Appleton, WI Business Licensing & Operations: Towing Companies (2026)

To join Appleton's rotating call list, a towing company must hold a State of Wisconsin Licensed Carrier Permit, own or exclusively lease at least one flatbed tow truck and one Class "A" wrecker with a wheel lift, keep every vehicle registered, insured at rates set by the City's Risk Manager, and inspected annually, and maintain a place of business inside Appleton's corporate limits with a storage facility holding at least 15 vehicles (Sec. 9-747, 9-748). Applications go to the Appleton Police Department and are processed within 30 business days; approved companies join the list within 7 business days, and all approvals expire December 1 each year, requiring annual reapplication (Sec.

9-749). to noon on request) and provide towing service 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including holidays. "Prompt service" means a wrecker arrives within 20 minutes and a flatbed tow truck within 25 minutes of the assignment; a company that cannot meet that window can be bypassed by the Outagamie County Public Safety Communications Center and dropped to the end of the list (Sec. 9-750). Fees may not exceed the Common Council's approved fee schedule, and a company charging for a no-tow forfeits the charge and moves to the top of the list, while charging for a partial tow sends it to the bottom (Sec.

9-751). During regular business hours a company must give a vehicle owner access to personal property in a towed vehicle immediately, even without payment; items like medications, prescription glasses, and perishables must be released within a reasonable time even outside business hours (Sec. 9-750(e)). Non-compliance triggers investigation by the Chief of Police, who may issue a warning, require corrective action, or remove the company from the list outright; two written warnings in a calendar year mean automatic removal (Sec. 9-752). A company may request reconsideration in writing, with a decision due within 7 business days, and may then appeal to the Common Council through the Safety and Licensing Committee within 10 business days (Sec. 9-752(d)).