Allentown, PA Business Licensing & Operations: Towing Companies (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing law
- City Code Ch. 580, Ord. No. 16128 (2025)
- Police report deadline
- Within 30 minutes of tow
- Required insurance
- $1,000,000 per occurrence
- Decoupling fee cap
- 1/2 of towing fee
- Operator penalty
- $500 per vehicle or total fee
- Sign size minimum
- 12 in. by 18 in.
Summary
Tow operators pulling cars off private property in Allentown must be city-registered, carry $1 million liability coverage, and report every tow to police within 30 minutes. Property owners must post a 12-by-18-inch sign naming the towing company before any vehicle can be removed.
In addition to any regulation or obligation imposed by state law, for payment, or other relevant governmental entity, all tow truck operators wishing to conduct business must comply with the following: ... C. Prior to towing any vehicle from private property, the operator must: (1) Be initially notified of the unlawfully parked vehicle by the private property owner except in the case of overnight parking; and (2) Report the tow to the City of Allentown Police Department within 30 minutes of towing the vehicle, as per the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4995055; v49 updated 2026-06-26; through 06-26-2026).
Full Breakdown
City Code Chapter 580, adopted April 2, 2025 by Ordinance No. 16128, governs nonconsensual towing from private property citywide. Before a tow, the property owner generally must first notify the operator of the unlawfully parked vehicle (except overnight parking), and the operator must report the tow to the Allentown Police Department within 30 minutes, either through the nonemergency line or another method the department accepts. Restricted lots must carry a sign at least 12 inches wide by 18 inches high stating "privately owned parking lot," naming the property or business it serves, warning that unauthorized vehicles will be towed at the owner's expense, and listing the towing company's name and phone number; the sign must also meet Chapter 660 zoning signage rules and stay legible in all weather.
Operators must be registered to do business in the city, current on fees and taxes, free of outstanding city fines, and carry at least $1,000,000 in liability coverage per occurrence, with proof filed with the Police Traffic Division every six months. If a vehicle owner shows up before the car is actually moved, the operator must release it immediately and may charge no more than half the towing fee as a decoupling fee; after removal, release is conditioned on payment of itemized, written towing and storage charges.
No operator may tow a vehicle the Allentown Police or Parking Authority has already booted under § 615-58N. Every tow truck used for nonconsensual towing must display the company name and phone number visibly on the vehicle.
Violations & Fines
A tow truck operator who breaks Chapter 580 owes a civil fine of $500 per vehicle improperly towed, or the full fee charged to the owner, whichever is greater; a third violation bars the operator from further towing work in the city. A property owner who violates the chapter faces the same $500-or-total-fee penalty per vehicle. None of this cuts off a vehicle owner's separate right to sue under Pennsylvania's Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a tow company hook my car without warning in Allentown?
How fast must Allentown police be told about a private-property tow?
Can I get my car back before it leaves the lot?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Allentown
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