Akron, OH Business Licensing & Operations: Towing Companies (2026)
Key Facts
- Towing districts
- 6 districts, one company each
- Response time
- 20 minutes of police dispatch
- Hours required
- 7 a.m.-7 p.m. daily, 24hr on-call
- Liability insurance
- At least $2 million
- Base in-city tow fee
- $125
- 1st offense penalty
- $100 fine or 5-day suspension
- 2nd offense penalty
- $500 fine or 30-day suspension
Summary
Akron licenses a single towing company for each of six police towing districts and holds them to strict service standards. Sec. 70.52 requires tow companies to be open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day, respond within twenty minutes of dispatch, carry at least $2 million in liability insurance, and stock specific trucks and storage capacity.
D.Towing companies shall be open to the public for the release of impounded vehicles at a minimum from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. seven days a week and shall respond to calls twenty-four hours a day. Towing companies may be closed on the following holidays, but shall be on call and available for emergency appointments: Christmas, New Year's Day, Fourth of July, Easter, Labor Day, and Memorial Day. ... I.At all times, towing companies operating under this chapter shall maintain liability insurance coverage in an amount no less than two million dollars. ... J.All tow companies must arrive at the location of the vehicle to be towed within twenty minutes of being dispatched by the Akron Police Department.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 64).
Full Breakdown
Akron's Police Towing Review Board oversees six district tow companies operating under Sec. 52, one per towing district shown on the code's Exhibit 1, with common ownership barred from controlling more than one district since January 1, 2025. seven days a week, remain on call around the clock, and dispatched trucks must reach the vehicle within twenty minutes under Sec. 52(J). Facilities must maintain at least five approved tow trucks (two flatbeds, one able to tow front-wheel-drive vehicles without damage, plus a 25-ton tandem wrecker), outdoor storage for at least seventy-five vehicles and indoor storage for five more, and an eight-foot fence around the storage yard, and carry at least $2 million in liability insurance under Sec.
52(I). To reclaim a towed vehicle, Sec. 51 requires the owner or an authorized representative to show identification, proof of ownership, and a Municipal Court receipt showing parking-fine payment, or, if contesting the ticket, to post a court-set bond instead; the tow company itself collects the towing and storage charges before release. Those charges are capped by Sec. 53 at $125 for an in-city tow, $8 for under four hours of storage, $15 for storage over four hours or per 24-hour period, and additional fees for winching, lock-outs, and dolly wheels.
The Police Towing Review Board can fine a company or suspend its license after a public hearing under Sec. 57 for violations like overcharging, mistreating the public, or failing equipment standards.
Violations & Fines
A tow company found by the Police Towing Review Board to have violated Sec. 70.57, including failing to obey traffic laws, mistreating the public, misrepresenting charges, or falsifying information to Council, faces a $100 fine or up to a five-day license suspension for a first offense, and a $500 fine or up to thirty days' suspension for a second, under Sec. 70.58. A third offense goes to City Council for possible license revocation, and Council may revoke immediately for a serious public-safety violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Akron
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