1992 Code Section 8-14-217 (F); Ord. 031106-13; Ord. 031211-11.

Austin City Code § 13-6-78 REMOVAL TO DESIGNATED FACILITY.

§ 13-6-78 - REMOVAL TO DESIGNATED FACILITY. (A) Except as provided in Subsection (B), a towing company that performs a non-consent tow of a vehicle from private property: (1) shall immediately tow the vehicle to the towing company's designated vehicle storage facility; and (2) may not unload the towed vehicle at a place other than the company's designated vehicle storage facility. (B) A towing company that performs a non-consent tow of a vehicle from private property may unload a vehicle at a place other than its vehicle storage facility only: (1) if safety reasons or mechanical breakdown require the transfer of the vehicle to another tow truck; or (2) to transfer the vehicle to another tow truck, within 100 feet of the private property, if the original tow truck is the company's only available truck that is capable of entering the property and removing a vehicle, and the original truck is needed immediately for additional towing from the private property. Source: 1992 Code Section 8-14-212(C); Ord. 031106-13; Ord. 031211-11; Ord. 20060608-019.

Austin City Code § 13-6-79 RELEASE OF VEHICLE FROM STORAGE, IMPOUNDMENT.

§ 13-6-79 - RELEASE OF VEHICLE FROM STORAGE, IMPOUNDMENT. (A) A vehicle storage facility may not refuse to release a vehicle in its possession to the vehicle owner, or the owner's agent, after the person pays the applicable fees, unless a law enforcement agency directed that the vehicle not be released or release of the vehicle is prohibited by a court order. (B) A person may not remove or attempt to remove a vehicle that is lawfully stored by a vehicle storage facility unless the applicable charges are paid and accepted, or the person removing the vehicle has obtained permission from the vehicle storage facility. (C) A towing company must release a vehicle when a peace officer directs the towing company to release the vehicle. Source: 1992 Code Section 8-14-213; Ord. 031106-13; Ord. 031211-11; Ord. 20060608-019.

Austin City Code § 13-6-80 PAYMENT.

§ 13-6-80 - PAYMENT. (A) A person who pays a towing fee in cash or who tenders payment in cash meets the payment requirements under this chapter in all circumstances. (B) A towing company shall provide a vehicle owner the option of paying the towing fee by cash or a major credit card. Source: 1992 Code Sections 8-14-212(D) and 8-14-217(G); Ord. 031106-13; Ord. 031211-11; Ord. 20060608-019.

Source: City of Austin, City Code and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/tx/austin/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT13TRSE_CH13-6VETOSE_ART4TOSEREFetched: 10/27/2026