Anaheim, CA Business Licensing & Operations: Towing Companies (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing chapter
- AMC Chapter 4.75
- Application fee
- $500 (Sec. 4.75.030)
- Permit term
- 2 years, renewable
- Rate ceiling
- 15% above City's contract tow rate
- Notice before tow
- Owner must notify Anaheim PD first
- Sign requirement
- Visible 25 ft, every 100 ft
- Violation
- Misdemeanor (Sec. 4.75.160)
Summary
Anaheim requires a City permit before any company can tow illegally parked vehicles off private property. Chapter 4.75 sets a $500 application fee, mandates warning signs at every entrance, and lets the Chief of Police deny or revoke a permit for cause, with towing without one a misdemeanor.
It is unlawful for any person, association, firm, or corporation to engage in, conduct, or carry on, the business of towing or impounding illegally parked vehicles from a private property location within the City of Anaheim in the absence of a permit issued pursuant to the provisions hereinafter set forth.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-28: Code: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. 6627, passed 8-11-2026 | Zoning: Local legislation current through Ord. 6627, passed 8-11-2026).
Full Breakdown
75 governs non-consent tows from private property (as opposed to police-ordered tows). 020 makes it unlawful to "engage in, conduct, or carry on the business of towing or impounding illegally parked vehicles from a private property location" without a permit. 110; the Chief of Police investigates the applicant's background and the Building Division and Fire Department inspect any proposed storage facility. 110(9), a permit can be denied if the applicant's rates run more than 15 percent above the City's own contracted police towing rates. 220," plus the Anaheim Police non-emergency line.
070 requires the property owner or manager to notify the Anaheim Police Department before any tow, including the vehicle's license number and where it will be stored, and the person authorizing the tow must be physically present; the permittee must deliver a signed copy of that authorization to the Police Traffic Bureau within 48 hours. 060. 120 for code violations, moral-turpitude convictions, or hiring tow operators under 18, after a hearing on five days' written notice; the permit holder can appeal a denial, suspension, or revocation to the City Council.
Violations & Fines
Operating a private-property tow service without a permit, or violating any Chapter 4.75 provision, is a misdemeanor under Section 4.75.160. The City Attorney may also sue to abate an unpermitted or violating tow operation as a public nuisance, seeking an injunction against the operator in addition to or instead of criminal prosecution. A suspended or revoked permit holder who keeps operating before reinstatement by the Chief of Police or City Council is also unlawful under Section 4.75.120(.050), though a timely appeal stays the suspension pending the City Council's decision.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a tow company tow my car from a private lot in Anaheim without calling police first?
What signs must a private lot post before towing cars in Anaheim?
How much can an Anaheim tow company charge for a private-property tow?
What happens if a company tows from private property without a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Anaheim
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